Here is a great video of Chicago Municipal Airport from 1937, shot by Willis Heath Proctor, pioneer American Airlines pilot and father of Midway Historian Jon Proctor. Pat Bukiri's talented daughter collated Jon's footage into this excellent video.
Fly American! This 1933 film features the Curtiss T-32 Condor, American's flagship airliner in the years immediately prior to the advent of the game-changing Douglas DC-2.
Ernst Udet's amazing landing performed at the American Air Races at Chicago Municipal Airport, July 1933.
1933 - Midway Field (Chicago Municipal Airport) - John Meyer's wonderful video of his family's amateur film taken just two years after Muni was crowned with the title, "World's Busiest Airport." The Fairchild Pilgrims, Fokker F.32s, Ford Tri-Motors and Lockheed Vegas were state of the art in the year 1933.
A great video from 1963, including an up-close hop in a Chicago Helicopter Airways S-58 (N878) from Meigs Field on Chicago's Lakefront, to Chicago O'Hare (ORD). Some may recall that her sister ship, N879, is the one that suffered a tragic main rotor failure in 1960 and crashed in Forest Park, IL.
Author Christopher Lynch (co-founding member of the Midway Historians) speaks to a crowd at Clearing Library about his latest book, "When Hollywood Landed at Midway." Aug. 1, 2012.
NBC News archival footage of renowned opera singer Maria Calais arriving Midway Airport aboard an Air France Constellation in 1958. Note: Footage is mistakenly labeled "MARIA CALLAS [sic] AT OHARE AIRPORT" however this video was definitely filmed at Chicago's Midway Airport.
"Uncle Ned's Squadron" aired between 1950 and 1954 on WMAQ radio in Chicago. This educational children's program about aviation featured Ned Locke and Hugh Downs. Recorded in front of a live audience, a teenage Bob Jesko (now a member of the Midway Historians) can be head near the end of the show. (audio only)
We're highlighting a series of audio files. Each one will take the listener back decades! In three interviews, Chris Lynch conducted a series of Q&As with men such as Mike Rezich, Chicago aviation legend, as well as Fred Farbin, lifetime Monarch Air Service employee, and pioneer chicago pilot Fred Stripe.
Mike Rezich
Fred Farbin
Fred Stripe
In March 1948, Chicago Municipal's new North Terminal opened amid great fanfare. Finally, Midway was going to be able to handle the huge numbers of passengers, and what a great place the new terminal was! One of the great highlights of visiting Midway became a visit to Marshall Field's exclusive restaurant, The Cloud Room, located on the second floor and offering a spectacular panorama of the Midway Mile. Below it was Field's Blue and Gold Cafe, another favorite of visitors to the world's busiest airport. Here's a terrific program produced for radio in 1948 by Marshall Field & Co., to mark the unique occasion of the opening of The Cloud Room ... Wagon Wheels To Wings!
More YouTube videos featuring scenes of Chicago Municipal/Midway Airport's golden age!
"Midway Airlines Last Day of Operation" — amateur video chronicling Midway's last day before ceasing operations November 16, 1991 due to bankruptcy.
"Midway Airport: Last Landing on Runway 31R" — Watch as members Bob Russo and Dave Kaufman make the last landing on runway 31R.
"Chicago Midway Airport Watching Planes - Circa 1958" — A converted 8mm home movie taken by Lewis Everett Medlin, Jr.