Cole Palen's Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome

[AAC Cadet Leader]

Today is John M. Miller's 102nd birthday! Johnny "Jennies to Jets" Miller tells the story that he first met Cole Palen when Cole was just a boy. Cole came to the airfield and was returning something to Johnny (I believe it was the inertial starter crank,) that had fallen out of his open-cockpit biplane when he did a slow roll over the countryside and it landed in Cole's parent's backyard.

Happy 102nd Birthday John M. Miller!

[Curtiss Jenny]

I know for me, my life was changed by meeting Cole and Rita, experiencing real "living history" at their home, gathered around the massive oak dining room table with four WWI pilots and Johnny Miller.

For many years, Johnny Miller would be at the "End of Season Banquets" and would be asked to tell us all a story. We'd all sit spellbound as he would regale us one of the many tales from his life as a barnstormer.

If you told Johnny where you lived, he would tell you what grass field landing strips used to be there, as he had probably flown into them. One of the many airplanes listed in his logbook is the Autogiro, and to view a video of it:

The John M. Miller Page of the Davis-Monthan Airfield Register Website
Watch the film clip past the DC-3 part-

Happy Birthday to a great aviator; Johnny Miller!

[Kilian]

Very impressive movie!! I have never seen such a copter before.

[AAC Cadet Leader]

Rita Palen was born on this day in 1919. We remember you fondly, Rita.

[Geoff King]

I have been going through my father's slides and trying to scan as many as possible and I thought I would share a couple of them with you all.
Some of you may recall the hat that Dave Fox is wearing, with the balsa airplane mounted on top like a windsock. I remember one day, while at a pilot's meeting or maybe after the show, a bunch of us were standing around talking(well, me being a young pup just listening!) and Foxy was giving one of his crazy stories and waving his hands all over the place, when all at once he raised both hands above his head and brought them together to emphasize his point. Well, naturally in between his hands was that balsa plane, smashed to pieces! All who had gathered around to hear his story roared with laughter, but poor Foxy just stood there stunned as pieces of balsa wood floated to the ground around him. I remember him walking away so disheartened, but I don't recall if he ever fixed his hat or made a new one. Can any of you add to the that?
The other photo is of Cole as the infamous Black Baron, one of my favorite poses!
Geoff

[AAC Cadet Leader]

geoff,
what an excellent story and pictures. please, more!

any idea who the photographer was?

[tazbat]

CJ - that is a cool website, especially the video of Johnny flying an autogyro. I loved it.

Geoff King - Nice photo and story about Dave Fox's hat. The photo of Cole makes me wished I had met the man.

Salute!
Sandy

[curtisswright]

Geoff-I might be wrong, but wasn't the broken airplane on Fox's hat replaced soon after by Snoopy flying the dog house? I have a photo of me walking with your Dad and in it DF is wearing yet another airplane hat. It might be the very same hat that was broken, yet it might not be.

[Geoff King]

curtisswright, you could very well be right. I really can't remember what became of Dave's hat. I presume he repaired it or made another, I just don't recall.
Here are a couple more pics from ORA. I believe they were taken around 1981 by Dick King. The previous two pics were also taken by him. It's quite an impressive lineup!
Btw, a very Happy Birthday to Mr. John Miller! And thanks for the link to amazing footage of him flying the Kellet autogiro.
Geoff

[curtisswright]

Geoff.....Ahhhhhhh the good old days. What a truely impressive line up. And what a great airshow that the line up made for. Thanks so much for posting.