Fly High Aboard the 1929 Ford Tri-Motor Airplane
Like many of the most prestigious automotive manufacturers in the world, Ford built propeller airplanes during a period of time, and one of those Tri-motor beauties is still flying around.
Ford built 199 Tri-motor airplanes from 1926 through 1933, and sold them to various parcel and airline companies that existed at the time. The Ford Tri-motor was the first and only airplane to be designed and assembled in Dearborn, Michigan.
The particular plane featured in this video is the model 4-AT-E, and was the 146th from Ford’s innovative assembly line and first flew on August 21, 1929, and was sold to Pitcairn Aviation’s passenger division, Eastern Air Transport, therefore the current livery.
The video certainly doesn’t do any justice to how loud the passenger cabin is when surrounded by three massive propeller engines, as well as its massive torque. It all feels much more raw and visceral compared to modern jet-engined planes.
Just another cool Ford to add to the list!
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