Ford Tri-Motor
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Ford Trimotor (also called the "Tri-Motor", and nicknamed the "Tin Goose") is an American three-engined
transport aircraft Transport aircraft is a broad category of aircraft that includes: * Airliners, aircraft, usually large and most often operated by airlines, intended for carrying multiple passengers or cargo in commercial service * Cargo aircraft or freighters, fix ...
. Production started in 1925 by the companies of
Henry Ford Henry Ford (July 30, 1863 – April 7, 1947) was an American Technological and industrial history of the United States, industrialist and business magnate. As the founder of the Ford Motor Company, he is credited as a pioneer in making automob ...
and ended on June 7, 1933, after 199 had been made. It was designed for the
civil aviation Civil aviation is one of two major categories of flying, representing all non-military and non-state aviation, which can be both private and commercial. Most countries in the world are members of the International Civil Aviation Organization and ...
market, but also saw service with military units.


Design and development

In the early 1920s,
Henry Ford Henry Ford (July 30, 1863 – April 7, 1947) was an American Technological and industrial history of the United States, industrialist and business magnate. As the founder of the Ford Motor Company, he is credited as a pioneer in making automob ...
, along with a group of 19 others including his son Edsel, invested in the Stout Metal Airplane Company. Stout, a bold and imaginative salesman, sent a
mimeograph A mimeograph machine (often abbreviated to mimeo, sometimes called a stencil duplicator or stencil machine) is a low-cost duplicating machine that works by forcing ink through a stencil onto paper. The process is called mimeography, and a co ...
ed form letter to leading manufacturers, blithely asking for $1,000 with the line, "For your one thousand dollars you will get one definite promise: You will never get your money back" to convince them. Stout raised $20,000, including $1,000 each from Edsel and Henry Ford. In 1925, Ford bought Stout and its aircraft designs. The single-engined Stout monoplane was turned into a
trimotor A trimotor is a propeller-driven aircraft powered by three internal combustion engines, characteristically one on the nose and one on each wing. A compromise between complexity and safety, such a configuration was typically a result of the limit ...
, the Stout 3-AT with three
Curtiss-Wright The Curtiss-Wright Corporation is an American manufacturer and services provider headquartered in Davidson, North Carolina, with factories and operations in and outside the United States. Created in 1929 from the consolidation (business), consoli ...
air-cooled Air-cooled engines rely on the circulation of air directly over heat dissipation fins or hot areas of the engine to cool them in order to keep the engine within operating temperatures. Air-cooled designs are far simpler than their liquid-cooled ...
radial engines. After a prototype was built and test-flown with poor results, the "4-AT" and "5-AT" emerged. The Ford Trimotor using all-metal construction was not a revolutionary concept, but it was certainly more advanced than the standard construction techniques of the 1920s. The aircraft resembled the Fokker F.VII Trimotor (except for being all metal which Henry Ford claimed made it "the safest airliner around").Winchester 2004, p.151. Its fuselage and wings followed a design pioneered by
Junkers Junkers Flugzeug- und Motorenwerke AG (JFM, earlier JCO or JKO in World War I, English language, English: Junkers Aircraft and Motor Works) more commonly Junkers , was a major German aircraft manufacturer, aircraft and aircraft engine manufactu ...
during World War I with the
Junkers J.I The Junkers J.I (manufacturer's name J 4) was a German Idflieg aircraft designation system, "J-class" armored sesquiplane of World War I, developed for low-level attack aircraft, ground attack, Aerial reconnaissance, observation and liaison airc ...
and used postwar in a series of airliners starting with the Junkers F.13 low-wing monoplane of 1920 of which a number were exported to the US, the Junkers K 16 high-wing airliner of 1921, and the
Junkers G 24 The Junkers G 24 was a German three-engine, all-metal low-wing monoplane passenger aircraft manufactured by Junkers from 1925. Junkers F 24 was the designation for single-engine versions of the same aircraft. Development The increased German ...
trimotor of 1924. All of these were constructed of
aluminum alloy An aluminium alloy ( UK/IUPAC) or aluminum alloy ( NA; see spelling differences) is an alloy in which aluminium (Al) is the predominant metal. The typical alloying elements are copper, magnesium, manganese, silicon, tin, nickel and zinc. There ...
, which was corrugated for added stiffness, although the resulting drag reduced its overall performance. So similar were the designs that Junkers sued and won when Ford attempted to export an aircraft to Europe.Larkins 1992, pp.154–156 In 1930, Ford countersued in
Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...
, and despite the possibility of anti-German sentiment, was decisively defeated a second time, with the court finding that Ford had infringed upon Junkers' patents. Although designed primarily for passenger use, the Trimotor could be easily adapted for hauling cargo, since its seats in the fuselage could be removed. To increase cargo capacity, one unusual feature was the provision of "drop-down" cargo holds below the lower inner wing sections of the 5-AT version. One 4-AT with Wright J-4 200-hp engines was built for the U.S. Army Air Corps as the C-3, and seven with Wright R-790-3 (235 hp) as C-3As. The latter were upgraded to Wright R-975-1 (J6-9) radials at 300 hp and redesignated C-9. Five 5-ATs were built as C-4s or C-4As. The original (commercial production) 4-AT had three air-cooled Wright radial engines. It carried a crew of three: a pilot, a copilot, and a stewardess, as well as eight or nine passengers . The later 5-AT had more powerful
