Bob Morgan's Color Photos
Click here to return to the Bob Morgan indexThe next series of photographs are transposed from colored 35 mm slides, Geographically, they are from Dharan, Al Kharj, Jeddah and various other cities I visited, there are also several miscellaneous photographs. The captions are under the pictures.
Photos #1 and #2 prior to the completion of the U.S. military airport at Dhahran. The runway was a smooth graded oiled surface. The aircraft shown were used by ARAMCO for pipeline patrol. The smaller aircraft are Fairchild 24's purchased surplus from the U.S. military. The larger aircraft is a horseman, I believe ARAMCO had two horseman and four Fairchilds. As an experiment the Norsemans were fitted with sand tires, so the aircraft could land almost anywhere, the experiment failed - the additional size of the tires created so much drag it caused the engines to overheat.
These aircraft were purchased from the US Military surplus with little or no time on them since manufacture, test, disassembly and shipping to Paine Field in Cairo, Egypt where they were purchased for $500 each. They were then ferried to Lod Air Base (British, now Tel Aviv International), and from there to Haifa and to Habbineay (a British emergency landing field) and on to Baghdad following the old colonial railway. The final leg from Baghdad to Dhahran was pure ded-reckoning with no charted or useable landmarks.
Photos #3 thru #5 TWA leased two aircraft (ET-T-12 and ET-T-17 ) to ARAMCO. The pilots were Ralph Austin, George Carl, Robert Morgan and Harry Clark, the radio operators were John Kennedy and Frank Ferreti.
Photo #3 is Robert Morgan shown outside his living quarters furnished by ARAMCO
Photo #4 is George Carl.
Photo #5 shows George Carl, Harry Clark and Frank Ferreti at Dharan airport.
Photos #6 and #7 Drilling for water at Duwadami
Photos #8 thru #13 Al Kharj in 1946 or 1947 when it was being managed by representatives from Texas A&M.
Photos #14 and #15 The Kings palace at Al Kharj.
Photos #16 thru #34
Many of the flights of Saudi-Arabian airlines in the middle to late 1940s were unscheduled, and these are photos of unscheduled destinations.
Photo #16 is a BOAC Shorts Sunderland on take-off from the Euphrates River near Basra.
Photos #17 thru #19 are aerial views of Basra.
Photo #20 - American Consul in Baghdad.
Photos #21 and #22 are in Aden.
Photo #23 in Khartoum
Photo #24 - Cairo skyline
Photo #25 - Gulf of Suez.
Photos #26 thru #29 are aerial views of Beirut.
Photos #30 thru #34 - December 11, 1948 - the first of S.A.A. aircraft was flown from Jeddah to Prestwick, Scotland, for complete overhaul and refinishing of the interior.
This was contracted to Scottish aviation. This first aircraft was SA-T-10 Dutch Hammond and I flew this trip. It was convenient to the company and to us, as we were returning to the U.S. for a vacation, after departing Jeddah, stops were made in Tripoli, Rome, Istres and Prestwick.
Photo #30 – Dutch Hammond and wife in Tripoli.
Photo #31 - mountains in Greece.
Photo #32 - Mt. Vesuvius in Italy.
Photos #33 and #34 are of the Alps.
Photos #35 thru #39
The great mosque in Damascus. These photographs were taken in March 1946. The aircraft used was 6408 (ET-T-12). Syria had just gained their independence from France, and naturally there was a large celebration. I believe our passengers were Prince Faisal and party,
Photos #40 thru #43 - Aerial views of the pyramids.
For the next series of photographs, I am not sure of the locations.
Photos #44 and #44A - I believe this photo is in Riyadh, and is Prince Talal. At that time, I was 22 years old and prince Talal was slightly younger. We became very good friends.
Photos #45 thru #55 - buildings in Saudi-Arabia - locations unknown.
Photo #56 the young man second from the left is a Prince (name unknown) location probably Riyadh.
Photos #57 thru #60 aerial views of Jeddah around 1948.
Photos #61 and #62 - an Ethiopian DC-3 in Jeddah.
Photo #63 one of the Royal aircraft.
Photo #64 Robert Morgan and Royal aircraft SA-R-2
Photo #65 view from the balcony of ARAMCO offices.
Photo #66 operations offices at the original Jeddah airport.
Photos #67 and #68 the king's palace at Jeddah,
Photos #69 and #70 Suzy, pet of pilot Esker Coffey and wife. The building in the background contains living quarters constructed by Bechtel for the American personnel and families.
Photo. #71 Left to right - George Carl, Frank Ferreti and Harry Clark beside ET-T-12, ARAMCO charter aircraft.
Photo #72 George Carl.
The next six photographs are miscellaneous, but may be interesting to you.
Photos #73 and #74 King Aziz ibn Saud enjoyed flying in formation, east of Riyadh is a high escarpment where these photographs were taken.
Photo #74A cockpit view.
Photo #75 location unknown.
Photo #76 Harry Clark and George Carl in Lydda, Palestine.
Photo #77 photograph taken at Cairo. Left to right - June Austin (wife of pilot Ralph Austin); Penny, Mrs. Strafford and Muriel. Penny and Muriel are daughters of Colonel and Mrs. Stratford. The Colonel was in charge of the British lend lease program in Cairo.
Photos #78 thru #83: These additional photos were discovered later in my collections
Photo #78 - a formation shot of an ARAMCO aircraft
Photo #79 - SA-T-5 at Jeddah
Photo #80 - SA-R-2 at Jeddah
Photo #81 - newly arrived aircraft before being painted
Photos #82 and #83 - Robert A. (Bob) Morgan
Originally there were thirteen sets of pilot's insignia made, I know of only one other set that still exists. The insignia was crafted by a silversmith located in the basement of the Shepherd's Hotel in Cairo.
Bob Morgan’s Saudi Arabian Air Transport Pilot Certificate - The first issued to a non-Saudi Arabian citizen
Translation:
Panel 1 (Top third):
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Civil Aviation Authority
Pilot License No. .............22
License Category..............Airline Pilot
This license is invalid in the event (or in case of) that the pilot is physically incapacitated by any illness or injury. 444 [sic- the 4 used as an exclamation mark !]
Pilot Signature
Panel 2 (Middle third)
Place of Birth...........USA
Weight.....................140 lbs
Height.....................5 ft, 10 1/2 in.
Eye Color..................Brown
Hair Color.................Brown
****PHOTO****
Panel 3 (Bottom third)
This License expires one year from date of issue, and may be cancelled by the Director of Civil Aviation in the event of any violations, by the pilot, to the systems or laws of the Civil Aviation Authority. 4444 [sic !!!!]
Director, Aviation Authority Date (Hijra Calander)
66/8/23
-Bob Morgan
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