Friday, August 31, 2012

The Ford Tri-Motor airliner

A Ford Tri-Motor in the livery of Transcontinental Air Transport, the forerunner of Trans World Airlines, as it would have appeared at the inauguration of TWA's transcontinental passenger service in 1929. This aircraft toured the U.S. for the 45th anniversary of TWA's transcontinental service in 1974. The plane is now housed at the McMinnville, Ore., airport and flies at airshows. This photo was made at Weir Cook (now Indianapolis International) Airport. <br />

Sorting through my archival images this afternoon, I came across this series of photos that I shot in 1974 of a flight on a 1928 5-AT-B Ford Tri-Motor airliner.

Dubbed The City of Reno, this Ford Tri-Motor was in the livery of Transcontinental Air Transport. TAT was,the forerunner of Trans World Airlines, and the plane was turned out as it would have appeared at the inauguration of TWA's transcontinental passenger service in 1929.

This aircraft toured the U.S. for the 45th anniversary of TWA's transcontinental service in 1974. At last report, the plane was housed at the McMinnville, Ore., airport and flies at airshows. This photo was made at Weir Cook (now Indianapolis International) Airport.

Interior of a Ford Tri-Motor in the livery of Transcontinental Air Transport, the forerunner of Trans World Airlines, as it would have appeared at the inauguration of TWA's transcontinental passenger service in 1929. This aircraft toured the U.S. for the 45th anniversary of TWA's transcontinental service in 1974. The plane is now housed at the McMinnville, Ore., airport and flies at airshows. This photo was made at Weir Cook (now Indianapolis International) Airport.
You think seats are tight on today’s airliners? Check out this seating arrangement with about a 12” wide aisle.

View from the starboard side of a Ford Tri-Motor in the livery of Transcontinental Air Transport, the forerunner of Trans World Airlines, as it would have appeared at the inauguration of TWA's transcontinental passenger service in 1929. This aircraft toured the U.S. for the 45th anniversary of TWA's transcontinental service in 1974. The plane is now housed at the McMinnville, Ore., airport and flies at airshows. This photo was made at Weir Cook (now Indianapolis International) Airport.

The starboard engine in flight over Indianapolis.

Cockpit view of a Ford Tri-Motor in the livery of Transcontinental Air Transport, the forerunner of Trans World Airlines, as it would have appeared at the inauguration of TWA's transcontinental passenger service in 1929. This aircraft toured the U.S. for the 45th anniversary of TWA's transcontinental service in 1974. The plane is now housed at the McMinnville, Ore., airport and flies at airshows. This photo was made at Weir Cook (now Indianapolis International) Airport.

Pilot and copilot, shoulder-to-shoulder in the cramped cockpit.

Flight attendant in a 1929 TAT stewardess uniform aboard a Ford Tri-Motor in the livery of Transcontinental Air Transport, the forerunner of Trans World Airlines, as it would have appeared at the inauguration of TWA's transcontinental passenger service in 1929. This aircraft toured the U.S. for the 45th anniversary of TWA's transcontinental service in 1974. The plane is now housed at the McMinnville, Ore., airport and flies at airshows. This photo was made at Weir Cook (now Indianapolis International) Airport.

The flight even came with a stewardess.

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