Special to the
Santa Paula Times
Back in 1928 or ‘29, little Virginia MacMurray, then 5 or 6 years old, climbed into an OX-5 powered International biplane, piloted by local rancher, Ralph Dickenson, and took her first airplane ride. A wonderful experience she remembers still today. The MacMurray and Dickenson families were friends and they were all picnicking together that day and Ralph added airplane rides to the adventure. Virginia remembers flying low over their ranch and circling with the wings tipped sharply. What a grand experience that must have been for a little girl
By Janice Dickenson
Now, roughly 87 years later, Virginia took to the skies once again on a flight along with her husband, Donald Grainger, and their nephew, Butch Grainger — this time with Ralph’s grandson, Bruce, at the controls and in the airplane he designed and built himself that is named “Mr. Dickenson.”
Equally remarkable to note is that Don also took his first airplane ride with Ralph Dickenson as well. It was a mere 85 years ago, when Don was 8 years old, and it was in Ralph’s new cabin airplane, a 1930 Stinson Detroiter. That flight took off from the newly built Santa Paula Airport before it was officially dedicated in August of 1930. Don’s flight was a reward for work well done. He and some other boys were offered 50 cents a day or an airplane ride for throwing rocks off of the runway and stomping gopher holes. As far as is known, not one of the kids took the 50 cents!
Don’s family owned the Grainger Dairy that was located just west of the airport. In fact, the farthest western piece of the airport today was once part of the Grainger Dairy. Don was one of five sons who grew up on the dairy and, likely due to the close proximity, three of those boys, Bill, Perry and Bob, became avid pilots. The Grainger family is a wonderful long-time, generational family in this valley and they have remarkable careers and histories in the dairy, farming, military, flight and automobile arenas.
Don and Virginia have been great supporters of the Aviation Museum of Santa Paula since it’s conception. At a fundraising event, they bid on and won an auction for this ride in “Mr. Dickenson.” As life-long friends of the family they would have been given a ride at any time, of course, but they graciously went about it with their support of the Museum.
On Thursday, April 30th, just 15 days after his 93rd birthday, Don stepped up into the right seat of “Mr. Dickenson.” Virginia and Butch were buckled into the back and Bruce started up the 1340 radial engine and taxied to the runway. When Bruce throttled forward, they launched off of the same ground Don first flew off of 85 years ago; only now with the grandson of his first pilot, and at a considerably higher rate of speed than their first flights.
Bruce took them on a tour that included flying up the coast, over the Ojai Valley and the Sespe, circled the site of the St. Francis Dam — which catastrophically collapsed in 1928 — and then back west through the Santa Clara Valley over farms and towns they have known their entire lives. The weather was perfect and calm. Don and Virginia were beaming when they landed. Butch’s wife, Elaine and I assisted with their stepping down from the airplane and they were all smiles and stories. Lunch at Flight 126 Café was enjoyed by all as we spent a couple of hours visiting, reminiscing, remembering many who are no longer with us, and good times past.
It’s days like this that make life meaningful. Bruce and I thank the Grainger’s for an especially wonderful day and great memories!
P.S. On May 16th the Aviation Museum of Santa Paula is hosting another great fundraising event, the Flying 50’s Sock Hop. Come down and join the fun, great plans are in place...and a flight in “Mr. Dickenson” is one of the auction items again!
