Fritz Hagemann acquired the property in 1986 after
retiring from Modem Airlines in Miami. Hagemann expanded the runway to 3,000 feet by 100 feet, and added
restrooms, a picnic shelter,and a soda machine.
Davidson first landed at the airport more than 10
years ago while on a quest to find good strips upon
which to set down his family's 1946 Aeronca 7-DC
Champ, 65 Echo. He had launched his professional
flying career with a still-wet commercial ticket and an
early A-75 Stearman (built by Stearman, before Boeing took over the production; this airplane was based
at Tuskegee, Alabama, during World War II) that he
used to give rides from Meigs Field in Chicago during
the summer and Marathon airport, in the Florida
Keys, during the winter. He struck up a friendship
with Hagemann, and before the old pilot's death in
2001, they were like family. Davidson had inquired
about purchasing the airport, and Hagemann agreed.
Today, windows into the friendship can be seen in almost everything accomplished at the field.
Davidson and his wife, Ginger, recently completed
a runway extension to stretch the field to 4,100 feet. In
2005, they bought the farm (next door) and prepped
the ground for the new grass. No sooner had they
planted the mix of fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, and
rye than a torrential storm washed nearly all of it into
the nearby Ohio River. "The one downpour in a fivestate area during nine weeks of drought," says Davidson. In dismay, they put out a cry for help-that much
grass seed doesn't come cheap. Sponsors bought bags
AOPAPllill.
72 .FEBRUARY
200;
A Stinson L-5 stands sentinel over the festivities (above and
below). "The airplane is a dream to fly," says Davidson, "just
like every Stinson ever built." This L-5 was used by the
British, normally for instrument, navigation, and photo
reconnaissance training, and was likely flown around Trinidad.
They figured
that although
lots of people
were out there
trying to save
airplanes, no
one was saving
the antique
airport-and
that's what
they hope
to do.
Ed Maxwell leads this
two-ship over Lee Bottom
in his Pitts S2B (above),
while Nick Coleman
tucks in tight in his
Swick T. The Bellanca
Citabria 7ECA (top right)
is owned by John Stuart.
Ed Escallon gave rides all
day long to excited
passengers in his
Fairchild PT-26 (middle
right). John Patterson's
Waco ASO (bottom right)
was a cherry sight
against the backdrop of
the somewhat-cloudy
weather.
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all classics-past, present, They are
and future. "Yesterday, a
.port
pair of I Cessna]152sland-creating
ed. That was really cool
what they
They are the next generation of antique aircraft," see as the
saysGinger.
.airport-and
In the meantime, they Ideal place
are creating what they see for old
as the ideal place .for old
airplanes at their airport airplanes
at
home in Hanover.The ulti- th ..
t
mate plan? A living-history
elr
alrpor
museum for aviation-a.
home.
snapshotof the goldenage
of flying, from the mid1920sto the years immediately past
WorldWarII, from whenLeeBottomitselfwasborn.
At the fly-in, a poster featuring
David Lord's artist's concept of the
open-air museumshowssketchedout
in ink the period hangars,old-time gas
station, and generalstore,overseenby
an airway beacon and rooftop billboard to guidepilots.
An old-time airport beacon'sframework lies readybeside the Davidsons'
personalhangarand shop-the couple
are activelysearchingfor more vintage
airport structures,including a true air-
way beaconand tower,airlights,and signs.They
figuredthat althoughlotsof
peoplewere out there trying to save airplanes, no
onewassavingthe antique
that's what
theyhope to do.And a traditional museum-with
exhibits frozen in time
and hung up on the wall
ducemore goodwillthan cash,according to RichDavidson. .In the future,theyseethe museumas
a wayto bring more peoplein and keep
the effort self-supporting. They also
haveplanstobuildT-hangars,andeventuallysellafewairparklotstolike-minded souls:pilots who honor the past by
keepingthat pastflying. The Davidsons
setthe examplethemselves,by putting
tireless effort into making this strip of
for people to look at but
not touch-isn't
what the
living history a reality.
Davidsonshavein mind either. Justas theybelievein
flying antique airplanes,
theybelievein a workingantiqueairport
(see'~TrueLaird Swallow,"page73).
Although the airport is public use,it
doesn'treceiveanyfunding from local,
state, or federal sources.When asked
aboutwhetherthey might in the future
apply for funds, Gingerrelated that to
keepthingshowtheylike it (no fence,for
example),they preferto keepa low profile and make it on their own-and
through the help of like-minded pilots
who fly in and donateto the cause.Variousfundraisingeffortssuchas tailwheel
training, salesof Lee Bottommerchandise,and cabin rental someti~es pro- -
the author at [email protected]
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