Pratt & Whitney Pratt & Whitney is an American aerospace manufacturer with global service operations. It is a subsidiary of RTX Corporation (formerly Raytheon Technologies). Pratt & Whitney's aircraft engines are widely used in both civil aviation (especially ...
engines. All models had an aluminum corrugated sheet-metal body and wings. Unlike many aircraft of this era, extending through
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, its control surfaces (
aileron An aileron (French for "little wing" or "fin") is a hinged flight control surface usually forming part of the trailing edge of each wing of a fixed-wing aircraft. Ailerons are used in pairs to control the aircraft in roll (or movement aroun ...
s,
elevators An elevator (American English) or lift (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth English) is a machine that vertically transports people or freight between levels. They are typically powered by electric motors that drive tracti ...
, and
rudder A rudder is a primary control surface used to steer a ship, boat, submarine, hovercraft, airship, or other vehicle that moves through a fluid medium (usually air or water). On an airplane, the rudder is used primarily to counter adverse yaw ...
s) were not fabric covered, but were also made of corrugated metal. As was common for the time, its rudder and elevators were actuated by metal cables that were strung along the external surface of the aircraft. Engine gauges were also mounted externally, on the engines, to be read by the pilot while looking through the aircraft windshield. Another interesting feature was the use of the hand-operated " Johnny brake." Like Ford cars and tractors, these Ford aircraft were well designed, relatively inexpensive, and reliable (for the era). The combination of a metal structure and simple systems led to their reputation for ruggedness. Rudimentary service could be accomplished "in the field" with ground crews able to work on engines using scaffolding and platforms.Winchester 2004, p. 150. To fly into otherwise-inaccessible sites, the Ford Trimotor could be fitted with skis or floats. The rapid development of aircraft at this time (the vastly superior Boeing 247 first flew at start of 1933), along with the death of his personal pilot, Harry J. Brooks, on a test flight, led to Ford losing interest in aviation. While he did not make a profit on its aircraft business, Ford's reputation lent credibility to the infant aviation and
airline An airline is a company that provides civil aviation, air transport services for traveling passengers or freight (cargo). Airlines use aircraft to supply these services and may form partnerships or Airline alliance, alliances with other airlines ...
industries, and he helped introduce many aspects of the modern aviation infrastructure, including paved
runway In aviation, a runway is an elongated, rectangular surface designed for the landing and takeoff of an aircraft. Runways may be a human-made surface (often asphalt concrete, asphalt, concrete, or a mixture of both) or a natural surface (sod, ...
s, passenger terminals,
hangar A hangar is a building or structure designed to hold aircraft or spacecraft. Hangars are built of metal, wood, or concrete. The word ''hangar'' comes from Middle French ''hanghart'' ("enclosure near a house"), of Germanic origin, from Frankish ...
s,
airmail Airmail (or air mail) is a mail transport service branded and sold on the basis of at least one leg of its journey being by air. Airmail items typically arrive more quickly than surface mail, and usually cost more to send. Airmail may be th ...
, and
radio navigation Radio navigation or radionavigation is the application of radio waves to geolocalization, determine a position of an object on the Earth, either the vessel or an obstruction. Like radiolocation, it is a type of Radiodetermination-satellite servi ...
.Herrick, Greg A. ''fordtri-motor.com'', Yellowstone Aviation, Inc (Jackson, Wyoming), 2004. Retrieved: April 4, 2019. In the late 1920s, the Ford Aircraft Division was reputedly the "largest manufacturer of commercial airplanes in the world."Head and Pretzer 1990, p. 53. Alongside the Ford Trimotor, a new single-seat commuter aircraft, the Ford Flivver or "Sky Flivver" had been designed and flown in prototype form, but never entered series production. The Trimotor was not to be Ford's last venture in aircraft production. During World War II, the largest aircraft manufacturing plant in the world was built at the Willow Run, Michigan plant, where Ford produced thousands of
B-24 Liberator The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models desi ...
bombers under license from
Consolidated Aircraft The Consolidated Aircraft Corporation was founded in 1923 in aviation, 1923 by Reuben H. Fleet in Buffalo, New York, the result of the Gallaudet Aircraft Company's liquidation and Fleet's purchase of designs from the Dayton-Wright Company as the ...
.Head and Pretzer 1990, p. 57. William Stout left the Metal Airplane division of the Ford Motor Company in 1930. He continued to operate the Stout Engineering Laboratory, producing various aircraft. In 1954, Stout purchased the rights to the Ford Trimotor in an attempt to produce new examples. A new company formed from this effort brought back two modern examples of the trimotor aircraft, renamed the Stout Bushmaster 2000, but even with improvements that had been incorporated, performance was judged inferior to modern designs.


