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In September of 1946 the "Airpark" became operational. It was officially named "The Showalter Airpark" and immediately became one of Winter Park's outstanding attractions. The concept of the "airpark" had originated in California and had gained wide acclaim. The Showalter Airpark was the first to be built in the South.
In December of 1946 construction of a second hanger was begun. The new hanger constructed in the familiar "T" shape, would house eight airplanes and contain a lounge and snack bar. A novel feature of the new hanger was an observation and sun deck. A.I. Snodgrass, a local contractor, constructed the first hanger, as well as all the office facilities. Frederick E. Slade contracted the painting and decorating.
Showalter Airpark was the dealer for Piper and Fairchild airplanes. It also offered various kinds of flying services, plane rentals, sightseeing flights, charter, sales, and flight training under the G.I. Bill of Rights. Many local veterans enrolled for these courses which included primary and advanced work. Flight training was added to the Rollins curriculum and over 100 students received training during the first year of operation.
During the late 1940s, Hope Strong, J.P. Phillips, J.H. Tierney, R.P.Reiner, Bob Graveley, and Phil Howland were among the local pilots who housed their planes at the airpark.
In February and March of 1948, the Ford blimp, the world's largest advertising airship, was moored at a specially constructed mast at the Airpark. The Showalter Airpark was selected for its central location and short advertising trips were made about the state.
In February of 1990, Ed L'Heureux wrote a two part story about the Airpark as he remembered it from his boyhood days. It was published in the "Remember When" column of the "Winter Park Outlook." Here is some of his story:
"I lived in the 1940s and 1950s on Glenwood Dr. in east Winter Park near Showalter Airpark. It was exciting growing up within two blocks of a real airport, especially for me since the prevailing wind currents in our area allowed the construction of a northwest-to-southeast main runway which carried the descending planes practically straight down Glenwood Drive over my house."
"For a decade or so, the secluded airpark sparkled in the Florida sunshine on about 100 acres of scrubland. It was a big X of two runways about three-quarters of a mile long in a remote area of east Winter Park, two miles from downtown, a location which is now Four Seasons Condominiums."
"We kids-Bill and Bobby Cross, Gilbert Banks, the Brickley brothers (Curtis, Seth and Russell)-lived east of the hospital to be, south of Aloma Avenue, and west of St. Andrews stream. Poking around Showalter Airpark to gawk at the airplanes moored there on the parking apron, seeing what we could see without getting too much under foot was thrilling."
"Charting the activity and growth of Showalter Airpark, for a bunch of runny-nosed kids, who literally played baseball in the middle of Aloma Avenue where the Drug Emporium is today, was an eager, curious pastime in our drowsy neighborhood. Snooping around the airpark, wide-eyed at age 9 or 10, had an air of high adventure for those of us left on the ground."
"Of course we weren't supposed to be anywhere near the planes or the hangers and were told so repeatedly by the people in charge there. I can appreciate now the danger, with airplanes taxiing all over the place."
"But stern, thoughtful warnings for our safety weren't always minded by our mob. We would sneak in via the one entrance on St. Andrews Blvd. and press ourselves tight to the side of the hangars, making our way gingerly up to the observation tower, trying to appear invisible."
"The longer hangar, built second, had an observation area on top of an office. This favorite place was only at a second-floor level but it was perfect for viewing the main runway while we hid, because it had a protective 3-foot wall all around it, enabling us to crouch low, shielding our innocent trespass as we watched the takeoffs and landings."
"Every once in a while, we would hear a screen door slam below us, and someone concerned-for-our-safety would bark, 'OK, you kids, you know it is not safe for you here.' We would sheepishly reply, 'Yes sir,' and glumly slid off barefoot, or in U.S. Keds, to a pickup baseball game in the neighborhood."
"All of the progress at the Airpark was noted by our collective eyes. I remember the red gas pump installed out by the parking apron and the billowing wind sock which flew at the north end of the hangars. I asked Robert Showalter if the lettering atop the hangar spelled Showalter Airpark in yellow print and he answered that my memory after 40 years had not failed me, saying yellow was indeed the color."
"It was gigantic news when the blue runway lights were installed in 1947, allowing night flights. The lights were soft blue, really pretty to behold against a backdrop of wild Florida scrubland."
"The greatest days of all at old Showalter Airpark revolved around two events. Nothing approached the excitement of these events and when either one of them occurred we kids ran or biked from all directions as though we were following a clanking fire engine to a burning fire. Parachutists and the blimp. Those were the two historic moments in our memory."
"Parachutists would practice their jumps periodically. I would see them careening down on the wind from my house a quarter of a mile away on Glenwood Drive. Immediately I would leap on my nickel purple Schwinn and pedal as fast as I could down to the trickle of a stream at St. Andrews Blvd. My buddies would pull up on their bicycles moments later and then we would 'oh' and 'ah' with our hands over our eyes as visors until the whole spectacle was over."
"When the big Ford blimp came to Showalter Airpark in 1948 for an air show, I thought my eyes would pop. Never had I seen anything that impressive. It was awesome. Somehow, I forget exactly how, we were allowed into the Air Show to actually examine the blimp. Perhaps our parents bought tickets or at least were chaperones for us."
"The gray blimp stirred at its mooring, buffeted lightly by the wind as if it had a heart and lungs. When it moved slightly, icicles Florida style slid down your spine and you were given exaggerated conversational ammunition for marbles games at grammar school for a month."
"Showalter Flying Service undoubtedly has taught hundreds upon hundreds of people to fly at its present grand location in Orlando and I am reasonably certain that the good the company has done for the greater Orlando area over the years is largely unknown to many of the million people now living here. But I am certain of one thing, almost all of those same people missed the utter schoolboy joy and excitement of having a real airport in their backyard. Such was my good fortune and the fondest of memories for that privilege remain with me today."
The Showalter Airpark operations were closed September 1, 1951. The facility continued as a repair base and storage facility until it was sold to developers in the early 1960s. More than 1000 students had been trained to fly since opening in 1946.
Images on this page, clockwise from left are: An aerial ad circa 1950; Hangar 2 in December 1946; A view of the Showalter Airpark office circa 1946; An aerial photograph of the Airpark circa 1946; An aviation fuel receipt dated September 9, 1948; A drawing of an aerial view of Showalter Airpark.
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