E. M. Laird Airplane Company was an American aircraft manufacturer of commercial aircraft and custom race planes.[1]
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| Industry | Aerospace |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1923 |
| Founder | Emil Matthew Laird |
| Headquarters | , United States |
History
editWichita Airplane Company
edit
Emil Matthew Laird partnered with the founders of the Wichita Airplane Company to build a new commercial biplane aircraft in 1920. The E.M Laird Company built 45 Swallow aircraft of this design. The company turned down an offer to move to Monmouth, Illinois in 1922.[2] E.M Laird sold all rights on 27 September 1923 to J. M Mollendick, and formed a new company, the E. M. Laird Airplane Company based out of Chicago.[3] The original E. M. Laird Company then became the Swallow Airplane Company, retaining brother Charles Laird. Charles Laird concurrently started a short lived aircraft company named Laird Aircraft Corporation, publicly known as Whipporwhill in order to differentiate himself from Emil.[4]
E.M. Laird Aircraft
editThe E.M. Laird Aircraft company returned to Laird's hometown, building facilities at Ashburn Field, in Ashburn, Chicago. By 1928, Laird's aircraft had reached a level quality and competition, that the Stout Metal Airplane Division of the Ford Motor Company offered to hire Laird, and purchase all the assets of his company.[5]
Aircraft
edit| Model name | First flight | Number built | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laird LC-B | 11+ | Single engine open cockpit utility biplane | |
| Laird LC-R | 2+ | Single engine open cockpit utility biplane | |
| Laird LC-AA | 1 | Single engine cabin utility biplane[6] | |
| Laird LC-DC | 2 or 3 | Single engine open cockpit racing monoplane[6] | |
| Laird LC-DE Speedwing Junior | 1930 | 1 | Single engine open cockpit racing monoplane |
| Laird LC-DW Solution | 1930 | 1 | Single engine open cockpit racing biplane |
| Laird LC-DW500 Super Solution | 1931 | 1 | Single engine open cockpit racing biplane |
| Laird LC-RW | 1931 | 2 | Single engine open cockpit racing biplane[7] |
| Laird LC-EW | 1 | Single engine cabin utility monoplane | |
| Laird LC-1B | 1930 | 11+ | Single engine open cockpit utility biplane[8] |
| Laird-Turner Meteor LTR-14 (modifications) | 1936 | 1 | Single engine cabin racing monoplane |
References
edit- ^ "Brief Swallow Company History". AirVenture Museum. Archived from the original on 8 August 2011. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
- ^ "Not Anxious to Leave Wichita". Wichita Eagle. 22 October 1922. p. 5. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
- ^ Wichita Eagle. 26 December 1920. p. C8.
{{cite news}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ Donald M. Pattillo. A History in the Making: 80 Turbulent Years in the American General Aviation Industry. p. 6.
- ^ Ford Richardson Bryan; Sarah Evans. Henry's attic: some fascinating gifts to Henry Ford and his museum.
- ^ a b Eckland, K. O. (6 April 2009). "Laird, Laird-Swallow, Laird-Turner". Aerofiles. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
- ^ AAHS Journal: 74. Spring 2004.
{{cite journal}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ "Larry Howards Loveley Laird". Vintage Airplane. February 2010.