Jerry Sloniger

1921: Flying Mexico's Gold Jerry Sloniger

Slonnie, already an experienced pilot in 1921, is happy to accept a flying job in Mexico after his own airplane blows away, apparently crushing a man suspected of fraud. Is there a connection to his new job? Slonnie likes the idea of being paid to leave town, until he discovers that Tampico can be far more dangerous than a simple airmail contract promised. The Lincoln boy might shrug off murderous Indians and ignore pot shots from the ground but he finds it a lot harder to survive a rigged bullfight. Beach landings at low tide are no problem and he can "bomb" the outlying oil fields with gold payrolls, hitting the target every time. Dubious local lawmen and shady connections back home, keen to sabotage his airplanes, prove trickier. Ultimately, he only manages to escape a firing squad by fleeing in drag. Mexico ought to be perfect flying country for a man who navigates by watching the shadow of a strut on his lower wing, since there are no railroad tracks to follow anyway. Within weeks, however, Slonnie would be happy to catch a train back to Nebraska.