Saw that old-fashioned balloon ascension at Plymouth airport Sunday. First one around here for twenty years. Was fun.

Dave Denny, Bob McCombs and Don Woods, of Fort Wayne, put on the air show with light plane aerobatics by "Whitey" Fry, operator of the field. Saw Bill Ettinger, flying son of Warsaw's Joe Ettinger, haunting the field, watching the stunts with critical eye.

Jim Snodgrass and I went over in Joe Carlin's Cessna. Slid-in just ahead of that refreshing Sunday storm. Bring relief to other folks, it caused airmen lots of trouble.

In a storm like that the wind changes direction quickly and in an unpredictable manner. Bud Case, flying one of Paul Lowman's Cubs at Smith field, started a take-off into the wind. Wind switched direction completely, let Bud down into the fence at end of airport. Busted prop, wrinkled wing and hurt pride was the extent of damage.

Joe Carlin over at Municipal, was up with a student, rode the storm out in the air, rather than land in variable wind.

 

The Humpty-Dumpty Petersons, father and son, both fly. Howard Sr., is flying solo, while Howard Jr., has his private license. Doc (Eyeglass) McCleary is flying solo, hoping for a private ticket soon.

In Illinois at Chanute field, three local air scouts are having the time of their young lives. Lewis Driscoll, Gordon Crates and Allen Kelly, the lucky three who went to big scout air encampment there.

Freddy Strauss on a hot spot because he owns a Stearman. Only silver bi-plane based near Warsaw belongs to Freddy. So when some buzz-boy in a silver Stearman flew a little low and slow over Warsaw, Freddy got the heat.

However some sharp-eyed observer snatched the number of the plane. The CAA traced it down and cleared Freddy. Wasn't his. Disciplinary action against the pilot-from a neighboring town--is being taken.

Fastest airplane to be seen at a Warsaw airport to date is R. G. LeToourneau's converted A-26. This plane is identical to the one Bill Odom used to make his speed-dash around the world. R. G. and his genial pilot, Roy Barnwell, were doing an even 350 miles per hour when they first appeared over Smith field last weekend.

Ship has been remodeled into an "R. G. Special," has sleeping cots in it, a wonderful observation seat in the plexiglass nose. No time lost by this busy Christian executive as he travels 'round the country.

This fly-boy was known in Warsaw some ten years ago: Bill Simons, foster-son of Mrs. Mabel Beyer, steps up his naval career by getting wings. Bill, already a chief petty officer after ten years of marine and navy service, now rates "Chief Pilot." Visited here briefly over weekend, soon to go to San Diego. Joins the Flag Administration unit there--will fly navy brass around the Pacific.

Air-Mail
From C. I. Bashore up in Canada: "Dear Bill:" Your picture and column are a big improvement to The Times, but WHERE did you get the right eye shiner?" (Sends also a picture of a monstrous big fish and says: "You'll notice I've quit fooling with the little ones." Be back about Sept. 17th Yours, C. I. Bashore "That picture is a dilly isn't it?"

An afterthought: That plane of LeTourneau's has 4,000 horsepower, lands at 100 to 120 miles per hour.

County fair week, Paul Lowman will operate his seaplane off Buttermilk Bay at the Fairgrounds. Will carry passengers and check-out a number of G.I."s who want their seaplane rating. Ship to be used is dependable slow-moving Piper Cub, with pontoons.

Which reminds me that there are more than 400,000 civil pilots in the United States with private license or better. There were 170,000 new student certificates issued during the past 12 months alone.

Some of you have not ridden since the harum-scarum days of baling wire and open cockpits, oughta try the new modern cabin planes.

Warsaw Daily Times Mon. Aug. 25, 1947

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