The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-07-11

A Stratf0rd mans amDltl0n TO
some day fly across the continent
and then to tour the west by air.
plane is being realized this week.
William H. "Bill' st. John, Strait
ford druggist, left Wednesday from
Newark airport bound for Los An
geles, California, and his first vaca-
ton in many years. Reaching the
west coast he plans a fight to San
Diego where he will visit the Ex-
position. From there he will travel
by air to San Francisco and to Ale
media airport where he will visit
with Captain Edwin Musick and the
Pan-American crew Of the Sikorsky
trans-oceanic Clipper.
After aerial fights over the Gold
en- Gate, st. John viii leave for a
trip UP the west coast, cross the
Rockies. over the Grand Canyon
and finally into Chicago. In Wiscon-
sin he will visit with his daughter
for a few days returning by air to
Newark and then to Stratford air
port.
st. John IL one of the most
ardent air fans in this section of
the state. Daily he can be found at
the Sikorsky plant or at Stratford
lighthouse when the Sikorsky ships
are being tested. During the
world record breaking flights Of the
SAP last year he acted as an off,
cial for the Federal Aeronautical
1nternationale at Staten Island,
New York, checking the official
time Of the flight over the New
drop lighthouse.
in this section he was a constant
passenger with Chalon Corson in
his tri-motored Ford between
Stratford, Springfield and Albany
and has often taken short hops in
private planes. On the thirtieth
anniversary of fight he was a
passenger with Captain Boris Ser
gievsky in the Martin Johnson
ship flying in formation over
Bridgeport and Stratford.
According to his friends st. John
eats, sleeps, talks and dreams avia-
ton. He Is constantly reading
books on aviation, particularly
those referring to Sikorsky con-
structed ships and has hundreds
OF aviation clippings.
The Meriden American Legion
added their bit to the Old Home
week celebration in that city Fri
day with an aviation meet in
which Stratford took a few OF the
prizes offered. Chappy Lenox,
chief pilot at the Mollison airport,
came back with second place IN
paper straflng and second prize In
spot landing. Jimmy Wales. an
other Stratfordite, took second
place in bomb dropping.
Eddie Conklin dropped in at the
Moilison field last Friday with a
new Waco and took his three
younger brothers, Bill, Lou and
Bobbie, up for a ride over the To-
cal terrain.
Dick Wales. younger brother of
Jimmy Wales, Is showing the same
aptitude for flying az Jimmy did
when he FIRST started. Dick So
loed his brothers "2" during the
past week.
Harold June, who was second In
command OF the last Byrd expedi.
ton, dropped In for q chat with
Fred Moiier last week. June was
also chief pilot Of the Antarctic
expedition.
Although the sikorsky company
plant was officially closed from
Wednesday night until Monday
morning Tom Murphy was on
hand IS usual 10 direct q crew
working on the esle preparing her
fer flights on Tuesday ana
Wednesday. Hours seem 20 make
ne difference 10 Tom, he's at work
from daylight 10 daylight n nee.
easary,
xhe fHIe Of Erin may soon ct
tempt q transatlantic commercial
flight with mail and passengers. II
was learned last week. An Inter.