top of page
Picture9.jpg
Picture8.jpg
Picture3.jpg
Picture5.jpg
Picture1.jpg

Jimmie Allen Flying Club 
 

A direct off-shot of the successful Air Adventures of Jimmie Allen  15-minute radio show in 1933, this FREE club was popular with children and with radio sponsors. America, and the world, was deep into "aviation mania" during the 1930's. This club seemed to reach it's peak around 1937 and fell off after that, though the radio show continued with new material for a few years.

Of the many tangible Jimmie Allen items to be found, first and foremost would be the official "wings" of the program. The design and sponsors of the Jimmie Allen Flying Club wings changed frequently and several models are know. Dating these wings has proven difficult. 

 

Skelly - Central Diamond pin

This was the first pin design, 1933

Picture2.jpg
In the earliest days of the club, children would have to convince their parents to go to a Skelly Service Station (gas station) somewhere in the Midwest and pick up an application to fill out and mail in. Later, the applications were offered in newspapers, as newspapers became tied-in sponsors. 

Other sponsors jumped on the Jimmie Allen bandwagon as the radio show spread coast-to-coast. Pins with the Richfield Hi-Octane logo are the most common, but there are pins with other sponsors.

Jimmie Allen Air Races and other air-related shows, such as model shows, were the highlight of the Jimmie Allen Flying Clubs and garnered a lot of newspaper coverage. Balsa Wood Kits were given away for free.

 

Skelly - Airplane pin

Unknown year

Skelly - Curved Bar pin

Unknown year

1933

Jimmie Allen in the Air Mail Robbery, 1936, Hardback, Authored by Capt. Wilfred G Moore and Lt. Robert M Burtt, also authors of the radio show.

Book is about 3.5" x 4.5"

Picture11.jpg

Richfield Hi-Octane Profile pin

Year unknown - 1935 or later

Picture7.jpg
Membership was open to all boys and girls. Age limits weren't fussed with until later, when air shows divided members into age levels. Note that the membership cards can say Miss or Mr.

In January of 1935, Dudley M Steele, the owner of Richfield Oil Company and famed aviator in his own right, came onboard as a sponsor and Chief of Staff. His name began appearing on membership cards and he made live in-person appearances for the fictional Jimmie Allen.

Picture10.jpg

Richfield Hi-Octane Shield pin

Year unknown, 1935 or later

This pin matches the design on the card 

Picture12.jpg
bottom of page