The
Moody Brothers
When
Charles Lindbergh made his famous flight
in 1927, Hunter Moody, the elder of two sons
born to farmer Edward Moody and wife Ethel,
of Dalton City, Illinois, became fascinated
with flight. At the age of 14 he asked
his father if he could take flying lessons.
Hunter
soloed after 15 hours and received his instructor rating
by the age of sixteen. He taught his father,
younger brother Humphrey and other members of his family
and community how to fly.
When
the brothers acquired a Tri-motor Ford they barnstormed
across the state, selling rides and using a siren to
alert the rural town fold of their arrival. In
1934, Hunter leased the Bearsdale Airport, Decatur,
IL, where he offered flight instruction and charter
service.
In
June of 1939, Hunter tried to break the world endurance
record of 218 hours of flying in a light aircraft. He
almost succeeded, but was forced down due to engine
failure.
On
July 23, 1939, after
Humphrey completed his private license, he and Hunter
installed a new engine in the plane. They set
out from Springfield Airport in the Miss Springfield
to attempt the record once more. Although forced
to land by an electrical storm, the brothers exceeded
the record by flying 343:46
With
threat of war brewing in Europe, the brothers became
flight instructors and prepared cadets for wartime
flying missions; both later became captains in the
45th Group of the Royal Air Force. After World War
II, Humphrey continued instructing under the GI Bill
at Moody Farm Airport, Dalton City, IL until it was
closed in 1952.
During
Richard Nixon's campaign for president the Moody brothers
flew him around the United States. Overall contributions
made by these brothers were many and varied, but founded
in a true love of flying.
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