Jim was not the first one of the Harper clan to go aloft. On July 27, 1920 Jim's brother, Day, took a flight with a barnstormer pilot named Lt. E.E. Tattersfield of the United States Aircraft Corp. Up to the massive height of 3500 ft. in a style of flight called "stunt". This company had "Safe ships to fly in - Expert pilots." Jim was ten years old.

Jim's father (R) was a railroad man, an engineer. His name was Robert.

And Jim wanted to be like his father was.

But, his dad said - 'nope - your future is in the sky my boy'
And so his parents bought him an aeroplane
A biplane
A WACO 10 biplane
A WACO 10 biplane #C4775......
.....And off he took

Jim flying his 10