-1940 |
When flying machines were all the rage A half-century and more ago, Delaware County was dotted with airfields and planes might swoop along a street. Feb. 9, 1992 By Robert F. O'Neill Special To The Philadelphia Inquirer Delaware County has had a long-standing romance with flying machines. The oldest landing "field" in the county isn't on land, and is still in business. It's the Philadelphia Seaplane Base in Essington, started in 1915 by Col. Robert Glendinning, a wealthy Philadelphian who owned a Curtiss Flying Boat. Today, the base is owned and operated by Bob Mills, 72, whose father, Frank, was Glendinning's chief pilot, instructor and mechanic before he purchased the facility, which includes 10 acres of land, in 1936. Frank Mills died in 1940. This item is excerpted from a much longer article. To read the whole story, click on: Frank Mills |
From The Early Birds of Aviation Roster of Members January 1, 1993 If you have any information on this Early Bird, please contact me. E-mail to Ralph Cooper Back |