Operational history

Production ran from 1926 and 1933 and 199 were built, including 79 4-ATs, and 117 5-ATs, plus some experimental craft. Well over 100 airlines of the world flew the Ford Trimotor. From mid-1927, the type was also flown on executive transportation duties by several commercial nonairline operators, including oil and manufacturing companies. The impact of the Ford Trimotor on commercial aviation was immediate, as the design represented a "quantum leap over other airliners."O'Leary 2006, p. 54. Within a few months of its introduction, Transcontinental Air Transport was created to provide coast-to-coast operation, capitalizing on the Trimotor's ability to provide reliable and, for the time, comfortable passenger service. While advertised as a transcontinental service, the airline had to rely on rail connections with a deluxe Pullman train that would be based in New York being the first part of the journey. Passengers then met a Trimotor in Port Columbus, Ohio, that would begin a hop across the continent ending at Waynoka, Oklahoma, where another train would take the passengers to
Clovis, New Mexico Clovis is a city in and the county seat of Curry County, New Mexico. The population was 38,567 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Clovis is located in the New Mexico portion of the Llano Estacado, in the eastern part of the state. A ...
, where the final journey would begin, again on a Trimotor, to end up at the Grand Central Air Terminal in Glendale, a few miles northeast of
Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
. This demanding trip would be available for only a year before Transcontinental was merged into a combine with Western Air Service. Ford Trimotors were also used extensively by
Pan American Airways Pan American World Airways, originally founded as Pan American Airways and more commonly known as Pan Am, was an airline that was the principal and largest international air carrier and unofficial overseas flag carrier of the United States for ...
, for its first international scheduled flights from
Key West Key West is an island in the Straits of Florida, at the southern end of the U.S. state of Florida. Together with all or parts of the separate islands of Dredgers Key, Fleming Key, Sunset Key, and the northern part of Stock Island, it con ...
to
Havana Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...
, in 1927. Eventually, Pan American extended service from North America and Cuba into Central and South America in the late 1920s and early 1930s.O'Leary 2006, p. 55. One of Latin America's earliest airlines,
Cubana de Aviación Cubana de Aviación S.A., or simply Cubana, is the flag carrier and largest airline of Cuba. It was founded in October 1929, becoming one of the earliest airlines to emerge in Latin America. It has its corporate headquarters in Havana, and its ...
, was the first to use the Ford Trimotor in Latin America, starting in 1930, for its domestic services. The heyday for Ford's transport was relatively brief, lasting only until 1933, when more modern airliners began to appear. Rather than completely disappearing, the Trimotors gained an enviable reputation for durability with Ford ads in 1929 proclaiming, "No Ford plane has yet worn out in service." First being relegated to second- and third-tier airlines, the Trimotors continued to fly into the 1960s, with numerous examples being converted into cargo transports to further lengthen their careers, and when World War II began, the commercial versions were soon modified for military applications. Some of the significant flights made by the Ford Trimotor in this period greatly enhanced the reputation of the type for strength and reliability. One example was Ford 4-AT Trimotor serial number 10, built in 1927. It flew in the United States and Mexico under registration number C-1077, and for several years in Canada under registration G-CARC. It had many notable accomplishments; it was flown by
Charles Lindbergh Charles Augustus Lindbergh (February 4, 1902 – August 26, 1974) was an American aviator, military officer, and author. On May 20–21, 1927, he made the first nonstop flight from New York (state), New York to Paris, a distance of . His aircra ...
and
Amelia Earhart Amelia Mary Earhart ( ; July 24, 1897 – January 5, 1939) was an American aviation pioneer. On July 2, 1937, she disappeared over the Pacific Ocean while attempting to become the first female pilot to circumnavigate the world. During her li ...
, among many others. It made the first commercial flight from the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
to
Mexico City Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...
, as well as the first commercial flight over the
Canadian Rockies The Canadian Rockies () or Canadian Rocky Mountains, comprising both the Alberta Rockies and the British Columbian Rockies, is the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains. It is the easternmost part of the Canadian Cordillera, w ...
. After damage on landing in 1936, it was grounded and remained for decades at Carcross, Yukon. In 1956, the wreck was salvaged and preserved, and in the mid-1980s, Greg Herrick took over C-1077 and began restoring it. As of 2006, C-1077 is in flying condition again, restored to its December 1927 appearance. On November 27 and 28, 1929, Commander Richard E. Byrd (navigator), chief pilot
Bernt Balchen Bernt Balchen (23 October 1899 – 17 October 1973) was a Norwegian pioneer polar aviator, navigator, aircraft mechanical engineer and military leader. A Norwegian native, he later became an American citizen and was a recipient of the Disting ...
, and two other crewmen, the copilot and the photographer, made the first flight above the geographic South Pole in a Ford Trimotor that Byrd named the ''Floyd Bennett''. This was one of three aircraft taken on this polar expedition, with the other two being named ''The Stars and Stripes'' and ''The Virginian'', replacing the
Fokker Fokker (; ) was a Dutch aircraft manufacturer that operated from 1912 to 1996. The company was founded by the Dutch aviator Anthony Fokker and became famous during World War I for its fighter aircraft. During its most successful period in the 19 ...
Trimotors that Byrd previously used. In February 1930, a Ford Trimotor was used for the flight of Elm Farm Ollie, the first cow to fly in an aircraft and to be milked mid-flight.
Franklin Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), also known as FDR, was the 32nd president of the United States, serving from 1933 until his death in 1945. He is the longest-serving U.S. president, and the only one to have served ...
flew aboard a Ford Trimotor in 1932 during his presidential campaign in one of the first uses of an aircraft in an election, replacing the traditional "whistle stop" train trips.Larkins 1992, p. 170. A Ford Trimotor was used in a search for the lost flyers of the Sigizmund Levanevsky trans-polar flight in 1937. Movie stunt flyer Jimmie Mattern flew a specially modified Lockheed Electra along with fellow movie flyer, Garland Lincoln, flying a stripped-down Trimotor donated by the president of Superior Oil Company. With 1,800 gallons of avgas and 450 gallons of oil in the modified cabin, the Trimotor was intended to act as a "tanker" for the expedition. The Electra was able to transfer fuel in the air from the Trimotor, through a hose cast out the 4-AT's door. With the first aerial refueling test successful, the pair of pilots set out for Fairbanks, landing first at Burwash Landing, Yukon Territory, Canada, on August 15, 1937, but the Trimotor ran out of fuel and crashed in inclement weather the following day. The Trimotor was abandoned on the tundra. One of the major uses of the Trimotor after it was superseded as a passenger aircraft by more modern aircraft like the Boeing 247 (1933) or the
Douglas DC-2 The Douglas DC-2 is a retired 14-passenger, twin-engined airliner that was produced by the American company Douglas Aircraft Company starting in 1934. It competed with the Boeing 247. In 1935, Douglas produced a larger version called the DC-3 ...
(1934), then DC-3, was the carrying of heavy freight to mining operations in jungles and mountains. The Trimotor was employed for decades in this role. In 1942, during the Battle of Bataan, a Trimotor was used in evacuations. The aircraft would haul 24 people nearly 500 miles a trip, twice daily. The aircraft was eventually strafed and destroyed by Japanese aircraft. In postwar years, the Ford Trimotors continued in limited service with small, regional air carriers. Scenic Airways Ford Trimotor N414H was used for 65 years as a sightseeing aircraft flying over the Grand Canyon.


