The Indianapolis Star, Indianapolis, IN, Sun, Feb 25, 1996:
  p. D6 -

  BOOKS
  ===========
  Roscoe Turner gave stature to the city
  during aviation's golden age.

  Profile
  --------
 
 INDY'S DEBONAIR DAREDEVIL
  By Wendell C. Phillippi
  SPECIAL WRITER

          Roscoe Turner, a legend in his own time, should be remembered
  as a man who helped to make flying in the 20th century a commonplace
  event. And he put Indianapolis on the aerial maps of the world.

          As a kid in Corinth, Miss., Turner tinkered with kites, engines
  and anything that produced speed. He saw his first "aeroplane" in l910
  at 15 and resolved to be a pilot.

          His father was a farmer and wanted Roscoe to be a banker, so he
  went to a business college. One time he arranged to borrow an automobile
  after repairing it and drove home. He got his "pants fanned" as a
  result.

          Despite his father's wishes, the "new bug" bit him after he
  chatted with an Army pilot who landed in Memphis, Tenn., during the
  Mexican Border War in 1916.

          Turner was turned down by the Army for pilot training in World
  War I because of a lack of education. School ended in his hometown after
  grade 10. He finally got a second lieutenant's commission as a free
  balloon pilot. He parachuted out of his balloon at 2,000 feet because he
  knew his fellow officers would call him yellow if he did not.

          He stayed in Europe in the Army of Occupation and managed to
  take flying lessons. His hours were never logged because the instruction
  was not authorized. Turner went on to a career of flying, teaching
  others how to fly, building and rebuilding airplanes. After winning
  several speed races he was a Time cover newsmaker on Oct. 29, 1934. A
  hard-driving workaholic, he later said flying was the only way he could
  relax.

          The first airplane he and a colleague bought was a government
  surplus Jenny. It started his glamorous career as a barnstorming
  stuntman who jumped out of airplanes through "fiery" smoke bombs, rode
  on their wings, and performed all sorts of dangerous maneuvers.
  Businesses paid him for appearances at public events. He also made money
  selling airplane rides, becoming an excellent mechanic and giving flying
  lessons.

          How he ever survived this lifestyle is a miracle of miracles.
  The book includes many interesting pictures, including some of his
  crashed airplanes.

          After charter services in Memphis, Tenn., and Richmond, Va., he
  went to Hollywood and became a stuntman and pilot in movies. His most
  famous movie was HELL'S ANGELS, produced by Howard Hughes.

          Hollywood fell in love with Turner and his first wife, Carline,
  who had also been a barnstormer and jack-of-all-trades for her husband.
  Their friends included Wallace Beery, Edward G. Robinson, Joe Brown,
  Bebe Danlels, Will Rogers, Ben Lyon, Wiley Post and Amelia Earhart.
  Stars used Turner's flying service regularly to go to Mexico, up and
  down the West Coast and even to New York.

          Despite all his records and aviation breakthroughs, it was a pet
  lion that made Turner famous.  It was named Gilmore for the oil company
  that hired Turner for promotion. Gilmore flew everywhere with Turner
  until he became too large. Guests were surprised to find the lion living
  in Turner's house and in his hotel rooms. Gilmore is preserved in the
  National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., along with other
  Turner memorabilia.

          Indianapolis should be forever grateful to the city's Chamber of
  Commerce and the city leaders who persuaded Turner to move here in 1940.
  He envisioned the Hoosier capital becoming a major regional feeder line
  in commercial aviation.  His early Turner Flying Service later became a
  part of Lake Central Airlines, which was then absorbed by Allegheny and
  later USAir.

          Besides training hundreds of pilots, Turner worked with the
  Civil Air Patrol Program, the Boy Scouts and the American Legion, flying
  everywhere to make patriotic speeches and promote aviation.

          Turner arrived in Indy with a 1929 Phaeton Packard, which
  carried spare parts, food and water and other supplies during its life
  of 350,000 miles.

          His long-time friend, the late Gen. James Doolittle, sums up
  Turner's life beautifully in the book:

          "You always knew when Roscoe was around. His broad smile
  topped with an even larger waxed mustache was the first thing you
  noticed when he arrived on the scene. Then you saw his uniform- highly
  polished boots, riding breeches, powder-blue military jacket with
  diamond studded wings, sometimes a Sam Browne belt or a silver belt
  buckle, gold and crimson helmet and goggles. Then you heard him joshing
  with everyone, anxious to meet anybody he hadn't known before."

          Turner and his wife started a museum at the Weir Cook Airport
  (now Indianapolis International Airport) but it was not supported and
  was closed to make way for new airport expansion. Turner died in 1970
  after a year of illness in which he was honored over and over nationally
  for his many accomplishments.

          The author is a pilot and retired Air Force colonel who has
  written 27 other books.  His diligent research is tremendous. The book
  is a fascinating tribute to a great American who knew no fear and cared
  little for money, but made sure that commercial aviation succeeded.

                       ---------------------------

  [Picture] HIGH GLAMOUR:  Turner cradles Gilmore the lion cub, atop the
    plane he flew for the oil company the animal was named for.

  [Picture] TRACKSIDE GREETING:  Turner gets a kiss from his wife,
    Carline.

  [Picture] GOOD-NEIGHBOR TRAINING: Turner (left) is shown with air
    trainees from Mexico and South America in 1942.

  ----------------------------------------------------
  ROSCOE TURNER, Aviation's Master Showman
  * * *
  Author: Col. Carroll V. Glines
  Pages: 340
  Price: $29.95
  Publisher: Smithsonian Institution Press

  Star Ratings:  4 excellent, 3 good, 2 fair, 1 poor.
  ----------------------------------------------------

  Phillippi, a former managing editor of The Indianapolis News, is
  a retired Army major general. He has written a book, DEAR IKE.



  RT210