Why do we fly? The obvious answer is to travel faster and further than mankind is capable of by land or sea and to further enhance our mobile society. But our answer also is that there is great joy in flight. This pleasurable activity entices aviators to remove themselves from the surface of the earth. There are moments of crisis, to be sure, but that does not deter dedicated pilots. These aviators desire to get airborne, away from the ground, and take on wings.
Centered on the Potomac Highlands area of Maryland and West Virginia, this book is intended to capture the essence of our aviation history. Despite documentation of the National Highway, the C & O Canal, the impact of the railroad and coal industries on our region, and other similar undertakings, little has been written regarding local aviation. That served as the impetus for this effort.
Bob Poling and Bill Armstrong have been military aviators and life long participants in penetrating the skies overhead. Flying remains a huge part of their lives. Dr. Bob Poling is a retired dentist who has collected flying history since his childhood. His notebooks, photo albums, news clippings, aviation memorabilia, and mental recall are unsurpassed and are the prime source of this manuscript. Bill Armstrong had a long career as a pilot in the US Air Force flying fighter jets, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. He later served as the Cumberland Airport manager and participated in many changes at our aviation focal point.
These words and photographs surrounding aviation in the greater Cumberland area are an attempt to have a worthy source of flying history available to all. The folks written about are your neighbors, your co-workers, your relatives, and those who simply enjoy using their skills to pursue pleasure removed from earthbound endeavors.
Bill Armstrong and Bob Poling at Mexico Farms Airfield in front of an original 1940 hangar.
Wings Over Cumberland 