A German Flying Pioneer Bruno Hanuschke Postcard 1910

This postcard illustrates Bruno Hanuschke in his own 1912 high wing all-steel tube design monoplane, with five German soldiers behind him, inscribed "Hanuschke" below, sepia-toned, on card stock, postcard backer, "Fr C. Wäger. Photograph, Atelier, Altona, Holstenstr. 115-17" photo credit with a handwritten message, a stamp and postmarked "Altona-Bahrenfeld" on the reverse, 89 mm x 141mm, edge wear on the left side, near extremely fine.

Footnote: Bruno Hanuschke (1892-1922) was one of the early fliers in Germany. He acquired German flying licence No.35 on October 8, 1910, when he was eighteen years old. As a qualified engineer, he was able to design and build his own aircraft and with his first design, he flew for the German pilot licence. This high-wing design was powered by a three-cylinder Anzani radial engine. He developed the same concept further as seen on this postcard, into a metal tube construction fitted with a more powerful Gnome rotary engine of 50 hp. The pilot seat was fully in the open, with the steering wheel and the foot control clearly visible. A shield was mounted just underneath the Gnome rotary engine, which prevented the spilled oil of the engine coming directly into the face of the pilot. The photo was likely taken at Johannisthal (Berlin).