Variants


Ford designations

; 2-AT Pullman: Stout's monoplane with a single
Liberty L-12 The Liberty L-12 is an American Water_cooling#Internal_combustion_engines, water-cooled 45° V12 engine, V-12 engine, displacing and making , designed for a high power-to-weight ratio and ease of mass production. It was designed principally as ...
V-12 engine, developed into 3-AT. 11 Built. ; 3-AT: Stout's tri-motor prototype with three Wright J-4 Whirlwind radial engines. Outboard engines on wings, and nose engine mounted very low. One built. ;4-AT: Prototype with three J-4 Whirlwinds, with outer engines below wings. Two pilots in open cockpit, and eight passengers given half-round windows. One built. ;4-AT-A: Production enclosed-cockpit version with rectangular windows with top corners rounded. 14 built. ;4-AT-B: 4-AT-A with three Wright J-5 Whirlwind radials. Carried 12 passengers. 39 built. ;4-AT-C: 4-AT-B with nose engine replaced by a
Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp The Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp is an aircraft engine of the reciprocating type that was widely used in American aircraft from the 1920s onward. It was the Pratt & Whitney aircraft company's first engine, and the first of the famed Wasp seri ...
radial. One built. ;4-AT-D: 4-AT-B with lengthened wings and fitted with various engines and other minor modifications. One built and two modified. ;4-AT-E: 4-AT-B with three Wright J-6-9 Whirlwind nine-cylinder radials. 24 built with rectangular windows as used on 5-AT-A. ;4-AT-F: 4-AT-E but stressed for higher loads. One built. ;5-AT-A: 4-AT-E with longer wing and fuselage with an extra window on each side, powered by three Wasps. Carried 13 passengers. Three built. ;5-AT-B: 5-AT-A powered by Wasp C-1 or SC-1 radials. Carried 15 passengers. 41 built. ;5-AT-C: Improved version with engine cowlings and wheel pants, similar to the Ford 5-AT-A. Carried 17 passengers. 51 built. ;5-AT-CS: 5-AT-C floatplane with twin Edo floats. One built. ;5-AT-D: Wings higher for taller cabin, and weights increased. Powered by three Wasp SC radials. 20 built. ;5-AT-DS: 5-AT-D floatplane with Edo floats. One built. ;5-AT-E: Version with outboard engines moved to wing leading edges. One 5-AT-C modified for tests, but converted back. ;6-AT-A: Economy 5-AT-A with reduced power, load and performance. Three Wright J-6-9 Whirlwind radials. Three built. ;6-AT-AS: 6-AT-A floatplane with Edo floats. One modified. ;7-AT-A: 6-AT-A with Pratt & Whitney Wasp radial in the nose. ;8-AT: 5-AT-C converted to single-engine freighter. Six different engines ranging from installed. One built. ;9-AT: 4-AT-B with three Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Junior radial engines. One built. ;10-AT: Project for larger aircraft with two engines above fuselage and two on wings. None built but developed into 12-AT and built as 14-A as a trimotor. ;11-AT: 4-AT-E with three Packard DR-980 Diesel radial engines. One built. ;12-AT: Project, development of 10-AT, not built. ;13-A: 5-AT-D with two Wright J-6-9 Whirlwind radials, and a
Wright Cyclone Wright Cyclone was the name given to a family of air-cooled radial piston engines designed by the Wright Aeronautical Corporation and used in numerous American aircraft in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. Background The Wright Aeronautical Corporatio ...
radial in the nose. 1 built. ; 14-A: Similar to 10-AT and 12-AT, 1 built but not flown, was to have carried 32 passengers.


