Joe Crosson, that famed Alaskan bush pilot, who has added a little shine to Warsaw wings, had a real get-together with 27 relatives at Muncie Thursday night.

Unexpectedly, Joe dropped into the Muncie airport about 5 o'clock Thursday evening, phoned cousin Walter Clark in town.

The clan gathered. Everett Clark, Don Clark and Mrs. Catherine Clark, Dellon Miller, Mrs. Mattie Miller and families, all of Muncie, converged on the Clark residence. From Newcastle came William Osborn and family and Reece Miller and family.

During the evening reunion with their famous cousin and nephew, they phoned Garrett Osborn and Mrs. Simon Osborn, of East Market street, Warsaw, for a chat. Other relatives of Crossons, Mrs. Edith Lichtenwalter, Mrs. Lillian Hughes, of Winona, and Mrs. Charles Ross, of East Main street, were all notified that Joe was in the state.

It seems the pilot from the far north had been to New York, picked up three Seabees for delivery to Seattle, Washington. Seattle is the base of an airline that Crosson is now connected with.

Crosson took off from the Muncie airport, heading west, early Friday morning, about 7 o'clock. The Seabee would be a good airplane for use along the rugged Washington coast.

Old-timers will remember that Joe Crosson's mother was the former Elizabeth Wynant, lived near the Gordon Rutter residence on North Lake street when daughter Marvel was born. Marvel became a nationally-known aviatrix, was killed during a cross-country air race in the late twenties.

Flew in, Flew Out
Maynard Young, husband of former Warsawan, Maria Justus, and brother-in-law of Dean Hill, Warsaw, flew from the Young home in Manchester, N. H., to Warsaw, for a visit. Late Friday Maynard decided to go home the quick way. He flew from Warsaw municipal airport at 2 o'clock to Bendix Field, South Bend, picked up a transport there for Detroit. Had an hour to lay-over for dinner Friday evening in Detroit, took off for Boston, Mass., at 7:30, arrived there at 9:30 Friday evening. From Boston, he could catch a train up home, arriving at his own bedside at 11:30 o'clock. Now, that's not bad, from Warsaw, Ind., at 2 o'clock in the afternoon, to Manchester, N. H., by 11:30 the same night.

Stolen Info
I've shamelessly stolen these facts from elsewhere to pass on to you: at Patterson Field, Ohio, the air forces are completing the world's largest runway, 10,000 feet long, 300 feet wide, 21 to 25 inches thick!

The navy's new P4M-1 Mercator patrol plane has the power of two locomotives in its two jet and two conventional engines. Could pull 250 freight cars. Has a range of more than 3,000 miles, at a speed of well over 350 miles per hour. By air express last year went more than 3,000,000 shipments, with a total weight of 53,750,000 pounds, to destinations in the U. S. and 60 foreign countries.

We are indebted to the Martin Air Memo for the above interesting figures.

Helicopters
The Air Material Command has indicated its acceptance of the new Bell XR-12, largest single rotor helicopter on record. It's the military version of the Bell civilian, five-passenger helicopter, is powered by one Pratt & Whitney 550-horsepower motor, climbs vertically at the rate of 450 feet per minute, has a service ceiling of 13,000 feet. When writing of helicopters I'm always reminded of the minister that visited the Bell plant one time and wanted to know why they didn't name 'em "Heavencopters."

Woodpeckers
Hopping into the Rochester airport last Sunday, the Woodpecker Aero club of New Castle, had breakfast there. Fifteen of the air-minded New Castlers hit the field, ate at the airport grill across the street.

Warsaw Daily Times Fri. Nov. 14, 1947