1928 Ford Tri-Motor "City of Wichita"/"City of Port Clinton"
Liberty Aviation Museum's 1928 Ford Tri-Motor 5-AT-B, Serial Number 8, was delivered to its first owner, Transcontinental Air Transport (TAT)* on January 18, 1929. The plane was named the City of Wichita.
Our Ford Tri-Motor participated in the first transcontinental air and rail service beginning in Columbus, Ohio, on July 8, 1929. Famed aviator Amelia Earhart, and twenty others boarded two state-of-the-art Ford Tri-Motors ("City of Columbus" & "City of Wichita") and began the first leg of the cross-country air journey that ended in Glendale, California. The Transcontinental Air Transport (TAT, that later become TWA) made coast to coast travel in 48 hours possible. “The significance of this aircraft to commercial aviation and airline history is no different than that of the "Memphis Belle" to B-17s, or the "Enola Gay" to B-29s from WWII,” points out H. Harvard Lembeck of the Liberty Aviation Museum. This first flight led to inauguration of the first all air passenger service on October 25, 1930.
On July 16, 1935, TWA sold NC9645 to Grover Ruckstell, who flew passengers with Grand Canyon Airlines of Arizona. In February 1937, the aircraft began flying passengers with Boulder Dam Tours. In the late autumn of 1937, the aircraft was sold to Transportes Aéreos del Continente Americano (Air Transport of the American Continent), or TACA, of Tegucigalpa, Honduras. The aircraft was registered in Nicaragua as AN-AAS, where it flew for TACA until 1946 when it was sold to Ricardo Izurienta of Campeche, Mexico, and flown commercially under Mexican registry XA-FUB (XA designating it as a commercial registration). In 1950, Izurienta sold the aircraft to his brother, Arturo D’Argence, also of Campeche, Mexico, and it was registered as XB-NET (XB designating it as private ownership). In May of 1951, the aircraft was completely overhauled by Servicios Aeronauticos de Mexico, SA of Mexico City. During the overhaul, the corrugated skin was replaced with modern Dural sheet metal and the aircraft acquired its nickname, “The Smooth Skin Ford.” XB-NET was back to flying status in late 1951. In January of 1954, it was damaged when a wheel locked, turning the aircraft off the runway and into a ditch. This time the aircraft was not repaired but sold “as is” in poor condition to Frank D. Oergel of Burbank, California, who in turn sold it to Eugene Frank, who placed it in storage in Caldwell, Idaho. In July of 1964, a full restoration of the aircraft began, and the corrugated skin was re-installed at great expense by its new owner, William F. Harrah (Harrah’s Club of Reno, Nevada). After the extensive restoration was completed in 1971, the aircraft flew once again before being placed on static display with Harrah’s Automobile Collection. In 1975, TWA flew the aircraft from Reno to Newark, New Jersey, a transcontinental flight to commemorate their first all-air service of 1930. After William Harrah’s death in 1978, the aircraft remained in the collection until 1986 when it was sold at auction for the princely sum of $1.5 million to Norton Aero Ltd., of Athol, Idaho. In February of 1990, the Ford Tri-Motor was acquired by Evergreen Vintage Aircraft. It was modified for static line parachute jumping in 1998 before it was eventually placed on display at the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum of McMinnville, Oregon. Many tourists of the museum may recall seeing the little “Tin Goose” displayed beneath the wing of the huge Howard Hughes H-4 Hercules transport, also known as the “Spruce Goose.”
On February 10, 2013, The Liberty Aviation Museum of Port Clinton, Ohio, purchased N9645 for its collection. “The acquisition of this aircraft fulfills one of our long-range plans for the Liberty Aviation Museum, to have two Ford Tri-Motors at the museum,” said Ed Patrick, CEO of the Museum. “Our ultimate goal is to always have one of the Fords permanently based at Port Clinton, while the second aircraft is on tour throughout the country.” Shortly after acquiring the aircraft, The Liberty Aviation Museum and The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) entered a 9-year lease for the aircraft to tour the country offering rides with the EAA Fly the Ford Tour. In December of 2023, the 9 -year lease ended, and the aircraft returned home. In April of 2024, The Liberty Aviation Museum received their living history flight exemption and began offering living history rides in June of 2024.
You too can experience the magic of flight history aboard the world’s first mass-produced airliner!
Check out our events page for dates on when/where the Ford will be offering rides!
Tri-Motor Heritage Foundation Logo
Tri-Motor Heritage Foundation "Restore the Ford" 1929 Ford Tri-Motor Project
The Tri-Motor Heritage Foundation is currently restoring to flying condition a Ford Tri-Motor in the hangar of the Liberty Aviation Museum. During public museum hours, visitors may get a glimpse of this project as it progresses. The museum also displays many artifacts, photos and models related to this historic plane. For more information visit the Tri-Motor Heritage Foundation website at:
The Tri-Motor has a long history in the area. Island Airlines, operated from the Port Clinton Airport and served the islands of Lake Erie as "The World's Shortest Airline." Residents and visitors of the island depended on the airline for mail, supplies, transportation, ambulance and many other services. The "Tin Goose" flew the island route for almost 50 years, from the 1930's until the 1980's.
