Races of Airplanes Feature Dedication of Lykens Valley Air Field
MILLERSBURG, July 14 [1930] — A thoroughly air-minded week-end was spent by the residents of the Lykens Valley, as they dedicated their airport, Robinson Field, east of here, with a two-day round of races and acrobatics, ceremonies, speeches and entertainment.
It is estimated that 50,000 persons were present on the field in the course of the two days, while other thousands, motorists and residents of the valley, witnessed the races which were held over a course between here and Williamstown.
The airport was formally dedicated Saturday afternoon when Mary Elizabeth Gilbert, small daughter of H. S. Gilbert, of Millersburg, and a sister of Marion U. “Hops” Gilbert, operator and manager of the field, raised the American flag while the thirty-nine planes assembled for the occasion soared overhead. Burgess Hay W. Bowman, of Millersburg, made an address tracing the history of locomotion in the valley. Congressman I. H. Doutrich, Harrisburg, was among those present.
Would Aid Aerial Growth
After an afternoon of serial events that kept all eyes above and nerves taut, a banquet for the participating pilots was held at the Hotel Lykens. Lieutenant Harry Mills, army flier stationed at Middletown, in an address suggested that tax money collected on gasoline used by planes should be turned back into a fund for the further development of aviation in the State.
Presented Trophies
Other speakers were Hay W. Bowman, Millersburg burgess, and publisher, who was toastmaster; Burgess Walter E. Snyder, of Lykens; Burgess Schell, of Tower City; M. Pat Brooke, of the Lancaster Airways; Martin Jensen, of Harrisburg, who was second in the Dole flight across the Pacific Ocean; and Marion Gilbert, Jesse Jones of the Lancaster Airways, presented trophies to the following winners of the afternoon events; John Weiss, of Easton; J. Shelley Charles, Richmond, Virginia; Jim Faulkner, Philadelphia; Tony Little, Philadelphia; and Howard Reitenbaugh, Bethlehem.
Minor Accidents
Several planes were damaged slightly in minor accidents but no one was injured. Miss Helen V. Cox, Hagerstown’s “Flying Schoolmarm,” now of Roosevelt Field, Long Island, landing here in an Arrow sport plane, damaged the landing gear and one wing. A. Ryan monoplane, piloted by Henry Alexander, had the under-carriage, the right wing and the propeller damaged when a wheel struck a rut.
A strong cross wine put an element of the uncertain into the parachute jumping and resulted in Miss Violet Kilpatrick in one leap landing among the spectators in the grandstand and in another outside the boundary fence of the field.
in the feature event yesterday, J. Shelley Charles, of Richmond, executed a breath-taking series of loops, spins and rolls to take the Shenk and Tittle Trophy for aerobatics.
Wins Climbing Contest
Climbing to an altitude of 1000 feet and touching ground again in two minutes and thirteen seconds, George Zinn of Camden, won the 550-cubic-inch race covering the twenty miles in nine minutes and nine seconds. Marion Gilbert was second in ten minutes and two seconds. Little received the Heckert trophy.
John Weiss won the OX-5 race in thirteen minutes and twenty-four seconds and received a screw plate set donated by the Lavord Tool Company.
Jones Wins Free-for-All
The free-for-all race was won by Jesse Jones, who covered the course in eight minutes and eleven seconds. George Zinn flew second.
in Saturday’s events Weiss won the race for OX-5 planes, covering the twenty-five mile course in thirteen minutes and three seconds. Clarence W. Hunter, formerly of this place, was second.
The dead stick landing was won by J. Shelley Charles, who dropped from an altitude of 1000 feet to set down his plane thirty-three feet from the center ring of the field. Lloyd O. Yost was second.
In the free-for-all race Jim Faulkner, Philadelphia, nosed out Zinn by one second to win the Earl G. Barnhart Trophy.
The N. H. Trout Trophy for parachute jumping was presented to Howard Reitenbaugh, who with Miss Kilpatrick, brought the meet to a close with two leaps.
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From the Harrisburg Telegraph, 14 July 1930, via Newspapers.com.
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