PILOT STORIES:
Oakes, Paul S.
| Air
Mail Service Began: |
July 25, 1919 |
| Air
Mail Service Ends: |
April 15, 1920 |
| Pilot
Rehired: |
November 1. 1922 |
| Air
Mail Service Ends: |
January 18, 1923 |
| Assignments: |
Belmont Park, New York |
| |
August 1, 1919 – College
Park, Maryland |
| |
August 31, 1919 –
Cleveland, Ohio, Ohio |
| |
November 1, 1922 –
Rock Springs, Wyoming |
Bad weather and equipment problems forced Paul Oakes
to take three days and five forced landings to fly his Martin
#205 from Cleveland to Chicago in mid-January 1920. He arrived
with a broken tailskid, inoperative ailerons, holes punched
in wing coverings and both engines running rough.
On January 18, 1923, Oakes was flying de Havilland
#223 out of Cheyenne with mechanic's helper W. R. Acer
riding along. Either to entertain Acer or people below, Oakes
did some stunts in the de Havilland, including low level steep
wingovers. While making an abrupt turn downwind at 500 feet, the plane stalled and plunged into the ground nose first,
exploding into flames and killing both men. |
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