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bitions. [[strikethrough]] am [[/strikethrough]] Burnside took over as instructor at the school when Johnson was away. The new plane proved very efficient and Johnson [[strikethrough]] had [[/strikethrough]] at times took [[strikethrough]] taken [[/strikethrough]] up three passengers. One of his first exhibition dates of the 1912 season was at Middleboro, Kentucky May 24th to 26th; he then flew at Geneva, New York on July 30th, at Walden, New York August 7th for the Wallkill Valley Famers Association, and at Kingston; New York: August 13th and 14th at a Grangers Field Day. The next date was at the Monticello, New York county fair August 28th–30th. [[strikethrough]] at a County Fair. [[/strikethrough]] He also flew for the Democratic National Convention at Baltimore, Maryland that summer.

About this time the company brought out their first tractor biplane with fuselage, and Johnson assisted with the development and tests of this plane. September 4th, 1912 he was back at Kingston, New York, where [[strikethrough]] that day [[/strikethrough]] he flew for his F.A.E. pilot License, No. 164, on a Kirkham powered Thomas Bi-plane. He then flew at the New York State Fair, Syracuse, New York for one week beginning September 9th. Also flying there were: Beckwith Havens, Charles Niles, and William Hemstrought. Johnson made a wonderful showing there, winning first place in races on two days, and was first in a bomb-dropping contest. That month he also flew at the Herkimer County Fair at Herkimer, New York, then [[strikethrough]] exhibition [[/strikethrough]] at Lock Haven, Pennsylvania on October 12th and 13th before huge crowds, and also carried authorized mail while there. On October 31st, 1912 Johnson established a new American endurance record with passenger, of three hours, fifty-one minutes at Bath, New York, flying a 6 cyl. 65 H.P. Thomas biplane. The previous record had been made August 19th, 1911 by George Beatty during the Chicago meet. Johnson carried Arthur Blasiar, who was a mechanic and student at the Thomas School, as his passenger. Neither man was dressed in warm clothing for the flight and both suffered from the cold.

That fall the Thomas Bros. Aeroplane Company of Bath, New York was incorporated to manufacture planes by W. T. Thomas, Oliver W. Thomas, [[?]] L. Cox and Walter E. Johnson. In a few months Johnson had taught himself to