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RUSSELL B. NORTM
FROM THE FLYING PIONEERS BIOGRAPHIES OF HAROLD E. MOREHOUSE

Early Michigan Aviator - Mechanic - Plane Builder

Russel B. North was born in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, September 10, 1892. His parents were originally from Chicago, Ill. As a boy, he loved autos and at age 17 got a job as test driver, working for Hupmobile, E-M-F and Ford Motor Co. At this work he soon became an expert with engines.

In 1914 North became seriously interested in joining the Canadian Flying Corps, but they were not taking many recruits due to lack of equipment, so he and a friend started an auto filling station and repair garage, one of the first in their community. During this period, North continued his attempts to enter the flying service and was finally told his enlistment would be accepted if he had an American flying license. The nearest place he could get this instruction at that time was the O. E. Williams Flying School at Fenton, Michigan. As a result North entered the WIlliams School in December, 1915. The school was operating off the ice of Long Lake near Fenton as a flying field, using land places of the Curtiss Pusher type. Due to his experience with engines and cars, North was a particularly apt pupil and began making solo straightaway hope after very little instruction. Flights the length of the lake by the students was considered to be quite a feat, a landing being made after each straightaway, the plane turned around and the return take-off made. On one of his first lake-long hops, North landed hard and broke a wheel. Unable to fix it, he spun the plane around under power and took off. Instructor Williams was frightened to see him approaching in flight, minus one wheel, but when North set the plane down gently and balanced his roll-out without a ground loop, Williams was so elated he hired North at once as a member of his organization. North continued his instruction and flying practice, meanwhile working in Williams' small

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