Ryan M-1
Pacific Air Transport (later, one of the carriers that was to form United Air Lines) was the first commercial customer for Claude Ryan's mail/passenger Model 1. This new monoplane was an odd mixture of old and new concepts and was designed specifically in anticipation of new airmail routes to be awarded. A triangle-shaped door allowed access to the front cockpit where two passengers (or one passenger and one sack of mail) sat side by side. It flew for PAT in 1926-27.
Breese
5
This airplane is by far the rarest and least documented
bird in our collection. In 1926 or 1927 Walter Varney of Varney Airlines
bought the only Breese 5 to go into commercial service. The Breese was an
addition to the fleet's Swallow mail planes, which were in their first year
of commercial air mail service.
We know the Breese 5 illustrated here was never registered, and little
or no record of its technical data was kept, except that it was powered
originally by a 200 h.p. Wright J-4 engine, and later by a 225 h.p. J-5.
Fokker "Universal"
The 4 to 6 place "Universal" featured a steel tube and fabric fuselage and empennage with a wood rib and spar cantilevered wing, covered with veneer. Originally powered by a 9 cylinder, 200 h.p. J-4 "Whirlwind," the 1928 version featured the 220 h.p. J-5 and some"streamlining"modifications. Though the overall design was quite "clean," all cables, horns and other control paraphernalia were exposed, adding considerably to the drag element.
Pitcairn PA-5 "Mailwing"
When most aircraft being built in the mid-20's looked very similar to the WW-1 trainers that were "barnstorming" every country field across the U.S., one enterprising airplane enthusiast employed a top designer to build a "new" kind of airplane.
In 1925 Agnew Larsen began designing a series of biplanes that culminated in the beauty of Mr. Pitcairn's 1927 PA-5 "Mailwing," used extensively on airmail routes spanning the country. Powered by a Wright "Whirlwind" J-5 engine rated at 220 h.p., the PA-5 cruised at 110m.p.h. with a range of 600 miles. The "Mailwing," built of chrome-moly steel, with fabric covered spruce wings was a sight that surely influenced other designers in the coming years.
Douglas M-3
Douglas aircraft joined the United fleet in 1926 with National Air Transport. The M-3 was chosen to replace the war-surplus DeHavillands that were flying the mail routes and brought greater speed, a greater load capacity, and more reliability and safety.
Power was derived from a 400h.p. Liberty engine. Cruise speed was 115m.p.h.
Ford "Tri-Motor" 5-AT-D
The "Queen of the Airways" whose reign lasted until 1933 when newer and faster twin-engined equipment replaced her, the "tri-motor" instilled friendly confidence into passengers and pilots alike. She proudly flew "The Friendly Skies" from 1926 to 1933. Power was supplied by three 420h.p. P&W "Wasps" and her cruise speed was 122m.p.h.
Curtiss "Carrier Pigeon"
Designed and built for N.A.T. only, and purely as a mail/cargo carrier, the Carrier Pigeon flew from 1926 until 1929. The four wing sections were interchangeable, as were all the symmetrical airfoil tail surfaces. Though not a favorite of pilots, the Carrier Pigeon had a remarkable safety record.
Curtiss "Carrier Pigeon II"
The Carrier Pigeon Model II was indeed a "beauty" when compared to the "beast" Model I. Except for the name and size, the only point of resemblance was the fact that they were both biplanes and built by Curtiss. The big Model II was powered by a geared-down 12 cylinder V-type "Conqueror" engine built by Curtiss-the same 600 h.p. engine that powered the earlier Falcon.
Boeing
95
Unlike the earlier "40" series, the "95" featured
rounded wing-tips and a large degree of interplane wing stagger. The built-up
spruce wing outerpanels were fabric-covered, but ailerons, aft fuselage,
and tail-group were metal framed and covered with "Alclad" corrugated
sheeting. Formed aluminum panels covered the forward fuselage and mail/cargo
hatches. National Air Transport and the Boeing System flew the "Ninety
Five." Both later carried the United Airlines colors.
Curtiss "Falcon"
Glenn Curtiss and his aerodynamic foresight brought many superb aircraft to the skies throughout the world, continuing through the years of WW-II. This 1929, one-of-a-kind "Falcon" had its roots in designs created for the Army Air Service in 1925.Though most "Falcons" built utilized the dependable Liberty 12 engine, the National Air Transport version illustrated was the only "geared Conqueror" engine.
The Waco Taperwing was built by the Advance Aircraft Co, of Troy, Ohio. The 10T was powered by the 220h.p. Wright J-5, though the entire chrome-moly and spruce airframe structure was stressed to handle a 450h.p. engine. A hinged metal panel covered the two-place front cockpit area, which was utilized for mail and cargo. Pacific Air Transport, soon to become part of United Air Lines,used the speedy 10T to haul mail.
