Visitors at Municipal airport Sunday got an eyeful about noon when a four-place Stinson landing against "No Landing" signals, hit fresh gravel and turned over on its back. No one hurt, but it is going to cost real money to repair the airplane.

The plane was owned by Earl Hooten of the Logansport airport and had been rented by two men who were coming to Warsaw strangely enough to visit victims of Saturday's fatal auto collision on road 15. They came out of the plane tangle in better shape than their friends in the auto smash-up.

Jake Menzie and E. Kaye-Smith were out on the field at the time, had just completed a 100-foot high white "X", designating the field as "Closed" Fresh gravel, one foot deep on the north-south runway (base for the hard-surfaced runway abuilding), made landing dangerous if you didn't know the field. the two Logansport men barreled in on the diagonal runway, came in too fast. First time around they overshot the entire runway. Smith and Menzie drove their car into the intersection, got out and wave frantically at the pilot. He started in the second time, regardless.

On the second attempt to land, he came in too fast again, hit the runway only 150 feet from the fresh gravel, steamed right into it, flipped upside down. Menzie and Smith rushed to the plane to find pilot and passenger crawling out with ruffled feathers, but unhurt.

The field has been closed to transient traffic for some time, due to the construction now going on, but local pilots, who know about the bad conditions, have been using it. Sunday, however with many transient airplanes in the air, Field Manager Joe Carlin decided to close the field all together, as a safety precaution. The Logansport men say they did not see the 100-foot white "X" on the field.

Howard Clark and his flying missus, state aeronautic board member from Valparaiso, were flying in to go on a picnic with us and report they could see the "X" from Atwood. They landed at Smith Field. Traffic at Smith Field was very heavy all day Sunday, as it handled incoming planes for both airports.

Many folks who did not hear about the postponement of the big air show, drove out to Municipal Field Sunday and were disappointed. Everybody concerned regrets the misunderstanding. The show is scheduled now for July 25. It was canceled last week when it became apparent that the new field would not be completed in time for the air show and dedication. by the way, Warsaw Municipal Airport is the first to be completed in Indiana under the federal airport aid program.

Veterans who might be on the fence and undecided about whether or not to learn to fly under the G.I. program had better sign up now. It is my opinion that vets now signed up may complete their training, but it looks very much as if there might be a big shutdown by July 1. Contemplated now is an amendment restricting G.I. flight training only to veterans who have enough time coming to finish an instructor's course and who will sign an affidavit that they will instruct for the army, if asked, and will instruct for a living when they get their license. Col. Clarence Cornish, Indiana director of aeronautics, is in Washington now, in connection with this threatened change in the program. As a result, the private flying advisory council meeting, scheduled for June 15 at Bunker Hill, is postponed until June 23, same place. If you want to fly on G.I. time, better get in now!

Indiana appears to be about to join the growing list of states to sport a flying governor. Hobart Creighton, local pilot and Flying Farmer, with the Republican nomination in his pocket is half-way home to the governor's mansion, Indianapolis. The Democratic convention Tuesday may give Mr. Creighton some rough weather if Henry Schricker is nominated. If any of the other three Democratic candidates should get the nomination, it will be Creighton by a walk-away.

Speaking of Flying Farmers, Bill Renshaw and his aerial plow-boys will meet at Bunker Hill on July 13 for a super family-day picnic and weed killing demonstrations. If you don't fly, you may drive and be welcome, Bill says.

Have you ever wondered how many private or personal-type airplanes are built and delivered each month? Well, here are the figures, plane by plane, for the first four months of 1948--the rate is picking up: Cessna, 450; Piper, 381; Stinson, 379; Beech, 261; Luscombe, 223; Aeronca, 157; Ryan, 154. In March, 529 planes were delivered; in April, 737.

I haven't been on a long flight for so long, my tongue is hanging out. Where should we go next time?

Warsaw Daily Times Mon. Jun. 14, 1948