The reason that I asked about the tri-motor markings was that I knew American had one that they used for company promotions. I’m trying to remember if it was marked American Airlines, though, as the company was called several names before that. I’d have to go through my stuff and look it up.
Of all of the old planes, I’d love to go up on a tri-motor. When AA first introduced jets into San Diego, my dad was the manager there. He was really into aviation history and made a big deal out of it, because he realized how historic it was. CR Smith, the pres and founder, had the company tri-motor flown in for the occasion and took many of the employees for a ride. My mom (one of their first stewardesses) and my dad got to go up. I was so envious. My mom took her movie camera and filmed the flight over SAN, so at least I got to go up vicariously. it was torture waiting to finally fly on a jet. I remember when I my mom first flew on one, her vivid description of how it different from the turbo-props and the DC-2 and 3’s. It seemed like an eternity before I got to take a flight on one.
It wasn’t until years later that it sunk in how early my mom and dad were in commercial aviation. I toured Harrah’s car museum before they broke it up, and was amazed to see the interior of the plane that proceeded the models she flew on. The seats were wicker!
She had to be an RN to work on board. They would get the weather by radio contact with the weather stations as they flew over them. She was specially trained to fly the sleepers. They were not allowed to serve liquor on board, but passed out sample packs of cigarettes.
When she first applied, she had never even take a flight. She had just seen mail planes flying over the farm that she grew up on, along with the occasional barnstormer.
Because of both of them, vacations usually included aviation museums all over the world, wherever they could find them. Don’t know if it is still there or not, but the most memorable was one in a barn in New Zealand.
Great discussion, here, I’m thoroughly enjoying your adventures.