Wednesday morning at 8:00 AM the sun was shining and it was a picture-book Fall day. Course, the Huffman Prairie Flying Field was shrouded with ground fog. “My Father used to say McCook Field was always shrouded when he flew there during and after WW I.” But by 8:30, when the ceremonies were to begin - the fog had burned off and the WPAFB ‘brass’, and the ‘old fly-boys’, and the visiting dignitaries looked mighty relieved.
“We’re celebrating the centennial of Practical Flight,” Began Col. Andrew Weaver, Installation Commander, “Kitty Hawk in 2003 marked the ‘first flight’, but the Wright Brothers worked two more years to develop a plane that was controllable and could be sustained in the air. Today we’re celebrating their accomplishments – and we’re celebrating on the exact spot where that flight took place!”
Maj. Gen. Ed Mechenbier, USAF, Ret., took the mike and introduced guests from Pau, and LeMans, France where the Wright Brothers flew and established a Flight School. These guests were descendants of families who’d housed and supported those American fly-boys a century ago. Wright family descendants were also introduced.
The Guest Speaker was Dayton native, and friend, and Curator of the National Air & Space Museum, Washington, DC, - Dr. Tom Crouch. “If the Wright Brothers went to Kitty Hawk today they wouldn’t recognize a thing! There are buildings, monuments, and green grass…there’s no sand and nothing that looks like those old photos of the first flight. If they were with us here today at Huffman Prairie – they’d be right at home. This old pasture has not been altered. Just beyond that tree line is the old Inter-urban track the brothers used to get here. The Air Force has not allowed a bunch of monuments to be built in the field. Those three or four trees over there are ones the Brothers flew around to demonstrate their ‘control’.”
One older lady in the audience turned to her friend and said: “My mother told of her father getting calls from his secretary, Katherine Wright, who’d say: “My brothers are flying today so come out…” and they’re get on the Inter-Urban and go out to watch the excitement.”
The excitement began to build as Maj.Gen. Mechenbier took the mike and read the pre-flight check-list as Mark Dusenberry began his count-down to flight in his hand built replica of the 1905 Wright Flyer III. “…get plane on the track…add two cups of gasoline…start the engine…mount the plane…signal for drop of catapult…take off!” And there it came! Toward the end of the field Mark Dusenberry lifted the nose to loose momentum and landed on the skids! Make flew twice for the spectators. He’s flown forty times with flights lasting from five to forty seconds.
One spectator allowed: “I’m in a mayor’s nest!” She was standing between Oakwood’s Mayor, Judy Cook, and Fairborn’s Mayor Nagle. Montgomery County Commisoner, Chuck Curran was wearing a fabulous ‘air-plane-tie’ with the First Flight gold pin as a tie clasp. Dawne Dewey of Wright State Univ. was there.
The Wright B Flier, the replica housed at the South Dayton Airport – the one you can ‘buy a ride on’ did a fly-by. At ten o’clock the Flight of Antique Planes began – and whatta show! Jenny’s, Wacos, Aroncas, They had formed-up and flown from the Springfield Airport. (The Wright B is allowed to fly in and out of WPAFB) The collection of antique autos drew a lot of attention. The Wright B Staff Car (vintage Ford Phaeton), a 1913 Ford rag top with carriage lanterns… Dr. Bob Rankin was driving an eye catching new car – a red Caddie convertible…
The Montgomery County Medical Society’s F.A.M.E. style-show-luncheon certainly drew a big crowd on Friday at the Mandalay Center. There were over three hundred ladies and each one put on a great style show themselves. A table at the end of the runway was ‘organized’ by Marty Ohmer and her guests were Patty Ballard, June Herschede, Marty Fraze Wind, Dotty Bachus, Jo Kelly, Audrey Sherman and grandaughter Kim, and Corrine Moran. And, this table had some favorite ‘models’ – like Dawson Dunaway (Angela & Dr. Dan’s son) and Aimee Everman (Missy Ohmer’s daughter). Everyone refers to Aimee as: ‘that Old Queen’ – remember she was Centerville’s Holiday at Home Queen last year.
Every Oakwood-ite who shops at Dorothy Lane Market knows Willie Pecassi – the courtly gentleman in the Produce Department. “I see you have a birthday cake in your cart,” began Willie. “I just attended a beautiful birthday party at the Presidential Banquet Center for Norman Mayne’s mother’s one hundredth birthday! And, do you know – I was honored to be seated next to Mrs. Mayne. It was a beautiful affair…I’ll
never get over being included…”
