fed the engine but adrenaline fed his nerves. Instead of landing, he flew across the crowd one last time, the engine roaring. Twice he circled the track until, his journey over, he alighted in the infield.
"A greater ovation than ever before given anyone at the fairgrounds was accorded Dixon when he mounted the platform," The Helena Independent reported. "Governor Norris declared that Dixon was without a peer in the realm of air.
"I knew that boy would make good," Cromwell's me- chanic said, wearing a crooked smile. "A poor machine and a good aviator would have been unable to have made the trip, and a good machine and a poor aviator would have been equally unsuccessful. Great credit is due Dixon for his achievement, which is without parallel in the his- tory of aviation."
A PR I VAT E MOUNTA IN RE T R E AT
The euphoria around Cromwell Dixon's accom- plishment was short-lived. Two days later, at an air show in Spokane, Washington, a blast of wind threw the
to
the ground, killing the young pilot. The tragic news raced to Helena, and broke the hearts of a town that had fallen in love with their adopted hero.
Cromwell Dixon's legacy as a young inventor and brave aviator has won over a new generation of admirers, securing his place in history.
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Visit Helena on 9/30, 10/1, and 10/2 for a weekend-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Cromwell Dixon's historic flight. ExplorationWorks hosts an exploration of flight on Friday evening. A group of aviators will fly Dixon's route from the Helena Fairgrounds to Blossburg and back on Saturday, and everyone is invited to a community picnic on Sunday, which will include historians in period costume. For more information, contact Sue Johnson at (406) 422-1256.
DISTINCTLY MONTANA • AUTUMN 2011
Cromwell Dixon: A Boy and His Plane is published by Farcountry Press. Look for it in local bookstores or visit www.farcountrypress.com for more information.
Little Hummingbird
