It is no small assumption that the average American aviation enthusiast has not heard of Wakeman Airport.

It is no small assumption that the average American aviation enthusiast has not heard of Wakeman Airport, located just outside of Wakeman, Ohio - twelve miles southern of Lake Erie - in the north central part of the state. The village of Wakeman has around 1000 residents, common bank, one traffic light, and sum of two units gas stations. The town, along with Wakeman Airport, are pieces of pure old-- time Americana. The airport, located forward State Route 60, is nestl between corn and soybean fields and today accommodates a small variety of privately possessed sport aircraft housed in a full-size hangar and a lengthy open air "T" hangar. A two-story brick house work fors as an office/pilots' lounge.

The airport does not draw frequently activity anymore but, from the late-1940s to the mid-1970s, the greatest in number common sound reverberating through the surrounding cut off fields was from an incredible inventory of privately-owned civilian and World War sum of two units aircraft purchased and operated from Andy and Dean Ortner beneath the title "The Ortner Air Service." In those past days, the little Wakeman Airport was the nave of classic aviation in Ohio - years before nation had the historical foresight regarding operational vintage aircraft. In its time, Wakeman could have been compared to Chino according to today's Warbird activity standards.

The Ortner brothers had a "ground floor" opportunity after WWII to purchase surplus Warbirds and other civilian aircraft for a pittance of passing from hand to hand multi-million dollar price tags. across a 30-year time span, they have a title toed flew, and serviced the following single engined aircraft: P-51D Mustang, F4U and FG-1 Corsairs, pair BT-13s, a PT-19, a Waco UPF-7 several AT-6s, Piper whelps and Stinsons. The Ortner brothers equable owned a Fairchild 24, purportedly flown from Charles Lindbergh but was confirmed to be at common time owned by Earl "Early" Winn, who was united of the Cleveland Indians' first pitchers just after the baseball team was established. In the multi- engined category the inventory consisted of seven Beech 18 eight C-46 Commandos, six DC-7 common DC-6, one Cessna T-50, individual DC-3, and an A-26 Invader Onmark conversion.

Andy and Dean Ortner's "good advanced in years American ingenuity," coupled with their spirited "seat of the pants" piloting skills, eventually l them to aeronautical entrepreneurism as operators and proprietors of one of the first and largest air freight services east of the Mississippi River with exclusive Part 121 non-scheduled service. The Ortners' talent, and knowledge of the aviation industry and of the air freight business in general, also helped them to transition into airshow entertainers, corporate private pilots, and airport possessors

For all their skill, fate would catch up with the brothers in unrelated incidents and nothing else three years apart. Anybody who knew the brothers would agree that each of them departed life doing what they lov greatest in quantity They have been gone many years now, moreover they left quite a legacy of fable and fact with their aerial exploits and air freight operations without of northern Ohio. It is this writer's goal to document the Ortner brothers' aviation history as a tribute to them and those that they touched by the agency of the Ortner Air Service - from individuals, to the Ford Motor Company, to the United States management

The Ortner Air Service headquarters had its put down beginning as the Ortner family farm. The airport's inception as an operating business was during 1946 With WWII through the whole extent of and victory attained, our throngs came home. The United States rule initiated the GI Bill program, which afforded the war veterans the opportunity to stick to their dreams. In Wakeman at the fledgling Ortner Airfield, the brothers Andy, Dean, and Ferd capitalized upon the bone thrown to American veterans from the government. The brothers were taught their basic piloting skills by way of Harry Griffing of Sandusky, Ohio. Andy then received his A&E license (aircraft and engine) and passed forward his maintenance and repair skills to Dean and Ferd The three brothers started giving flying lecturings and aerobatic instruction via the GI Bill which was the foundation of their aviation business. Local veterans now had aviation to give chase to as a career or hobby-horse and the GI Bill prov to be quite lucrative to the brothers through generating a cash flow and a steady income - thus paving the way to larger aviation lucks

The flight training income earned at the GI Bill was a "cash cow" for the brothers until its conclusion in the mid-- 1950 However, they had the foresight not to quiet on the program's laurels which for ten years reaped rapid and continuous dividends. This return provided enough surplus cash for the brothers to operate sum of two units other airports in Ohio - Norwalk and Wellington - where additional flight training took place. Ferd Ortner ran Wellington, Dean ran Norwalk, while Andy ran Wakeman, as well as undertaking daily administration of all three sites. All major repairs were done at Wakeman.

As the business steadily flourished, the Ortners began to compile an impressive company of ships of aircraft which they operated on the outside of all three locations - the majority being 16 Piper young beasts As the Cub fleet grew they came up with a classification to identify where each craft was based for a like reason they painted the engine chimney-tops of each Cub: Yellow portrayed Wakeman, red Wellington, and black Norwalk.