January 20, 1935 - Lee Miles

Leland S. Miles, 1903-1937 (M. Marcelli photo)                Miles-Atwood Special (John Underwood photo)

On January 20, 1935, thousands of fans attended an air show at Shandin Hills Airport (located north of the the intersection of Cajon Blvd. and W. Highland Ave.).  Lee Miles, by now a nationally known racing and stunt pilot, thrilled the crowd with his aerobatics and upside down flying.

Lee was born in the same year that the Wright Brothers made their first powered flight and in 1909 Lee's family moved to San Bernardino, where Lee attended local schools.

After enlisting in the Army Air Service he received flight training at March Field, and left the service in 1921.

Lee did a lot of his early flying out of a field near the corner of Highland and Mt. Vernon. It was here that Lee taught Leon Atwood how to fly.  Later Mr. Atwood became Lee's financial backer and partner in his racing exploits.

Lee loved flying and participated in every aspect of aviation.  He was a flight instructor, charter operator, did movie work, was an airport manager and airline pilot to mention a few.  His passion, however, was building and racing airplanes.

Click here to view Dick Molony's story of Lee Miles' flying exploits.