The Fabulous Ford Tri - Motors : The Saga of the Tin Goose

Henry Ford is known as the man who put America on wheels, but he also made great strides as an aviation pioneer that equal, if not surpass, his automotive achievements. With an initial investment of $1,000 to the Stout Metal Plane Company, the Fords entered the age of flight in 1923. Before the decade was over, Ford and William Stout had initiated the first nationwide airline network, started the first privately - owned airmail and freight service, installed the first paved runways, and hired the first airline attendants.

The Fabulous Ford Tri - Motors reveals the exciting story of how Henry Ford and the Stout Company transformed what most people considered at the time to be a dangerous, unpredictable machine into a safe, convenient way to travel. In addition to chronicling the aircraft's evolution, the author describes many of the unique design features that have made the Tri - Motor - affectionately dubbed the " Tin Goose " - a favorite among collectors and aviation enthusiasts.

Although not a financial success, the airplane's all - metal skin and unusual engine configuration did as much for the technology of flight as the Ford Motor Company's entry into the air transport industry did for commercial aviation. Heavily illustrated - with many previously unpublished photos - the author's colourful portrayal of the Ford Tri - Motor and its short, but remarkable, career is sure to prove fascinating reading for anyone interested in aviation.