Photographer Jeff Rankin-Lowe

Photographer unknown

Unknown photographer

Photographer Alberto Storti - Transferred to the Philippine AF

Photographer Alberto Storti

Designed by a Mr Stearman with help from Messrs Beech and Cessna, the Travel Air 2000 (1925 to 1930) had a 90 hp Curtiss OX-5 engine. In 1927 this one was the first pilot school aircraft owned by Parks Air Lines. St Louis based Parks Air College used the name Parks Air Lines for a flight school and aircraft manufacturing operation at KSTL. The name Parks Airport on the sign just visible to the left is presumably for publicity purposes. In this seemingly staged photo a student may be getting his license signed off by a Dept of Commerce examiner after surviving some figure-eights, a dead stick landing and three touch-and-goes.

The Parks P-2 was powered by a 150 hp Axelson-Floco B engine and was designed and built at the St Louis based Parks Air College circa 1929. It was cancelled by the FAA on 13 August 1931. Parks used the name Parks Air Lines for a flight school, aircraft manufacturing operations and presumably displayed the name Parks Airport prominently on the hangar roof (background) at KSTL for publicity.

This Breguet 941 was tested as the McDonnell Douglas 188 STOL airliner by Eastern Air Lines in 1968 and by American in the spring of 1969. Oddly it never carried a US registration and operated under its type-based French military serial number 2. It is interesting to note that this was a McDonnell and not a Douglas project, even though McDonnell felt more at home building fighters. Taken at the McDonnell factory at Lambert Field, this is assumed to be a McDonnell Douglas photo.

Despite its fighter designation, the F2W was a dedicated racing aircraft. The manufacturer's designation was apparently Wright TX. It was powered by a Wright T-3 Tornado engine, cooled by wing surface radiators, and reportedy achieved 398.5 km/h (247.7 mph). In the 1923 Pullitzer Trophy race, the two red F2Ws took third and fourth place behind the Curtiss R2C racers also entered by the US Navy. The four planes are seen together in photo 648891. A-6743 / 8 ran out of fuel and crashed after finishing just before A-6744 / 7, which reportedly had greater fuel capacity. A-6744 was converted to F2W-2 floatplane but crashed on its first flight as such. Photo from: Museum of Flight

Air racing rivalry between the US Army and Navy did stimulate technological progress. The R-3 was one of the first aircraft with fully retractable main landing gear. It was designed at the Engineering Division of the USAAS by Alfred Verville and manufactured by the Lawrence Sperry Aircraft Company. Powered by the inferior Wright H-3 engine, the three R-3s built were unsuccessful in the 1922 Pulitzer Trophy race. 22-328 is seen here at the 1923 race, which it did not finish. This plane had received a Curtiss D-12 engine and managed a FAI speed record over 500 km in March 1923. It won the 1924 Pulitzer race, but that edition was less competitive. Photo from: Museum of Flight

Four US Navy entries dominated the Pulitzer Trophy race at the 1923 National Air Races, brought to you by Purina Chows (animal feeds). From left to right, the two Curtiss R2Cs and the two red Wright F2Ws came second, first, third and fourth, although Lt 'Sandy' Sanderson ran out of fuel and wrecked his Wright, A-6743 / 8, just short of the landing field. Photo from: Museum of Flight

Seeking revenge for its defeat in the 1922 Pulitzer Trophy race, the US Navy successfully procured a new Curtiss racer. A-6692 / 9, flown by Lt Alford Williams, won the 1923 edition and Lt Harold Brow in A-6691 / 10 came second. Both pilots also broke the absolute world speed record, with Williams bringing it to 429 km/h (267 mph). A-6692 was fitted with floats for the cancelled 1924 Schneider Trophy race. A-6691 was sold to the US Army for a sporty $1 to become the Curtiss R-8, serial 23-1235. Photo from: Museum of Flight

Delivered to Northeast Airlines as N983NE in 1968 who merged into Delta Air Lines in 1972. To Ozark Air Lines as N987Z in 1974 who merged into TWA in 1986. Withdrawn from use at Roswell, NM in 2002. Still there in 2007. Later scrapped.

Delivered to Eastern Air Lines as N8909E in 1966. To Republic Airlines in 1979 who merged into Northwest Airlines in 1986. Withdrawn from use at Marana, AZ in 2004. Still there in 2011. Later scrapped.

Delivered to Eastern Air Lines as N8831E in 1969. To Aero Ejecutivos as XA-RXI in 1991 who were renamed to Aeroexo in 1993. Withdrawn from use at Cancun in 1995. Still there in 2021.

Delivered to TWA as N756TW in 1962. To Boeing in 1982 and used for parts in the KC-135E program at Davis-Monthan AFB. Sold for scrap in 2001.

Delivered to Sabena as CV-440-12 OO-SCS in 1956. To Frontier Airlines as N73166 and converted to a CV580 in 1968. To other operators from 1984 then to Kelowna Flightcraft as C-GEUZ then C-FHKF in 1999. To Conair in 2000 and converted to a firebomber. Last flight to Victoria, BC for preservation at the BC Aviation Museum in 2022.

Delivered to Delta Air Lines as N3320L in 1967. To Ozark Air Lines as N997Z in 1977. Ozark merged into Trans World Airlines in 1986. Withdrawn from use at Fayetteville-Drake Field, NC in 2001 and scrapped in 2002.