Page 21 - Volume 11 Number 7

The first known aviation event held in Wichita occurred in May 1911 when a three-day air show was held at Walnut Grove located two miles north of the city at 21st Street. A traveling troupe of aviators, including well-known pilots Eugene Ely and Jimmy Ward, flew a series of exhibition flights with Curtiss biplanes. The local newspapers reported that about 12,000 people flocked to the site to watch the “intrepid aeronauts.” (COURTESY OF THE SEDGWICK COUNTY HISTORICAL MUSEUM)
willing to step up and support Cessna’s desire of becoming an aircraft manufacturer. In addition, they wanted him to establish a flight school to train fledglings in the art of flight. Many of the businessmen were members of the Wichita Aero Club, but their only “flying machine” was a hot air balloon. As with Cessna, they believed that airplanes offered the only practical solution for the future of air travel.
One member, in particular, Jack Turner, was enthusiastic in his belief that Wichita held great promise for the manufacture of airplanes, and the flat prairie lands around the region offered natural landing fields. Turner, who owned a lumber and coal company in town, went one step further; he told Clyde he was ready to order a Cessna airplane and take flying lessons from the aviator himself. Turner’s zest for the new science of flight bred considerable enthusiasm among his peers, and Sherwood was quick to echo these sentiments along with offering other details about the proposal.
By now, Sherwood had captured Clyde’s complete attention. His guest then explained that a vacant building at the Jones facility would be made available, and a large tract of land adjacent to the structure would serve as a rudimentary flying field. Sherwood returned to Wichita with what would prove to be a landmark agreement – Clyde Cessna would become the city’s first airframe builder.
To drum up local interest, Clyde and Sherwood would depart from Hutchinson, Kansas, in a race to the Jones factory. Sherwood would drive a Light Six car and Clyde would fly his monoplane. As intended, the competition
JULY 2017
pitted an automobile against an aeroplane – the perfect contrast of speed and utility designed to demonstrate why Wichita should have its own airplane factory.
Both men had little doubt who would prevail, but Sherwood promised to put up a good fight by keeping the Light Six “flat out” all the way. As scheduled, by September 1, 1916, Clyde and his older brother Roy (who was an indispensable asset to the Cessna Exhibition Company) had arrived in Hutchinson and prepared the monoplane for the upcoming flight. Sherwood was already there and had the Jones machine tuned to a fever pitch.
At precisely 11:00 a.m., Sherwood slammed the accelerator to the floor and rapidly upshifted the Jones machine, while nearby Clyde gave the Anzani full power and began his takeoff roll across a bumpy field. Roy, after helping his brother depart, jumped in his Model T Ford and sped southeast toward Wichita, 60 miles away. Only 35 minutes later (after flying at a reduced power setting to preserve the hard-working Anzani), Cessna landed in an alfalfa field near the Jones campus. His flight had been uneventful as the country roads below guided the aviator toward his destination. As planned, the Light Six was nowhere to be seen. Thirty minutes later, Sherwood finally arrived, followed soon by Roy Cessna.
The “race” had been a success, and after resting briefly, Clyde climbed back aboard the monoplane and took off for a flight above the downtown area of the city. He circled above the Schweiter, Eagle newspaper and Fourth National Bank buildings, as well as the sales office of the J. J. Jones Motor Company. To cap off his flight, Cessna reduced throttle and glided down to an altitude of about 300 feet over the streets. He could clearly see throngs of Wichitans waving enthusiastically at their newest resident and his marvelous flying machine.
KING AIR MAGAZINE • 19