After fighting head winds, snow squalls, and a cracked exhaust manifold, Colonel Charles A. Lindbergh landed at Mexico Farms government field flying a modern Ford tri-motor airliner. Even though Mexico Farms Landing Field was a remote place, word had spread quickly to Cumberland of Lindbergh’s arrival and a crowd had formed. During this January 14, 1929 visit, Lindy (as he was fondly called) inspected the field but did not mingle with the large group of onlookers hoping to get a glimpse of one of the great heroes of the United States. The Ford Tri-motor was restrained from souvenir hunters by a long rope supported by wooden posts. It was said by Gene Kelley that Lindbergh did acknowledge Ronald ‘Torque’ Landis as a former acquaintance at Robertson Field in St. Louis, MO, when Lindbergh flew the mail to Chicago. According to the Cumberland Times, the aircraft was en route from Philadelphia, PA to Columbus, OH. The local Standard Oil Company agency was contacted and drove a truck to the field, which provided 210 gallons of Esso aviation fuel to the tanks of the ‘City of Columbus’ airliner. Lindy spent most of his time at the US Army Air Service building receiving wireless weather reports by Morse code.
As soon as the repairs to the exhaust manifold by the two on-board mechanics was completed and the aircraft was refueled, Colonel Lindbergh started up the engines and lost no time in departing from his unplanned stop at Mexico Farms. Weather conditions were not good, and it was thought that Lindbergh and his crew might be forced to return. However, the Associated Press dispatches reported that night that the big plane with Colonel Lindbergh and his passengers made its way safely over the mountains and to a safe landing at the Columbus, Ohio airport.
Colonel Charles A. Lindbergh and a Ford Tri-Motor.
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Wings Over Cumberland 