VIL feb 09 GRID.indd - Tubac Villager

y Mary Bingham
S o u t h e r n A r i z o n a H i s t o r y
Didier Masson & El Biplano Sonora
Friend Delia Medina Salinas recently brought this bit of early
20th century history to my attention. Delia has ties to the
Tubac-Tucson area through her ancestor Lieutenant Colonel
and Adjutant Inspector of the Internal Provinces of New Spain,
Don Roque de Medina. Th at was way back when the Internal
Provinces included present-day Southern Arizona and Northern
Sonora, Mexico.
However, this story begins in California, probably in early
March or April of 1913. Delia’s grandfather Juan Pablo Medina
and his daughter, María Medina, participated in a most unusual
historic event – the fi rst aerial bombing of navel vessels in
North America. Señor Medina was an astute businessman from
Cananea, Sonora, and María a student attending college in
California. She was fl uent in English and French, which was
vital to the success of their mission.
On February 18, 1913, Mexico once again became a state
in turmoil when General Victoriano Huerta overthrew the
Constitutionalist government of President Francisco I. Madero.
President Madero and Vice President José María Pino Suárez
were seized in the National Palace of Mexico City, the offi cial
seat of government, and placed under arrest. Four days later
on February 22nd the two were assassinated in what Huerta
claimed was “crossfi re between Madero’s captors and would-be
rescuers.”
General Álvaro Obregón, a loyal supporter of Madero, dismissed
Huerta’s ridiculous claim and dedicated himself to taking
Mexico back from the ruthless dictator. Señor Medina and
María felt the same. At Obregón’s request, two trusted military
offi cials, Colonel Santiago Camberos and Captain Joaquín
Bauche Alcalde accompanied by Señor Medina traveled to
California to purchase an aeroplane. Medina arranged for María
to join them and act as translator.
Th e “hero” of this tale is French-born aviator Didier Masson.
Born in Asnières, France on February 23, 1886, he apprenticed
as a jeweler, but became a magneto repairman while serving in
the French military. Louis Paulhan, one of France’s early aviators,
hired Masson as a mechanic in 1909 when he returned to civilian
life. Masson quickly learned to fl y and soloed that same year.
Paulhan and Masson decided to travel to America where
aviation was growing at an incredible pace. Masson sailed for
America arriving on December 27, 1909, followed by Paulhan
and his family who arrived on January 3, 1910. Both participated
in air shows and early barnstorming events.
Masson caught the eye of Ivan R. Gates, owner of the fl edgling
Gates Flying Circus in 1912. When Gates was injured in an auto
accident, he hired Masson to fulfi ll his show contracts. Masson
quickly became a sensation. Later that year, he was hired by
Glenn Martin as an instructor at Th e Glenn Martin Flying
School and ironically received his fi rst pilot’s license, #202 issued
by the Aero Club of America.
Th e school was a part of the California division of the Glenn
L. Martin Company established in 1912 at Dominguez
Field near Los Angeles. It was here that Camberos, Alcalde,
and the Medinas met the dashing Frenchman. Masson was
immediately smitten by the beautiful María and took her for
a demonstration ride. After the ride, María translated for the
Some historians identify the plane fl own by Masson as a
Martin Pusher, while others say it was a Curtiss Pusher.
A pusher type aircraft has its engine and propeller located
to the rear of the pilot, as in this painting by Tubac Artist
Walter Wilson, courtesy of the Tubac Art Exchange.
offi cials outlining their plans to purchase an aeroplane that could
provide intelligence on enemy troop movements and ultimately
bomb Huerta’s navel ships at the port of Guaymas on the Sea of
Cortez.
Masson was intrigued at the prospect of bombing a ship from
the air. He was sure that it had never been done before. He was
also intrigued by the beautiful, French speaking, María! Masson
took the visitors across the airfi eld to see Martin, and a biplane
known as a Martin Pusher was quickly purchased with the
deal to include Martin’s top pilot, Masson, and top mechanic,
Australian born Th omas James Dean. Both were to be paid well
for their services with a salary of $300 per month, plus $50 for
each exploratory fl ight and $250 for each bombing raid. Th e
Martin biplane reportedly cost $5000, which Delia believes was
fi nanced by her grandfather.
Th ere is much confusion over the manufacturer of the biplane.
Some historians identify the plane as a Martin Pusher, while
others say it was a Curtiss Pusher. Both manufactures were
located in Southern California and designing similar aircraft
at the time. Th e Curtiss facility was located in San Diego with
seaplane operations at Corona del Mar, while Martin had
facilities near Los Angeles and seaplane operations at Balboa
Island in Newport. It is possible that the Mexican offi cials visited
both builders.
A couple of historians have even identifi ed the biplane as a
Martin Pusher with a Curtiss engine. Photographs of Masson
and the biplane can be found on the Internet. To this writer’s
untrained eye, it looks like a Martin Pusher. Perhaps a Curtiss
replacement engine was used at a later date. Th e biplane that
many described as looking like a mosquito, was quickly dubbed
“El Biplano Sonora” named for the Mexican state of Sonora.
Hermosillo, Sonora would be its fi rst destination.
Now the problem was how to smuggle the biplane into Mexico
without either U.S. or Mexican authorities intercepting it. Th e
U.S. had placed an embargo on war materials headed to Mexico,
and aircraft of any type were considered weapons of war. Wells
Fargo crated the plane in fi ve crates and shipped it to Tucson
via train. Masson and Dean arranged for wagons and mules and
began the trip south that would take them through Tubac and
past the old Tumacacori Mission en route Nogales. Th ere wasn’t
much else in between Tucson and Nogales back then.
May 9th the Casa Grande Dispatch datelined Los Angeles
reported that Didier Masson and his mechanic, Th omas Dean
had been arrested and charged with violation of neutrality laws
the previous day. An unnamed U.S. district attorney was quoted
as saying, “the plans were known since the Mexicans opened
negotiations to purchase fl ying machines for use in the war
against Huerta.”
Meanwhile the New York Times for the same date reported that
a Deputy Marshal Johnson at Pike’s Ranch, twenty miles south
of Tucson had captured a war aeroplane. Masson and Dean
claimed they were merely planning to test the machine and were
looking for a good place to do so. Th e name of the arresting
offi cer may be incorrect as there is no record of a U. S. Deputy
Marshal named Johnson in Arizona in 1913. Th e most likely
arresting offi cer was U. S. Deputy Marshal Arthur A. Hopkins
who shows up later in the story. Haven’t been able to pinpoint
the Pike Ranch either, but 20 miles south using the Old Nogales
Highway would have put it right around the current border
between Sahuarita and Green Valley. Perhaps near the new Wal-
Mart on Duval Mine Road.
By May 10th, Th e Ogden Examiner headline proclaimed:
UNCLE SAM SEEKS BIRD MEN WHO FLEE COUNT.
Th e story goes on to say Masson and Dean were reported to have
crossed the border at Nogales wearing constitutionalist army
uniforms.
May 11th, the Galveston Daily News with a Nogales, Ariz.,
dateline reported:
Evidencing that still another war aeroplane is being smuggled
over the border to assist in the attack on Guaymas, a huge roll
was received by express today at Nogales, Sonora. It was claimed
by Didier Masson, the French aviator, who narrowly escaped
arrest below Tucson, Ariz., where his aeroplane was held by
United States federal authorities.
Masson said the packages contained the vital parts of an
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