United States military designations


United States Army Air Corps

;XC-3: One 4-AT-A evaluated by the USAAC.Andrade 1979, p. 95. ;C-3: 4-AT-A redesignated from XC-3 following evaluation ;C-3A: 4-AT-E with three Wright R-790-3 Whirlwind radials. Seven built, all converted to C-9 standard. ;C-4: One 4-AT-B for evaluation. ;C-4A: 5-AT-D, with three Pratt & Whitney R-1340-11 Wasp radials. Four built ;C-4B: Single C-4A re-engined with three R-1340-7 Wasps. ;C-9: Redesignation of C-3As fitted with Wright R-975-1 Whirlwind radialsAndrade 1979, p. 96. ;XB-906: 5-AT-D modified into bomber with three Wasps for United States Army Air Corps. One built.


US Navy and US Marines

;XJR-1: One 4-AT-A evaluated by the United States NavyAndrade 1979, p. 197. ;JR-2: U.S. Marine Corps 4-AT-E transport, with three Wright J-6-9 engines. Two built, redesignated RR-2 in 1931. ;JR-3: 5-AT-C for U.S. Navy (one) and U.S. Marine Corps (two). Three built. ;RR-1: XJR-1 redesignated in 1931.Andrade 1979, p. 218. ;RR-2: JR-2 redesignated in 1931. ;RR-3: JR-3 redesignated in 1931. ;RR-4: Single 5-AT-C for Navy. ;RR-5: 4-AT-Ds, one each for the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marines.


Operators


Civil operators

; *'' SACO'' *''
SCADTA Sociedad Colombo Alemana de Transportes Aéreos (SCADTA; ), was the world's second airline, and the first airline in Latin America, operating from 1919 until World War II. After the war, SCADTA merged with Colombian regional carrier Colombian Air ...
'' ; *BYN Co.(British Yukon Navigation Company) CF-AZB flew in the Yukon from April 1936 until damaged in August 1940. ; * China National Aviation Corporation (CNAC) operated at least three 5-ATs ; *'' Cubana'' ; * Czechoslovak Airlines ; *'' Dominicana de Aviación'', Dominican Republic airline flew Ford Trimotors in the early 1930s. ; *'' Mexicana'' ; *First CLASSA, then LAPE, after
Iberia The Iberian Peninsula ( ), also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in south-western Europe. Mostly separated from the rest of the European landmass by the Pyrenees, it includes the territories of peninsular Spain and Continental Portugal, compri ...
; *
American Airways American Airlines, Inc. is a major airline in the United States headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, and is the largest airline in the world in terms of passengers carried and daily flights. American, ...
* Eastern Air Transport *
Grand Canyon Airlines Grand Canyon Airlines is a Federal Aviation Regulations#Private, commuter, and commercial operations, 14 CFR Part 135 air carrier headquartered on the grounds of Boulder City Municipal Airport in Boulder City, Nevada, United States. It also has b ...
* Island Airlines, Bass Islands, Ohio * Maddux Air Lines * Northwest Airways *
Pan American Airways Pan American World Airways, originally founded as Pan American Airways and more commonly known as Pan Am, was an airline that was the principal and largest international air carrier and unofficial overseas flag carrier of the United States for ...
* Southwest Air Fast Express (S.A.F.E.way) * Star Air Service *
Texaco Texaco, Inc. ("The Texas Company") is an American Petroleum, oil brand owned and operated by Chevron Corporation. Its flagship product is its Gasoline, fuel "Texaco with Techron". It also owned the Havoline motor oil brand. Texaco was an Independ ...
* Transcontinental Air Transport * Transcontinental & Western Air (TWA) * United Air Lines * Wien Air Alaska ; *'' AVENSA''


Military operators

; *
Royal Australian Air Force The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is the principal Air force, aerial warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Army. Constitutionally the Governor-Gener ...
** No. 24 Squadron RAAF ; *
Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; ) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environmental commands within the unified Can ...
operated a single 6-AT-A/6-AT-AS. ; *
Colombian Air Force The Colombian Aerospace Force (FAC, ) is the air force of the Republic of Colombia. The Colombian Aerospace Force is one of the three institutions of the Military Forces of Colombia charged, according to the 1991 Constitution, with working to exe ...
; * Spanish Republican Air Force ; *
Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...
** No. 271 Squadron RAF operated a single 5-AT-D during 1940. ; *
United States Army Air Corps The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was the aerial warfare service component of the United States Army between 1926 and 1941. After World War I, as early aviation became an increasingly important part of modern warfare, a philosophical ri ...
*
United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...
*
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...


