MAX GARDNER 1951 - 1978 PILOT FTW ACF GSW DAL DFW Max Gardner died in a crash of the Confederate Air Force's Douglas A-20, a WW 2 attack bomber during an airshow at Harlingen TX. Max was one of just a few who flew this particular single pilot aircraft. The autopsy showed that he had severe heart/circulartory problems. He had told me just before he flew that day that he was going to quit flying the A-20 after the show that same day. He was 70 at the time. I flew my first trip at CEN with Max. A 3 dayer to AMA & FSM and Max never spoke to me, even though we shared hotel rooms in those days! He could be a jerk but undernearh it all, he was a softie. He started treating me civilly after I got off probation & we became good friends later on. Even though I was a junior F/O, I could usually hold Max's schedule cause the senior F/O's didn't want to fly with him! -Jack Frost (11/29/98) One of the FYV agents had a crush on a flight attendant. One day he jotted her a note that said "Hi there, you sweet thing!" He put his note with the flight papers and gave them to her at dispatch. Unknown to him, she didn't even glance at the papers & note but gave the whole bundle to Max. About 10 minutes later the silence was shattered in operations with Max calling in his times, "FYV, this is SWEET THING with your times." For months afterwards he used that routine when he called In Range and with his outbound times. -Jake Lamkins (11/29/98) Here are some additional dates for the Obituary file. Pilots: Art Ashworth, died March 17, 1977 Wayne Aspinall Jr. died January 26, 1979 Jack Gardner, Died Feb 26, 1982 Max Gardner, Died Oct 8, 1988 F. "Jug" Jella, died May 14, 1993 John Myers, died July 20, 1994 G. "Swede" Nettleblad, died Feb 23, 1993 Ed Radford, died Oct 4, 1980 George Veldboon, died July 26, 1980 -Ken Schultz (4/26/99) Max called into the tower and said he had to get on the ground NOW. They cleared him in but the aircraft turned over and crashed. The autopsy showed he was dead of a heart attack before he hit the ground. -Rusty Lambert (8/21/99) M J GARDNER JR Pilot seniority date of 4/30/51 on the 9/1/72 FL/ALPA seniority list. -Jake Lamkins (3/29/10) Subject: Upgraded memorial webpage MAX GARDNER 1951 - 1978 PILOT FTW ACF GSW DAL DFW http://FAL-1.tripod.com/Max_Gardner.html Post your remembrances of Max. -Jake Lamkins (3/30/10) FLacebook - FL Club FLight West: Max Gardner FTW ACF GSW DAL DFW pilot Max Gardner's memorial webpage has been updated. http://FAL-1.tripod.com/Max_Gardner.html Several items added but still need a photo and obituary for Max. -Jake Lamkins (7/21/16) https://www.warhistoryonline.com/war-articles/a-20-havoc.html This is the airplane Frank Brgoch flew In WWII - his all-time favorite aircraft! & later Max Gardner was killed flying N-67921 when his heart failed Oct 8, 1988. Max was in a 3 ship flight at San Benito TX that included his son! Max was 70. At the time I thought 70 was really old! Now, that’s just a kid! -Billy Walker (7/29/21)