One of the more flamboyant pilots to frequently visit Floyd Bennett Field in the 1930's was Roscoe Turner. With his waxed mustache and his riding pants and boots, Turner embodied the romance, showmanship, and adventure that aviators promoted during the era. He convinced the Gilmore Oil Company to purchase a Lockheed Air Express, Black Hornet, for $15,000 in order to promote the oil company (and himself) by breaking speed records. For added effect, Turner acquired a lion cub and named him Gilmore. The lion, fitted with his own parachute, flew with Roscoe everywhere including the Transcontinental Bendix Races until he got too big for even Turner to handle .