Accidents and incidents

* On March 17, 1929, a Colonial Western Airways 4-AT-B Tri-Motor, ''NC7683'', suffered a double engine failure during its initial climb after takeoff from Newark Airport in Newark,
New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
. It failed to gain height and crashed into a railroad freight car loaded with sand, killing 14 of the 15 people on board the aircraft. At the time, it was the deadliest airplane accident in American history. In addition, the surviving pilot also became the earliest known sole survivor of a commercial aircraft accident. * On April 21, 1929, a Maddux Air Lines 5-AT-B Tri-Motor, ''NC9636'', collided with a
United States Army Air Service The United States Army Air Service (USAAS)Craven and Cate Vol. 1, p. 9 (also known as the ''"Air Service"'', ''"U.S. Air Service"'' and before its legislative establishment in 1920, the ''"Air Service, United States Army"'') was the aerial warf ...
(USAAS) Boeing PW-9D fighter, ''28-037'', over
San Diego San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...
; all six on board both aircraft died. The pilot of the Boeing PW-9D was performing stunts and then attempted to pass in front of the airliner, but misjudged the speed of the Maddux aircraft and his aircraft struck the cockpit of the Ford Tri-Motor. * On September 3, 1929, a Transcontinental Air Transport 5-AT-B Tri-Motor, ''NC9649'', named ''City of San Francisco'', crashed into Mount Taylor near
Grants Grant or Grants may refer to: People * Grant (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Grant (surname), including a list of people and fictional characters ** Ulysses S. Grant (1822–1885), the 18th president of the U ...
,
New Mexico New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains, sharing the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. It also ...
in a thunderstorm; all eight people on board died. * On January 19, 1930, a Maddux Air Lines 5-AT-C Tri-Motor, ''NC9689'', operating as Flight 7, crashed near
Oceanside, California Oceanside is a beach city in the North County (San Diego area), North County area of San Diego County, California, United States. The city had a population of 174,068 at the 2020 United States census, making it the most populous city in the Nort ...
due to adverse weather conditions, killing all 16 on board. * On August 12, 1930, a ČSA Československé Aerolinie Ford 5-AT-C Tri-Motor, OK-FOR, hit the ground in poor visibility after a sharp turn to avoid a chimney and caught fire, in an attempt to stay clear of a thunderstorm, killing 12 of 13 on board. * On January 24, 1933, a Pacific Air Transport Ford Trimotor on a cargo flight crashed on takeoff, killing 2 out of the 3 occupants on board. * On June 24, 1935, Tri-Motor 5-AT-B of SACO Servicio Aéreo Colombiano registered F-31 collided with a Tri-Motor of SCADTA, (Sociedad Colombo-Alemana de Transportes Aéreos), registered ''C-31'', at Olaya Herrera Airfield near Medellín, Colombia; of the 20 on board both aircraft, only three passengers survived. Among the dead was the tango singer Carlos Gardel.


Surviving aircraft

In 2011 18 Ford Trimotors still existed, eight of which had current FAA airworthiness certificates.Wiggins, Arthur B. . ''trimotors.awiggins.com'', 2011. Retrieved: April 4, 2019.


