On May 10, 1929 the Cumberland Times-News reported the following:
The Government Field at Mexico Farms was visited by twenty-two Army Air Corps aircraft, crewed by 74 men, when bad weather interrupted their trip to Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio from Langley Field, VA and forced them to land. After passing over the Government Field and then running into rain fifteen miles west of Cumberland seven observation and attack airplanes plus fifteen bombers returned. The observation planes were 0-11’s, under the command of Major J. C. Rudolph and Major George Peabody and the LB-7 Keystone twin motored Pirate bombers were from the Second Bombardment Group, commanded by Major Hugh Knerr. There were no pursuit ships at the field..
Over 5000 people came to the airport to view these government airplanes. The narrow dirt road to the airport was traffic-choked and many abandoned their cars a mile from the field and went on by foot. Though the crowd had been most orderly and tractable during the landing of the bombers, giving the pilots ample opportunity to land their ships without interference, they broke onto the field after the last one had landed and plied the pilots with questions. The army men were extremely agreeable and answered questions cheerfully and willingly. They will take-off as soon as weather conditions west are reported favorable.
A portion of the 22 US Army Air Services aircraft at the Government Field at Mexico Farms in 1929.
Interest was further heightened by the appearance of Will Seivert, one of the aerial group pilots flying the Fox Movie Tone News airplane, who appeared in a newsreel showing at the Strand Theater in Cumberland, concerning christening of his white Fokker Super Universal airplane. In the late 1920’s, the news media consisted of Cumberland Times newspapers and movie theaters showing short subjects of newsreels between feature movie presentations. Commercial broadcasting by radio was in its infancy concerning news coverage. (The author, as an excited preschooler, remembers visiting the Mexico Farms Government Field during the visit of the Army Air Corps airplanes).
Will Sievert under the wing of the Fox Movie Tone News Fokker aircraft.
Several of the Army aircraft apparently in their haste to land, or because of aircraft congestion, touched down on the northern side of the field close to the Potomac River and became stuck in the soft ground brought on by recent rain. This area of the airport was also known to be a swampy type of soil to local people. Needless to say, the Army crew members were upset as the planes were forced to be moved by teams of horses. This incident probably contributed a black mark upon the government field and was influential in the decision to close the government field in 1931.
A view of the Government Field looking south with Army aircraft in the foreground, with the antenna tower to the right.
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Wings Over Cumberland 