Metal Aircraft Corporation
IndustryAerospace
PredecessorHalpin Development Company
Founded1927 (1927)
FounderThomas E. Halpin
Defunct1929 (1929)
FatePurchased by Columbus Flying Service
Headquarters
Cincinnati, Ohio
,
United States
Key people
Footnotes / references
[1]

Metal Aircraft Corporation was an American aircraft manufacturer of transport aircraft. The company was a pioneer in all-metal construction at a time when the technology was in its infancy.

History

Flamingos under construction at the Metal Aircraft factory at Lunken Airport.

In October 1927, Thomas E. Halpin, the former chief inspector of the Stout Metal Airplane Company, moved to Cincinnati and founded the Halpin Development Corporation to begin work on a new airplane design.[2][3][4] He was joined by Ralph R. Graichen, the co-designer of the Ford Trimotor, who became vice-president and chief engineer of the company.[5] By January 1928, construction of the Halpin Flamingo had started.[6] Following the first flight of the airplane at Lunken Airport on 9 April 1928, the company was offered $10,000 if it would remain in Cincinnati.[7] Within two weeks the company was purchased by a group of Cincinnatians and on 2 May 1928 it was reincorporated as the Metal Aircraft Corporation.[lower-alpha 1][9][10] Production of the Metal Aircraft Flamingo transport was continued at its factory at the Lunken Airport with several variations.[11]

In September 1928, construction on a new factory was started at Lunken Airport.[lower-alpha 2][14] Later, by July 1929, Mason-Dixon Air Lines installed a ticket counter and waiting room in the building.[15]

Following a merger with the Johnson Airplane and Supply Company of Dayton, Ohio and the Kansas City Airport in September 1929, Robert H. Shryver, president of Columbus Flying Service, purchased a controlling interest in the company.[16][17][1]

By 1932, the former Metal Aircraft Corporation factory was being used by the Vermilya-Huffman Flying Service and the Jones-Graichen Aircraft Corporation.[18][19][lower-alpha 3]

Aircraft

The Metal Aircraft Flamingo El Rio Caroni, which was used by Jimmy Angel to discover Angel Falls
Model name First flight Number built Type
Metal Aircraft G-1 Flamingo 1928 1 Single engine monoplane airliner
Metal Aircraft G-2 Flamingo 21 Single engine monoplane airliner
Metal All-Metal Tranship 1929 Single engine monoplane airliner

See also

References

Footnotes

  1. ↑ This group included Powell Crosley and Julius Fleischmann, Jr.[8]
  2. ↑ The factory was built on the west side of Wilmer Avenue.[12] However, due to the road being moved westward in the 1960s, the former site of the factory is now to the east of it.[13]
  3. ↑ The latter was developing a single engine low wing monoplane with the unusual feature of "venturi tubes" located in the landing gear fairings.

Notes

  1. 1 2 "Banker Takes Over Company". Cincinnati Enquirer. 24 September 1929. p. 17. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  2. ↑ "Men and Matters". Cincinnati Enquirer. 23 October 1927. p. 20. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  3. ↑ Herman, M. B. (22 April 1928). "Air Pilots of Cincinnati". Cincinnati Enquirer. p. 8. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  4. ↑ "Halpin Development Co". Aero Digest. Vol. 12, no. 4. Aeronautical Digest Publishing Corporation. April 1928. p. 552. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  5. ↑ "Arup Production Under Way". Aero Digest. Vol. 24, no. 5. Aeronautical Digest Publishing Corporation. May 1934. p. 70. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  6. ↑ "Auto Show Notes". Cincinnati Enquirer. 17 January 1928. p. 7. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  7. ↑ "First Flight of Home Ship Success". Cincinnati Enquirer. 9 April 1928. p. 10. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  8. ↑ Prout, Don. "Airplanes". Cincinnati Views. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
  9. ↑ "Cincinnatians Acquire Plane Righs". Cincinnati Enquirer. 19 April 1928. p. 11. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  10. ↑ "Queen City to Be Factory Center". Cincinnati Enquirer. 2 May 1928. p. 12. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  11. ↑ Ohio Historical Society. Timeline: a publication of the Ohio Historical Society, Volume 23.
  12. ↑ Golden, J. T. Jr. (21 September 1930). "Aviation Lanes". Cincinnati Enquirer. p. 4. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  13. ↑ "Wilmer Avenue Relocation Job is Under Way". Cincinnati Enquirer. 24 September 1962. p. 27. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  14. ↑ Mueller, Louis D. (9 September 1928). "Aviation Lanes". Cincinnati Enquirer. p. 9. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  15. ↑ "Cincinnati-Detroit Air Line Starts". Cincinnati Enquirer. 21 July 1929. p. 4. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  16. ↑ "An Alphabet of Aviation". Cincinnati Enquirer. 14 September 1929. p. 13. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  17. ↑ "Airplane Supply Merger Planned to Make City Leader in Output of Accessories". Cincinnati Enquirer. 7 August 1929. p. 15. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  18. ↑ "Aviation Lanes". Cincinnati Enquirer. 7 February 1932. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  19. ↑ "Aviation Lanes". Cincinnati Enquirer. 14 February 1932. p. 2. Retrieved 23 December 2020.

Bibliography

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