Airworthy

* C/N:10 tail number: ''NC1077'' (4-AT-A, September 1927) "NC1077, G-CARC Niagara" Currently owned by Greg Herrick's Yellowstone Aviation. Oldest flying Trimotor, C/N (Construction Number) 10.Herrick, Greg. . ''fordtri-motor.com'', Yellowstone Aviation, Inc (Jackson, Wyoming), 2004. Retrieved: April 4, 2019. It is based at the Golden Wings Museum, near
Minneapolis, Minnesota Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...
, US. This aircraft featured in the 2009 film ''Amelia'' (a biopic of aviator
Amelia Earhart Amelia Mary Earhart ( ; July 24, 1897 – January 5, 1939) was an American aviation pioneer. On July 2, 1937, she disappeared over the Pacific Ocean while attempting to become the first female pilot to circumnavigate the world. During her li ...
). * C/N:42 tail number: ''NC9610'' ''(Formerly NC7684)'' (4-AT-B, September 1928) Currently owned by Yankee Air Force, based in Belleville, Michigan, US. * C/N:55 tail number: ''NC9612'' (4-AT-E, 1929) The "City of Richmond" Originally owned by: Mamer Flying Service, Spokane, WA. Currently owned by: Scott Glover, Mid America Flight Museum. It is based in Mt. Pleasant, Texas, US. * C/N:69 tail number: ''NC8407'' (4-AT-E, 1929) Originally owned by: Eastern Air Transport Currently owned by: The
Experimental Aircraft Association The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) is an international organization of aviation enthusiasts based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Since its inception, it has grown internationally with over 300,000 members and nearly 1,000 chapters worldwide. ...
is based at the EAA AirVenture Museum in
Oshkosh, Wisconsin Oshkosh () is a city in Winnebago County, Wisconsin, United States, and its county seat. It is located on the western shore of Lake Winnebago and had a population of 66,816 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List o ...
, US. It tours the United States performing at airshows and other aviation events. * C/N:8 tail number: ''NC9645'' (5-AT-B, 1928) "City of Wichita/City of Port Clinton" Currently owned by: Liberty Aviation Museum. It is dressed in Transcontinental Air Transport livery. It is based at the Erie-Ottawa International Airport in
Port Clinton, Ohio Port Clinton is a city in and the county seat of Ottawa County, Ohio, United States, located at the mouth of the Portage River on Lake Erie. The population was 6,025 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Port Clinton micropolita ...
, US. It was previously owned by Evergreen Vintage Aircraft, Inc., and previously based at the Evergreen Aviation Museum,
McMinnville, Oregon McMinnville is the county seat of and the most populous city in Yamhill County, Oregon, Yamhill County, Oregon, United States at the base of the Oregon Coast Range. The city is named after McMinnville, Tennessee. As of the 2020 United States cens ...
, US. * C/N:34 tail number: ''N9651'' (5-AT-B, 1929) - The "City of Philadelphia" Originally owned by: Trans Continental Air Transport. Currently owned by:
Kermit Weeks Kermit Weeks (born July 14, 1953 in Salt Lake City, Utah) is an American aviation enthusiast, Aviator, pilot, and aircraft collector. He has competed in aerobatics, designed aircraft, and promoted aviation and vintage aircraft restoration. ...
. It is based at
Fantasy of Flight Fantasy of Flight is an aviation museum in Polk City, Florida. It opened in November 1995, to house Kermit Weeks' collection of aircraft that, until Hurricane Andrew damaged many in 1992, were housed at the Weeks Air Museum in Kendall-Tamiami E ...
in
Polk City, Florida Polk City is a city in Polk County, Florida, Polk County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Lakeland, Florida, Lakeland–Winter Haven, Florida, Winter Haven Lakeland-Winter Haven, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, metropolitan s ...
, US. This aircraft has made many film appearances, including ''
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom ''Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom'' is a 1984 American action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg from a script by Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz, based on a story by George Lucas. It is the second installment in the Indiana Jone ...
''. * C/N:58 tail number: ''NC8419'' (5-AT-C, 1929) Originally owned by: Northwest Airlines. Currently owned by: Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum. Based at The Air Zoo in
Kalamazoo, Michigan Kalamazoo ( ) is a city in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Kalamazoo had a population of 73,598. It is the principal city of the Kalamazoo–Portage metropolitan are ...
, US. The airplane combined several 5-AT airframes, one of which served with five carriers before being used by the
United States Forest Service The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency within the United States Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture. It administers the nation's 154 United States National Forest, national forests and 20 United States Natio ...
between 1951 and 1959. The original crashed and burned on August 4, 1959, while landing at a remote strip in the Nez Perce National Forest, killing two smokejumpers. * C/N:74 tail number: ''N414H'' (5-AT-C, 1928) Originally owned by: Ford Motor Co. Previously owned by Sopwith, Ltd. It was based at Valle Airport in Valle, Arizona, US. It was used in 2008 and 2009 for flight instruction and
type rating A type rating is an authorization entered on or associated with a pilot license and forming part thereof, stating the pilot's privileges or limitations pertaining to certain aircraft type. Such qualification requires additional training beyond ...
s. It is now owned by, and based at the Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum (WAAAM) in Hood River, Oregon, US.


On static display

* C/N:15 tail number: ''NX4542'' (4-AT-B, 1928) Richard E. Byrd's South Pole aircraft. Originally owned by:
Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company (commonly known as Ford) is an American multinational corporation, multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. T ...
. Currently owned by: Henry Ford Museum. It is on display at The Henry Ford Museum in
Dearborn, Michigan Dearborn is a city in Wayne County, Michigan, Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. An inner-ring Metro Detroit, suburb of Detroit, Dearborn borders Detroit to the south and west, roughly west of downtown Detroit. In the 2020 United States ...
, USA.Wiggins, Arthur Brenton. . ''The Ford Tri-motors!'', August 12, 2011. Retrieved: April 4, 2019. * C/N:46 tail number: ''NC7861'' (4-AT-B, Unknown) Originally owned by: Union Electric, St. Louis. Currently owned by: National Museum of Naval Aviation
Pensacola, Florida Pensacola ( ) is a city in the Florida panhandle in the United States. It is the county seat and only incorporated city, city in Escambia County, Florida, Escambia County. The population was 54,312 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. ...
, USA. Displayed as Navy RR-5 serial A-9206. * C/N:11 tail number: ''NC9637'' (5-AT-B,1929) Originally owned by: Pan Am. Currently owned by: the
San Diego Air & Space Museum The San Diego Air & Space Museum (SDASM) is an aviation and space exploration museum in San Diego, California. It is located in Balboa Park (San Diego), Balboa Park and is housed in the former Ford Building (San Diego), Ford Building, which is li ...
in
San Diego, California San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...
, USA. * C/N:39 tail number: ''NC9683'' (5-AT-B, 1929) Originally owned by: American Airlines. Currently owned by: The Smithsonian's
National Air and Space Museum The National Air and Space Museum (NASM) of the Smithsonian Institution is a museum in Washington, D.C., in the United States, dedicated to history of aviation, human flight and space exploration. Established in 1946 as the National Air Museum, ...
. in
Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
* C/N:60 tail number: ''none - ex-RAAF'' (5-AT-C, 1929) Originally owned by:
Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company (commonly known as Ford) is an American multinational corporation, multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. T ...
; in England. Currently owned by:
Papua New Guinea National Museum and Art Gallery The Papua New Guinea National Museum and Art Gallery (NMAG) is a museum and art gallery in Waigani, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. It is the List of national museums, national museum of Papua New Guinea. History In 1889 the Territory of Papua, ...
. Possible rebuild.


