Wreck of Rainbow Records airplane, Winona Lake, Indiana, 1921

Description:	Wreckage of an airplane painted Rainbow Records / Rodeheaver Winona Lake Ind. [See ia-0293-0004 for another view of the wreck.] On August 25, 1921 this Curtiss airplane promoting Rainbow Records crashed east of Warsaw. It killed both passengers, including the teenaged half brother of Homer Rodeheaver, gospel music publisher, pioneer in sacred music records, and choir director for Evangelist Billy Sunday.For the previous six weeks Lieutenant Lynn D. Merrill, a barnstormer, had been teaching and giving rides to locals at the Winona Assembly in his plane painted to promote Rodeheavers religious records. On the 25th, his student Jack Rodeheaver was piloting when he had difficulties. Merrill was seen standing up from his back seat and reaching toward Rodeheaver or the controls, but fell out and plunged to his death. The plane continued and crashed in a cornfield near the fairgrounds. Rodeheavers injuries were severe and he died soon after impact.[Source: Warsaw Daily Times and Northern Indianian, Friday, August 26, 1921]
Origin:	1921-08-25
Created By:	Hinkley, Royal G., 1881-1935
Source:	http://indianaalbum.pastperfectonline.com/photo/44ADDD53-1640-4734-93A2-356925376243
Collection:	Indiana Album
Rights:	http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/
Geography:	Winona Lake, Kosciusko County, Indiana, United States
Subjects:	Nedra Wilcoxson Collection Aircraft accidents Airplanes Airplane wings Music publishing industry Rodeheaver, Homer A. (Homer Alvan), 1880-1955 Winona Lake (Ind.) Kosciusko County (Ind.)

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