A staged-looking photo for promotional purposes to flight schools and other commercial users. Note the landing gear fairings and some minor alterations around the cowling inlets, compared to the earlier configuration.

Registered on 4 August 1934 to Newark Air Services of New Jersey and here parked among the visitors at the Air Races. Subsequently cancelled on export to the Honduras Air Force as serial 11. Photograph taken by William H Engle. Collection holder William Engle is the son of the photographer.

Recently bought by this collection holder's father from an owner in New Orleans. A nice addition to the Silver Star Air Service fleet. Colors were Navy blue and white. No subsequent history known.

The collection holder's parents posing with the company Monocoupe and in among the visitors at that year's Air Races. Colors were red with black trim.

The Deluxe version was equipped with trailing edge wing flaps and wheel fairings, as seen here and an "improved" cowling. The cowling shown is certainly different to others of the type to be seen on the Internet which all have helmets for cylinder clearance. This one was built in 1934 and first flown by the collection holder's father in April 1936. It was bought for his Silver Star Air Service operation later that year. The totem pole emblem on the side was from the previous owner. Last known of with Mission On Wings in Minnesota then cancelled by the FAA - date unknown.

Built in 1934 for the Crusader Oil Co but by this date privately owned and visiting from New York. Cancelled by the FAA just after the photo date, on 13 September 1937. Photograph taken by William H Engle. Collection holder William Engle is the son of the photographer.

The example shown here in the "weeds" was one of two of the type operated by a pilot school run by William H. Engle and trading as Silver Star Aircraft Service. (Note: Fairchild took over the Challenger series and retroactively gave the model number KR-31 to the C-2, despite not building any.)

Built in 1929 specifically to compete in the Guggenheim Safe Aircraft Competition, which it won (controversially). It was equipped with automatic wing leading edge slots, full-span wing flaps and floating ailerons on the lower wing that automatically adjusted themselves parallel to the airflow. The combination of these devices gave the Tanager a stalling speed of 31 mph and allowed it to land in only 90 ft. On 19 July 1930 it was destroyed on the ground when flames from its engine set the grass alight at Cleveland/OH.

Built in 1946, exported as RP-C903 in 1964 and was burnt out in a ground fire at Manila, PI on 10 February 1980.

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.

One of 15 built in 1930 and based here with Silver Star Air Service at this time. Engine type was a Wright Whirlwind of 220 hp. Cancelled by the FAA as destroyed on 28 October 1947.

Delivered in May 1934 and here parked on the apron outside the United hangar with a party of students taking a look at this wonder of modern engineering. In August 1942 it was impressed by the USAAF as a C-73 transport and given serial 42-68363. In November 1944 it was sold off to Lineas Aereas Mexicanas and after changing hands was withdrawn from use in 1952.

Built in April 1932 as NC54Y then re-registered as above in the same month. This racer and its stable-mates were very successful and dominated the scene at the time with their P&W Wasp Jr engines giving 1020 hp. This one was last known of on display at the Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum in Cleveland.

Here the 1st prototype is flying again after being grounded for installation of an upgraded P&W R-2800-34W engine plus other modifications. In this view the exhaust pump engine cooling outlet is clearly seen. The USN were delighted with its diving characteristics, but stall and spin recovery was a problem. The delay caused by design changes resulted in other models taking over its role, consequently the contract was terminated on 3 September 1946. Five completed aircraft went to meet their fate at NAES Phillidelphia and were eventually "stricken from inventory". Dates where known: prototypes 44313 (unknown); 44314 (March 1948). Production aircraft: 90484 & 90485 (unknown); 90486 (April 1948).

Built in 1933 and cancelled on 7 March 1956 while still with the same owner. All the way from Alaska and here in the visitors parking area for the Air Races. Photograph taken by William H Engle. Collection holder William Engle is the son of the photographer.

The Fleetwings (officially Kaiser-Fleetwings by now) Model 44 was a dive bomber designed for the US Navy to replace the Curtiss Helldiver. Here the prototype is returning from an early (possibly first) test flight which took place on 12 April 1945 piloted by William H. Engle. It is landing on one of the new paved runways at Fleetwings Field which the USN had built in support of the BTK-1 project. The engine was a P&W R-2800-22W giving 2400 hp and a novel design feature was an exhaust pump engine cooling system. This proved unsatisfactory and was eventually replaced with conventional cowl flaps. Collection holder William Engle is the son of Fleetwings test pilot William H. Engle.

The first evidence for this grass airfield is from 1927. This photo was taken in 1928 and the biplane is believed to be a Kreider-Reisner Challenger C-2 aircraft with a Kinner D-5 engine. It carries no visible markings. (This may be because, at the time, The State of Pennsylvania had jurisdiction over things aeronautical and issued aircraft license numbers in the format P-### .) In 1945, John Van Sant bought the Silver Star Airport and renamed it to the Old Star Airport. The airport closed about 1973 and the Oxford Valley Shopping Mall was built, obliterating its existence.

This is the first evidence found for the airfield although it looks to have been in existence for a while judging by the track marks in the grass. The building in the far right hand corner is a two-bay hangar (see Photo ID 684841). A pilot school run by William H. Engle and trading as Silver Star Aircraft Service operated from here starting in 1930. In 1945, John Van Sant bought the Silver Star Airport and renamed it to the Old Star Airport. The airport closed about 1973 and the Oxford Valley Shopping Mall was built, obliterating its existence.

Test pilot William H. Engle was in California on a demonstration tour with the first F-5 Sea Bird. Here he is showing it to Hollywood actor Wallace Beery, who wanted to keep the aircraft at his seaside home so he could hop in and go fishing. Engle plunged through the surf to show it could be done, but advised the actor it was too dangerous for a low time pilot to attempt. Collection holder William Engle is the son of Fleetwings test pilot William H. Engle.