Under restoration

* C/N:38 tail number: ''N7584'' (4-AT-B, January 1928) Originally owned by: Robertson Aircraft, St Louis. Currently owned by:
Kermit Weeks Kermit Weeks (born July 14, 1953 in Salt Lake City, Utah) is an American aviation enthusiast, Aviator, pilot, and aircraft collector. He has competed in aerobatics, designed aircraft, and promoted aviation and vintage aircraft restoration. ...
. It was badly damaged in Florida by
Hurricane Andrew Hurricane Andrew was a compact, but very powerful and devastating tropical cyclone that struck the Bahamas, Florida, and Louisiana in August 1992. It was the most destructive hurricane to ever hit Florida in terms of structures dama ...
, in the fall of 1992. Currently Located: Vicksburg, Michigan, USA. * C/N:58 tail number: ''NC9642'' (4-AT-E, January 1929) Originally owned by: Mohawk Airways, NY. Currently owned by: Maurice Hovius' Hov-aire, Inc. Possible rebuild. Sale reported. Currently Located: Vicksburg, Michigan, USA. * C/N:62 tail number: ''NC8400'' (4-AT-E, January 1929) Originally owned by: Mohawk Airways, NY. Currently owned by: Maurice Hovius' Hov-aire, Inc. Possible rebuild. Currently Located: Vicksburg, Michigan, USA. * C/N:65 tail number: ''NC8403'' (4-AT-E, May 1929) The "Ptarmigan II" Originally owned by: Mamer Flying Service. Currently owned by Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum. Possible restoration. As of February 10, 2005, currently Located at Golden Wings Museum near
Minneapolis, Minnesota Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...
, USA. * C/N:13 tail number: ''NC9667'' (5-AT-B, 1929) The "AN-AAR" Originally owned by Southwest Air Fast Express (S.A.F.E.way). Currently owned by: Maurice Hovius' Hov-aire, Inc. This is a restoration project undertaken by the "Tin Goose Chapter", EAA 1247, in
Port Clinton, Ohio Port Clinton is a city in and the county seat of Ottawa County, Ohio, United States, located at the mouth of the Portage River on Lake Erie. The population was 6,025 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Port Clinton micropolita ...
, USA."EAA "Tin Goose" Chapter 1247."
''tingoose.org.'' Retrieved: April 9, 2012.
From 1954 onwards, efforts were made to modernize the Trimotor as the Stout Bushmaster 2000."Return of the Tin Goose."
''Time'', January 6, 1967. Retrieved: July 29, 2008.
Saddled with financial, management and marketing problems, only two examples were completed with a third fuselage started but never completed.O'Callaghan 2002, p. 124.


Specifications (Ford 4-AT-E Trimotor)


Notable appearances in media


See also


References


Notes


Citations


Bibliography

* Andrade, John. ''U.S. Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909''. Hinckley, Leicestershire, UK: Midland Counties Publications, 1979. . * Barth, Jack E. "Talkback". ''Air Enthusiast'', No. 10, July–September 1979, p. 79. * * Head, Jeanine M. and William S. Pretzer. ''Henry Ford: A Pictorial Biography''. Dearborn, Michigan: Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village, 1990. No ISBN. * * Larkins, William T. ''The Ford Tri-Motor, 1926–1992''. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing, 1992. . * * March, Daniel L. ''British Warplanes of World War II''. London: Aerospace Publishing, 1998. . * O'Callaghan, Timothy J. ''The Aviation Legacy of Henry & Edsel Ford''. Ann Arbor, Michigan: Proctor Publications, 2002. . * O'Leary, Michael. "When Fords Ruled the Sky (Part Two)". ''Air Classics'', Volume 42, No. 5, May 2006. * Winchester, Jim, ed. "Ford Trimotor". ''Civil Aircraft'' (The Aviation Factfile). London: Grange Books plc, 2004. . * Wynne, H. Hugh. ''The Motion Picture Stunt Pilots and Hollywood's Classic Aviation Movies''. Missoula, Montana: Pictorial Histories Publishing Co., 1987. .


Further reading

* * * Weiss, David A. ''The Saga of the Tin Goose: The Story of the Ford Trimotor''. Brooklyn, New York: Cumberland Enterprises, Incorporated, 1996. . * Litwak, Jerry: 'Skinning a Tin Goose ... the hard way'. Pages 251 and 252 of 'Air International' magazine, May, 1978 describe the rebuilding of Scenic Airway's Tin Goose 5AT, owned by John Seibold, after it groundlooped in Nevada on February 6, 1977. Per the article, it was supposedly ready to fly again by late 1978.


External links


Ford Trimotor "a tribute to the Ford Tri-Motor", and contains facts, pictures, bibliography and more.

EAA's Ford Trimotor 4AT-E virtual tour detailing the entire aircraft


(pilot report), Budd Davisson, June 1986, ''Air Progress,'' Vol.45, No. 5, transcribed at Airbum.com {{Authority control Aircraft first flown in 1926
Trimotor A trimotor is a propeller-driven aircraft powered by three internal combustion engines, characteristically one on the nose and one on each wing. A compromise between complexity and safety, such a configuration was typically a result of the limit ...
High-wing aircraft Trimotors 1920s United States airliners 1920s United States military transport aircraft Aircraft with fixed conventional landing gear Three-engined piston aircraft