Plate, Ceramic, Commemorative, First Liquid Fuel Rocket Flight, R.H. Goddard

Circular, white, with color depiction in center, of American rocket experimenter Dr. Robert H. Goddard (1882-1945) observing the launch of the world's first liquid propellant rocket at Auburn, Mass., 16 March 1926. However, this scene is not entirely accurate since it shows Goddard, figure in front with blue coat, dramatically raising his arm while rocket in background ascends. There are no known photos taken at the time showing Goddard raising his arm in this manner and most likely he was crouched behind a barrier near the controls required for launching the rocket. The scene shown is duplicated from a painting used in an Equitable Life Insurance Company advertisement, also appearing about 1976, during the 50th anniversary of the Goddard flight. Edges of plate decorated with wavy finish This is a commemorative plate honoring the 50th anniversary of the launch of the world's first liquid propellant rocket, built and designed by U.S. rocket experimenter Dr. Robert H. Goddard (1882-1945). The anniversary was celebrated in 1976. The scene is a copy of a painting that appeared in an advertisement at the time by the Equitable Life Insurance Co. However, the scene is not entirely accurate as it shows Goddard, figure in foreground, in a dramatic pose, whereas Goddard probably was not in the open and was in a crouched or near crouched position after activating the mechanism for launching the rocket. The rocket, using liquid oxygen ad gasoline, reached 41 feet in 2.5 seconds, averaging 60 miles per hour, and landed 184 feet from the launching frame for a total flight path of 220 feet.