Swallow Airplane Company

The Swallow Airplane Company was an early manufacturer of airplanes.

Swallow Airplane Company
FormerlyE.M. Laird Aviation Company
IndustryAerospace
PredecessorWichita Airplane Company
Founded1920 (1920)
Founders
Defunct1956 (1956)
Headquarters
Wichita, Kansas
,
United States
ParentGeneral Aero Corporation of America
(1928-1933)

History

In January 1920, the E.M. Laird Aviation Company Ltd. was started with the purchase of the six-month-old Wichita Aircraft Company, its aircraft and the factory of the Watkins Manufacturing Company.[1] Oilman Jacob Mollendick and Buick-Franklin salesman William A. Burke each contributed $15,000.[2] The first Swallow designed by Buck Weaver and was test flown in April 1920. Later, in 1921, the company moved into a new factory building on North Hillside Street.[3] Laird hired several aviators that became prominent in the business later, Buck Weaver who would co-found Waco Aircraft, Walter Beech, and Lloyd Stearman who would develop the Swallow New Swallow. Following the departure of Emil Matthew Laird in 1923 and his formation of the E. M. Laird Airplane Company, on 22 January 1924 the company was renamed as the Swallow Airplane Manufacturing Company.[4]

Swallow was notable for producing the Swallow TP in quite large numbers, for its day. A large proportion of pilots trained in the late 1920s and early '30s did so on the TP. In late 1927, owner Mollendick bet most of the company fortune on a record setting aircraft flown by noted aviator William Portwood Erwin, the Dallas Spirit, which was lost on a record attempt to Asia concurrent with the Dole Air Race.[5] In December of the following year the company was purchased by the General Aero Corporation of America – a holding company that also counted the Cessna Aircraft Company among its assets.[6][7] Swallow was sold again in 1933 to E. B. Christopher – who would be killed in the crash of one of the company's airplanes in 1937.[8][9] Sam Bloomfield, the company's chief engineer, eventually took over as company president.[10][11] No longer manufacturing complete aircraft, it existed as an aircraft mechanic school and subcontractor for the B-29 and B-47 until 1956.[12]

Aircraft
Swallow OX-5
Swallow Super Swallow photo from Aero Digest July 1926
Model name First flight Number built Type
Swallow HA 1 Single engine open cockpit biplane[12]
Swallow Racer Single engine open cockpit biplane[12]
Swallow New Swallow ~50 Single engine open cockpit biplane[12]
Swallow J4 Swallow Single engine open cockpit biplane[12]
Swallow Mailplane Single engine open cockpit biplane[12]
Swallow Super Swallow ~50 Single engine open cockpit biplane[12]
Swallow OX-5 Swallow ~250 Single engine open cockpit biplane[12]
Swallow Monoplane 1 Single engine cabin monoplane[12]
Swallow Hisso Swallow ~6 Single engine open cockpit biplane[12]
Swallow J5 Swallow Single engine open cockpit biplane[12]
Swallow G-29 2 Single engine open cockpit biplane[12]
Swallow T-29 1 Single engine open cockpit biplane[12]
Swallow H 1 Single engine open cockpit biplane[12]
Swallow HC Sport 1 Single engine open cockpit biplane[12]
Swallow TP ~200 Single engine open cockpit biplane[12]
Swallow C-165 1 Single engine cabin monoplane[12]
Swallow F-28-AX 5 Single engine open cockpit biplane[12]
Swallow HW Sport 1 Single engine open cockpit biplane[12]
Swallow C Coupe 3 Single engine cabin monoplane[12]
Swallow LT65 1 Single engine cabin monoplane[12]

References

Notes
  1. Wichita Beacon. 31 January 1920. p. 1. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. Donald M. Pattillo. A history in the making: 80 turbulent years in the American general aviation.
  3. "From Airplane Plant to Dance Club to Church". Historic Preservation Alliance of Wichita and Sedgwick County. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  4. "Notice of Change of Name of Corporation". The Plaindealer. 8 February 1924. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  5. Stanley, W. E. (19 October 1943). "The Jayhawk Finds Its Wings". Kansas Historical Quarterly. Kansas State Historical Society. p. 70. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
  6. "300,000 Shares of the General Aero Corporation of America". Every Evening. 8 May 1929. p. 20. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
  7. Crofoot, A. B. (19 January 1929). ""Big Business" Takes a Hand in Aeronautic Development" (PDF). Automotive Industries. Vol. 60, no. 3. p. 86. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
  8. "Plane Firm Purchased by Swede Christopher". Springfield Leader and Press. 16 November 1933. p. 5. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
  9. "Wichitan Dies in Plane". Weekly Kansas City Star. 14 April 1937. p. 3. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  10. "Ozarks Flier Fatally Hurt in California". Springfield Leader and Press. 9 April 1937. p. 1. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
  11. "Valuable Violin Given to School". El Paso Times. 3 December 1950. p. 43. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
  12. Eckland, K. O. (30 November 2007). "Swallow, New Swallow". Aerofiles. Retrieved 15 December 2020.

Bibliography
  • Gunston, Bill (1993). World Encyclopedia of Aircraft Manufacturers. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press. pp. 298–99.
  • Juptner, Joseph P. (1964). U.S. Civil Aircraft Vol.2. Los Angeles: Aero Publishers. pp. 20 to 21, 72 to 74 and 248 to 249.
  • Eckland, K. O. (30 November 2007). "Swallow, New Swallow". Aerofiles. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Swallow Airplane Company.
  • Tihen Notes – A listing of newspaper articles that mention, among other Wichita aircraft manufacturers, the Swallow Airplane Company
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