Albert A. Butterfield

Albert A. Butterfield, July 26, 1914 – April 18, 2016,

Known to most as "Al". Born 7/26/14 to Albert P. and Hazel A. Butterfield. Dad was proceeded in death by his parents, a twin brother Robert R; younger brother James and our mother, Mary L. Butterfield. Together they had four children, a daughter and three sons resulting in numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great grandchildren. Dad’s love of flying began while serving in the Indiana National Guard. As a result of possessing a keen mechanical aptitude, demonstrated while running a test cell for the P-40 V1710 aircraft engines used in China. The Government was convinced by Allison representatives that Dad would be more useful to the war effort as a Technical Representative for the engine manufacturer. Dad was Honorably discharged and was assigned as an Allison Foreign Representative serving with the A.V.G. better known as the Flying Tigers and numerous other squadrons American and British alike. Dad has flown an untold number and type of aircraft, far more than I could recall, from his first Certified airplane he purchased for $300 as a kit to a Pan Am China Clipper, flying boat while overseas. He has had a long and extensive aviation career including teaching aeronautical engineering classes to PhD. candidates. Not bad for someone with a high school education. As a flight instructor he has taught many to fly both airplane and helicopter. Toward the end of his professional flying career he developed an interest in sailing. Even in sailing his mechanical aptitude surfaced and he built a seventeen-foot sail boat that sailed for the first time in a Dayton area lake, the second time in the water was from Fort Lauderdale FL to the Grand Bahama’s a nineteen-hour crossing. He once towed a sailboat from Dayton to Lake Tahoe, CA. When asked why he told me "I’ve flown at 5000 feet so I wanted to sail at 5000 feet, which he did. There is not too much dad has not done between flying and sailing, far more than most of us could dream about, apparently to him it was a dream fulfilled. Clear skies and smooth sailing… A "Celebration of Life" to be planned for the later part of July 2016 in the Dayton area, to coincide with what would have been his 102nd birthday, date and location to be announced. Arrangements by the TROSTEL, CHAPMAN, DUNBAR & FRALEY FUNERAL HOME, New Carlisle, Ohio.