Derr Golladay’s Mexico Farms Flying Service sponsored an air race at Mexico Farms on May 11, 1947. The race was open to all production airplanes which were handicapped according to the manufacture’s listed top speed for that model airplane. The slowest departed first, then next slowest and so forth until the fastest plane departed last. The handicapping was determined by Derr, an aeronautical engineer, and given to the starter to flag off the participating aircraft at their proper departure intervals. The race course was a cross country race to the Martinsburg, WV airport, and then to the Winchester, VA airport which had observers stationed to identify each participant. The race concluded with the over flight of the Mexico Farms Airport. Louis Ort served as the public address announcer for the event keeping the assembled crowd informed at the beginning and throughout the race with reports of the flyer’s positions from the observers stationed at each airport turn point. After returning to Mexico Farms the interviews with the participants were most interesting.
Some of the many entries were; W. L. Kline flying a 50hp Cub, Herb Wentz and Bill Rannells each in a 65 hp Cub, Derr Golladay in the Aeronca Champion group, Harold Dodd of the Taylorcraft group, Ewald Ruehl in the Ercoupe group, Bernard Miltenberger in a Cessna 120, and Harry Flook in a Piper Super Cruiser from Cumberland Airways. As each group of similar aircraft would be flagged off, on the west runways, there was typical race competition to turn onto the south runway and on course to Martinsburg. Ewald Ruehl dragged the left wing tip of his Ercoupe in the grass while departing. Berkey Smith arrived from the Cumberland Municipal Airport just before the starting flag fell and taxied to the end of the line of participating airplanes. He was handicapped according to the 75 hp Ercoupe’s class. However, according to Bernie O. Coberly and Bill Smith, Berkey was flying a new stripped down 85 hp powered Ercoupe which just arrived from the factory at Riverdale, MD. Berkey was first to finish at Mexico Farms by a wide margin of several minutes. Bill Rannells in his J-3 Cub finished second with Harold Dodd finishing third in his Taylorcraft. As the winner Berkey Smith received a beautiful three foot plastic replica of the prestigious Thompson Air Race Trophy used at the Cleveland Air Races.
Berkey Smith, the winner, displays his trophy by his Ercoupe, and in second place, Bill Rannells passes over the finish line.
Derr Golladay, with an ailing engine, limps home over the crowd in his Aeronca Champ.
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Wings Over Cumberland 