The Story of Travel Air Makers of Biplanes and Monoplanes

Book excerpt: Although it lasted for only a decade, the Travel Air Company played a significant role in the history of 20th Century aviation. Founded in 1924 by Walter Beech and Lloyd Stearman, the company started with six employees. By 1929, with aircraft orders at their peak, Travel Air had 650 employees working in two shifts. Roughly 1800 biplanes and monoplanes emerged from Travel Air's Wichita, Kansas factory before the Great Depression forced it into bankruptcy. Among them was the Travel Air Model R "Mystery Ship," made famous by pilots such as Doug Davis, Florence "Pancho" Barnes and Jimmy Doolittle. Some of the famous pilots who flew Travel Airs and appear in the pages of this book include Art Goebel (whose Woolaroc was a T/A aircraft), Louise von Thaden (aviatrix who set an altitude record for women), actors Wallace Beery, Arthur Lake and Ken Maynard, and Charles Lindbergh. "The Story of Travel Air" dates from the late 1920's when the company was at the top of its game. It includes a company history as well as "The Travel Air Fleet" catalog that features three monoplane and nine biplane types. As a bonus, a rare promotional brochure for the famed Model R and vintage magazine ads are also included.