Tex Rankin

American aviator (1894-1947) Tex RankinBorn(1894-01-20)January 20, 1894TexasDiedFebruary 23, 1947(1947-02-23) (aged 53)Klamath Falls, OregonCause of deathPlane crashAwardsOregon Aviation Hall of Honor Oregon Aviation Hall of Fame International Aerobatic Club Hall of Fame John Gilbert "Tex" Rankin (January 20, 1894 – February 23, 1947) was an aerobatic pilot, barnstormer, air racer, and flight instructor from the 1920s to the 1940s. He created the Rankin Flying Service which trained thousands of pilots at Rankin Field for the US Army Air Force in World War II. He was the 1935 US Aerobatic champion and 1938 World Aerobatic champion. Early life Rankin left home at the age of 16 and joined the United States Army. He served in the Aeronautical Division, U.S. Signal Corps which gave him an interest in aviation. After being discharged in 1919, he moved to the State of Washington to learn to fly. Aerobatics and flight instructor career In 1920, Rankin opened his first flying school in Walla Walla, Washington. Rankin moved his flight school to Portland, Oregon in 1922, where he established the Rankin Flying Service. By 1928, Rankin's flying school was listed as the largest civilian flying