Crop dusting by airplane
Pompano,
Florida 1930-1940 Applying insecticides, on crops by airplane, was tried as early as 1921. One of the earliest such experiments was in Mississippi. Although crude equipment was installed in World War One surplus airplanes, the experiments were generally successful. Things began improving with better airplanes, engines, and farm chemicals. One of the earliest companies was Delta Dusting Company and was the forerunner of Delta Airlines. Delta Dusters operated in the Pompano area in the 1930's and used a landing strip located in Hammondsville. It was owned by the Hammond Development Company. Delta operated off the Pompano Navy field immediately following WWII. . The airplanes they used were Huff Dalands, (a product of the '20's). They were quite successful dusting vegetable crops in the Pompano area. The dust was loaded in a compartment located in front of the pilot and came out of a chute in the bottom of the airplane in great clouds and was more or less evenly dispersed over the crops as they flew about three feet above the ground dodging trees, poles, birds and anything else that might be sticking up in the air. Dusting was a hazardous job and required very skilled pilots to do this day in and day out. These airplanes were soon called "Puffers" for rather obvious reasons. Delta also operated in other areas of Florida as well as other states. Perhaps one of their mainstays was dusting cotton and fighting the boll weevil. The pilots were soon called duster pilots and sometimes various other names. Perhaps one of the better known "dusting" companies was J.L. Schroeder, Inc. JL, as we shall call him, was in Pompano as early as 1935 and continued through the 1940's. JL was a friend of mine and lived next door to me in Pompano. JL operated several airplanes-usually 4 to 7 and began in the Pompano area with airplanes called "Commandairs". These planes were built in the late '20's and early '30's in Arkansas. They had 185 horsepower Curtiss Challenger engines. The Commandairs were very good dusting airplanes with a normal load of dust weighing 400-900 pounds. J. L. also operated Travelairs, another fine duster powered with a Wright Whirlwind engine -a model J-5 of 220 horsepower- the same type of engine used by Charles Lindbergh on his flight across the Atlantic. These engines were made in 1927. Keeping in mind that at the end of WWI, airplanes were little more than wood and fabric using rotary engines. They were used as a gun and bombing platform and for surveillance. In just nine years, Lindbergh in 1927, had an all metal plane with a radial engine and many features never thought possible at the end of hostilities. In the fall of 1937, JL used a landing strip that had been used by another dusting company earlier. It was the entrance of a defunct harness racing track and was easily identified by two small distinct buildings located on the Old Dixie Highway. It was, and is still called "The dusting field" by those who still remember these operations. Today this is the entrance to John Knox Village and the road is named "Airport Road." There were sidewalks left over from the "Building Boom of the 20s" bordering the rock road that served as a landing strip. One of JL's most popular duster pilots was Bill Longino who, although only 21 years of age, was an excellent pilot and duster and well liked by everyone. It has been said that farmers had their fields dusted just to watch Bill fly. Bill loved to fish on his time off and usually went with one of Pompano's finest fisherman, John Whitmer. Longino later left to fly for Braniff Airlines, where he stayed until retirement at age 60. Bill was and still is a good friend of mine, he now lives in Texas and we keep in touch on a regular basis. His experiences would fill many books. The other crop dusting company was Faulkner Air Service, operated by Jack Faulkner. Jack used the previously mentioned entrance to the race track, prior to J. L. Schroeder. He was there in 1936 and the spring of 1937. Jack operated several airplanes, including a Waco 10, Pitcairn Mailwing, Curtiss Robin, and a Stinson. Even though I was only fourteen years old Jack let me hang around and get in the way, until I began to learn the ropes. Jack had a pilot named Jim Crawford who hailed from Martin, Georgia. Jack and Jim were also excellent duster pilots. I learned to fly from both of them, but that is another story. Unfortunately, Jack was killed in his automobile, when it rolled off the Old Dixie Highway bridge and into Cypress Creek Canal in the fall of 1937. After Jacks death, Faulkner Air Service operated on a landing strip parallel to the FEC Railroad just East of the harness track entrance. It was operated by Jack's widow after his death. She and I also keep in touch. She and her daughter, Lenore went to New Jersey in the summer to dust cranberries, etc. and never returned to Pompano. JL Schroeder was the only one left. Jim flew for JL in 1938. In February, 1939, he went to work for Eastern Airlines and flew until the mandatory retirement age of 60. Jim still lives in the Atlanta area and we have stayed in touch for over 60 years. During World War Two, JL, had many pilots and airplanes, finally switching to J-3 Piper Cubs, which made for economical dusters, carrying as much as 500 pounds with only a 65 Horsepower Continental engine. JL was from Houston, Texas. He started in this business in 1924 and was certainly among the first in the duster field. The men named here were the pioneers of the crop dusting business and were preceded by the "Barnstormers" that flew into Pompano landing their "planes" in the weed field where the city nursery is now located South and North of NE 10th St. and East of NE 5th Ave. selling rides for a dollar or two to anyone brave enough to get in their plane. JL retired in Delray Beach and lived out his life there. I worked and flew for JL from 1941 through 1950. I also flew for 3 other companies in the crop dusting business until 1975. Then, like Bill and Jim before me, I went to work for the airlines. I flew for National Airlines and Pan American World Airways for 30 years, still crop dusting on days off. There were many rumors of so called flying rum running to the Bahama Islands. Most of these stories were probably true. Some of the duster pilots I knew were more than likely involved. I have been told the airplanes could carry 15 or 20 cases more or less of liquor and that a profit of $20 a case or more apparently made it worthwhile. It seems like the Curtiss Robins held the most cases. It took less than 45 minutes to fly each way, so it was pretty good money. There is another interesting aspect of airplane crop dusting. This is the use of insecticides and fungicides, etc. In the early days, a duster pilot lived in the environment daily without any protection and without any apparent negative health problems. Most duster pilots I have known have lived into their 80's and 90's and enjoyed good health. So much for the environmentalists and their scare tactics about DDT and other chemicals. I am 78 years "young" and still enjoy good health in spite of all the published articles about the dangers of these insecticides. Most of the areas in Broward County that were farms are now cities and towns. So much for the era of Good Pilots, Old Airplanes, Dusting, and Farming in Pompano. For me, it was a great time to be in Pompano and I am proud to say that I am a real "Beanpicker"!
LeRoy H. Brown
Capt (ret) |