Weather and 47 Days In the Air

 AJ, AZ    High 89  Low 51

Todd sent me these pictures of the snow in Billings. Just makes me so glad I live in Arizona. 

But even with all the snow these next two pictures warm my heart.

Enough about the weather. It is beautiful here in Arizona but  close to 90 this week and back down into the 70s next week. 

Pat, Marilyn and I headed out Wednesday morning with Yuma as our destination for this girls' trip. We had a full tank of gas, snacks, and a list of places we wanted to see.  It was lunch time when we got to Yuma and Cracker Barrel was calling our names.

After eating we thought we'd find the hotel even if it was too early to check in. We walked out of the door of CB and the hotel was right across the street. That chore out of the way we are on to adventures.

First Stop - City Hall

I did not know this story until I read Ray and Cindy's Blog about it. After talking to Pat and Marilyn, Marilyn told me she had seen a show about it on PBS. The plane hangs in the foyer of the City Hall Building. 

 

After WWII ended in 1945, the Army closed its large airfield in Yuma sending the city into a recession. Some business people started brainstorming ideas on how they could convince the U. S. Military that Yuma with all its sunshine, would be the perfect place for a base. 

 

Ray Smucker, owner of Yuma's radio station came up with the idea of flying an airplane to break the record of number of days the airplane could fly without landing. The current record was 30 days. Ray got together with the Jaycees who agreed to sponsor the plane. 

Extra fuel tanks were added to the plane to allow in-flight additions of gas and oil. Three seats were removed to create space for supplies and sleeping. The community donated fuel, oil, food, a Buick convertible and a new pain job for the plane that read "The City with a Future Yuma.

The plane was flown by Woody Jongeward and Bob Woodhouse from August 24 to October 10, 1949 (47 days). Flying a few yards above the 5,000 foot runway at the Yuma airport, they mastered the trick of pulling alongside the 1948 Buck convertible going 80 mph. The pilot who was off duty would hang out of the door and grab the food and fuel that was handed up to him from the car.

When the plane landed on October 10, it had traveled more than 80,000 miles and made 1,500 resupply runs. Two years later, the Army reopened their base at the Yuma Airport. 

I was very impressed with this city hall. There is more for us to see but this post if already long enough. So more next time.