HAMILTON, Mont. – The owner of a major but beleaguered Minnesota optical company, Paul Ehen, died when his vintage World II airplane crashed taking off from the Hamilton airport 40 miles south of Missoula up the Bitterroot Valley. Ehlen, 61, of Minneapolis, was alone in the plane. He was taking off for an 1,100-mile flight to Minnesota from his second home near Hamilton. The crash was about 8 a.m. Witnesses said it appeared there was a mechanical problem with the P-40 Warhawk.
Vintage Warhawk. Crumped in field near airport. The plane was one of only 14 remaining P-40s Warhawks. Production totaled 13,700 in World War II. The high-powered plane had a liquid-cooled supercharged V12 engine.
