 With World War II, just over the
horizon, many aviation historians say that the Golden Age
of Air Racing started September 2nd, 1929 at the Cleveland
Ohio National Air Races because of a little black and red
Model-R mono-plane nicknamed, “Mystery Ship.” Doug
Davis piloted the craft which defeated the military biplanes
at the air races. Mr. Paul McCormick, born December, 25th
1916, could also claim that it was this little “Mystery
Ship” that turned his interest in aviation to a successful
life long career.
Mr. McCormick graduated from Collingswood High School
in 1934 and went on to study metal airplane design and
engineering at Luscomb School of Aeronautics until 1936,
as it was the “Mystery Ship” that inspired
him to study airplanes.
1937 promised to be a busy year for Mr. McCormick. In
October of this year, he married his high school sweetheart,
Emma Price. He also moved to Connecticut to work for
Hall Aluminum where he focused on the hull of the PH-3
Flying Boat.
In this same year, the opportunity to move to the capital
of aviation in California and join North American Aviation,
the company that built the P-51 Mustangs, came into his
grasp, and he took it. Here, Mr. McCormick worked on
the assembly of the BT-9 engine cowling and rose to general
foreman of the cowling department. He was eventually
promoted to assistant superintendent during the peak
of the P-51 assemblies.
He managed five departments with over
2,500 associates.
 In 1951, Mr. McCormick and family moved to Columbus,
Ohio where he was offered the position of superintendant
of sheet metal at the Columbus plant. Here, he helped
transition the plant from Curtiss-Wright and increased
employees from 1,500 to 20,000 in 2 years.
Mr. McCormick “retired” in 1988 at seventy
years of age but continued to serve as a consultant to
North American Aviation until he finally really retired
in 1999. He currently lives in Worthington and is still
active doing athletic photography for local high schools.
Paul McCormick also has two children, three grandchildren,
and two great-grand children. |
