Pilot Clarence Lange's aviation goggles case

Clarence Lange · 1923-1927

Pilot Clarence Lange used aviation goggles while flying mail for the Post Office Department’s airmail service from 1923 to 1927. The fabric straps of the goggles helped Lange achieve a good fit, which was critical for his safety. The Department’s biplanes had open cockpits and the postal officials required their pilots to fly in almost every type of weather in order to keep the mail moving on time. The airplanes’ compasses were often unreliable, so pilots often made their way navigating by visual clues on the ground—following railroad tracks, rivers, and other landmarks to find their way. Goggles helped the pilots see the ground more clearly; and sturdy metal cases like this kept the glass lens safe when the equipment was not in use.