[Today, in the Freeware Library, I found an updated Ford Trimotor, one of my favorite (vintage) planes....hence, the trigger for this post...!]

Transcontinental Air Transport (T-A-T) was an airline founded in 1928 that merged in 1930 with Western Air Express to form what would eventually become the TWA. So, TAT was one of the genetic roots of the (iconic) TWA airline. I recall TWA well, because, in the 90s, I'd chance to fly several domestic flights (as PAX) on TWA's 727 trijets. Between 1960-2000, TWA had owned and operated nearly one hundred 727s (-100/-200). (Side Note: TWA name and identity would disappear, on December 1st, 2001, acquired by American Airlines. The ceremonial last (TWA) flight, with President and CEO Bill Compton, himself, at the controls, as Captain, would be flown as Flight 220 (with a commemorative Wings of Pride special livery MD-83) from Kansas City to St. Louis).

Now, back to TAT:

On July 7, 1929 transcontinental trips began. It initially offered a 48-hour coast to coast trip (trains by night, and planes by day in nine flights - planes were not trusted to fly at night!), with the first leg on the Pennsylvania Railroad overnight from New York City to Columbus, Ohio (a city I lived in for several years, in more modern times, of course...🙂...). There, the passengers boarded a Ford Trimotor aircraft at the Columbus International Airport, and flew to Waynoka, Oklahoma.

In 1929, a newsreel film was made called “Coast to Coast in 48 Hours” to promote the new transcontinental service (you may search for it). The actual aircraft shows in the film is the aircraft flying the Clovis to Los Angeles run and is greeted by Amelia Earhart on arrival. The film is not short, so, for now, you may wish to view (FFWD to) just the last scenes of the film - to spot the famous aviatrix approaching the passengers of the plane (In 1937, 8 years later, Amelia Earhart would mysteriously disappear over Pacific Ocean). These last scenes of this film are great vintage footage - the (immaculately-dressed and perfectly-courteous) passengers look special and the plane was special...the good old (simple) early days of aviation! And, if you're interested about the details of TAT's first-ever coast-to-coast trip, there are many (easily found) articles on the internet...here is an excellent day-by-day account (along with classic images): please search for the string "Travelling & Cook - US History of Tourism: First Coast to Coast Flight 1929 – Transcontinental Air Transport" to be led to it (likely the first entry of search).

The route (between NY to LA) passed through 14-15 cities such as (Columbus, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Kansas City, Albuquerque (can never get the spelling right...!) etc...). The Ford TriMotor had a top speed of 110 miles per hour. A TAT pilot earned more than $12,000 a year, more than double the salaries that most pilots earned at that time.

"In the stage of St. Louis to Kansas City, the passengers were served lunch. Ford Trimotor stabilized, the service on board served aluminum trays with napkin and tablecloth. The food was chicken, cheese and egg salad sandwiches, a pickle and salt. A piece of cake, an apple and a banana were also served. To accompany the meals the option was milk or coffee."

- sounds delightful, indeed, especially on a tablecloth! Also, we note the phrase "Ford Trimotor stabilized"...

To re-live a bit of this history (in the SIM), please find below 9 (symbolic) images of the Ford Trimotor lifting off, into the dawn sky, from Albuquerque (KABQ), bypassing the scattered mountain rages of NM, on its way to Los Angeles...(The FW package has a great set of (nostalgic) airline liveries. I've opted to use Pan American here - bit sparse in color, but a classic, all the same). Thanks for reading and viewing. Hope you enjoy these pictures...!

[Flightsim.com FW(Ford-Trimotor)/MSE(NM)/REX]

Actually saw one of these fly over the house a couple months ago. Heard the unmistakable rumble of radials coming, looked over my shoulder and there it was. Had lots of time to gawk at it since it was moving so slowly.

John

Very nice series!

John: Glad you had a chance to hear first-hand those rumbling piston radials...I've seen only static displays in the Museums (one I'd seen in the Smithsonian at Wash. D.C.)...not the same thing, of course,...And, yes, I read that there are, in fact, now, many Ford Trimotors still being maintained in airworthy condition by aficionados (one by EAA Oshkosh, WI)....so, I'm not surprised by your encounter...

Ses: Thanks for the comments!!

Here, below, are a few other interesting facts about the Ford Trimotor:

1. Pan American Airways (displayed in the images above), a prolific early user of Trimotors, had deployed these aircraft for its very first international scheduled flights from Key West to Havana, Cuba, in 1927. Eventually, Pan American also extended Trimotor service from North America into Central and South America in the late 1920s and early 1930s.
2. On November 27 and 28, 1929, Richard E. Byrd (navigator), chief pilot Bernt Balchen, and two other crewmen, the copilot and the photographer, gave Trimotor the distinction of being the first plane to fly over the geographic South Pole...(interesting to note this fact after my recent (SIM) adventures into Antarctica...in the C-130 Hercules...🙂...)
3. Elm Farm Ollie (known as "Nellie Jay" and post-flight as "Sky Queen") was the first cow to fly in an airplane, doing so on 18 February 1930. On the trip, which covered 72 miles in a Ford Trimotor airplane from Bismarck, Missouri, to St. Louis, she also became the first cow milked in flight...(hmm...OK...). This was done ostensibly to allow scientists to observe midair effects on animals...as well as for publicity...!
4. Nearly 100 civil airlines (and military) flew this plane, during its heyday, including almost all the major U.S. Airlines. (see examples below), before it was replaced for commercial transport by the advent of Boeing 247, Douglas DC-2 and DC-3 etc.

Finally, from the same FW package, I post, below, few other liveries of the Ford Trimotor, which are for (Eastern Airlines, Emerald Harbor, Island Airlines, American Airways, and United Airline). For the FS9 diehards...(there are surely a few here)...🙂...the fictional (red) "World Travel Airlines" from the (glorious) FS9 days is also shown...! Enjoy!

Oh, I love this old pure metall!

Travelling was a real adventure in those days!  in summer and ⛄ in winter!