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[[stamped]] FROM THE FLYING PIONEERS BIOGRAPHIES OF HAROLD E. MOREHOUSE [[/stamped]]

for less than a quarter mile ahead were the hangars, high trees and a trolley line. Laird either had to make a turn or land straight ahead and he wisely chose the latter. He pushed the control forward to nose down but did not level out in proper attitude for a three-point touchdown, which resulted in a tail-high landing, several bad bounces and he nosed over on his back. Laird was not hurt and fortunately the plane was not seriously damaged. Actually, it was a very lucky first lesson in flying. Next time out he was very careful not to over-control, and the moment he felt the plane leave the ground would cut the engine, let the plane gradually settle back to the ground, and soon learned the technique of making three-point landings. He then made rapid progress and soon was making circles of the field, his strong inner deside [[desire]] to fly satisfied at last.

Laird continued his flying practice and later that Fall one of his Model Club associates, Addison Cruver, kept coaxing for an opportunity to taxi the little plane across the field. Since he was one of the group who had helped with the final assembly of the plane at Cicero Field Laird finally consented to let him try it. Cruver was over-anxious, taxied too fast, and bounced off and rolled it up in a pile of wreckage, but was unhurt. That Winter Laird rebuilt it into a biplane which he flew at Cicero during the 1914 summer season.

In November, 1914 he started rebuilding this plane to facilitate easy dismantling and shipping for exhibition work. He made a new fuselage in two sections, new wings with rounded tips made in four sections and a new tail assembly of more pleasing lines. He also designed a more streamlined engine cowling. Laird's close Model Club friends George Weaver and Charles Arens occasionally assisted him in rebuilding this plane and Laird's younger brother Charles also helped in this work. It was completed in May, 1915 and soon became known as the LAIRD BABY BIPLANE and used in his first public exhibitions that season. Also, at this time Laird was gaining fame as an expert

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