Tri-Motor Specifications
Year
1929
Model
5-AT-B
Serial No.
NC-9684
Gross Weight
13,500 lbs.
Empty Weight
7,500 lbs.
Useful Load
6,000 lbs.
Wing Span
77' - 10"
Length (Overall)
49' - 1"
Height
13' - 8"
Passenger Seats
13 - 15
Top Speed
135 mph
Cruise Speed
115 mph
Stall Speed
64 mph
Service Ceilng
17,000 ft.
Absolute Ceiling
18,500 ft.
Rate of Climb
950 fpm
Glide Ratio
8.7 to 1
Fuel (Standard Tanks)
277 gallons
Fuel (Long Range Tanks)
355 gallons
Oil
34 gallons
Powerplant
Pratt & Whitney Wasp (430 hp each)
WWII North American Aviation B-25J Mitchell Bomber "Georgie's Gal"
"Georgie's Gal" started her life at the North American Aviation manufacturing plant in Kansas City, Kansas. "Georgie's Gal" was accepted into military service in 1945 at the tail end of the war, never seeing combat service. Throughout the years, "Georgie's Gal" changed hands since being decommissioned and entering civilian service. "Georgie's Gal" previously borne the names "The Devil Made Me Do It," "Man Of War," and "Martha Jean."
Liberty Aviation Museum purchased the plane in 2011, and from winter 2011 through spring 2012, she went through an extensive mechanical and cosmetic restoration by Aero Trader of Chino, California.
B-25 "Georgie's Gal"
The North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, although the majority of B-25s in American service were used in the Pacific. The B-25 was named in honor of General Billy Mitchell, a pioneer of U.S. military aviation. By the end of its production, nearly 10,000 B-25s in numerous models had been built. The B-25 first gained fame as the bomber used in the 18 April 1942 Doolittle Raid, in which 16 B-25Bs led by Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy Doolittle attacked mainland Japan, four months after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
B-25 "Georgie's Gal" with Ohio State Band 2013
B-25 "Georgie's Gal" take off during Flight of Flags Event
B-25 "Georgie's Gal" at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, WI
B-25 Mitchell Bombers of the Doolittle Raid
Photo by Wayne Heim
Specifications
Manufacturer
North American Aviation
Year Produced
June 29th, 1945
Factory Location
Fairfax - Kansas City, Kansas
NAA MFG. Number
108-47531
Model Number:
B-25J-30-NC
Serial Number
44-86777
Aircraft Type
Medium Bomber/Trainer
Length
53 ft. 5 in.
Wingspan
67 ft. 6 in.
Height
16 ft. 4 in.
Wing Area
610 sq. ft.
Empty Weight
21,120 lbs
Loaded Weight
33,400 lbs
Crew of 6
Pilot Co-Pilot Engineer/Gunner Bombardier/Gunner Waist Gunner Tail Gunner
Performance
Power Plant
2 Wright R-2600-29 Cyclone Radials (1,700 hp each)
Combat Radius
1,350 miles
Max. Speed
293 mph at 13,850 ft.
Ceiling
24,500 ft.
Armament
Guns
13 x .50 in. (12.7mm) machine guns
Bombs
3,000 lbs.
Number Built
4,390
B-25 "Georgie's Gal" at EAA Oshkosh AirVenture
B-25 Mitchell Bombers & Crews at the 75th Anniversary of the Doolittle Raiders Event in Dayton, Ohio at Wright Field.
B-25C Data Sheet
WWII Consolidated-Vultee PBY-6A Catalina
The Liberty Aviation Museum in Port Clinton, Ohio has acquired a flyable 1945 Consolidated-Vultee PBY-6A Catalina, Bureau No. #46662, Registration #N4NC, from the Mid America Flight Museum located in Mount Pleasant, Texas in October of 2021. The Catalina was ferried to the Liberty Aviation Museum on March 29th, 2022. The aircraft is currently undergoing an extensive inspection prior to the museum operating the aircraft.
The Catalina PBY Model 6A airplane was designed for use as a patrol airplane, bomber, or torpedo airplane. It was also suitable for search and rescue operations and was extensively used for this purpose during the war.
The hull is divided into five main watertight compartments by four bulkheads equipped with watertight doors.
The wing is mounted on a superstructure built up from the hull and incorporates the engine nacelles, fuel, and oil tanks and two retractable auxiliary floats. Thermal anti-icing is incorporated in the leading edges of the wing and tall group.
The airplane has no landing flaps or other high lift devices but due to the relatively low wing loading it has a stalling speed of only 65 knots at maximum gross weight with floats and gear down.
The Catalina would normally carry a crew of eight.
175 (model 6A) including 21 transferred to the Soviet Navy. (2,026 Navy, 359 USAAF (mostly Canso's), 731 Canso models)
Lake Erie Warbirds' WWII Grumman TBM Avenger
This aircraft has been restored by Charlie Cartledge and a team of volunteers at Wadsworth, Ohio. It is operated by Lake Erie Warbirds, and is available for for public fly-by, formation, static display and PR events. To inquire, either call 330. 607. 7697 or email at [email protected].
This aircraft is a World War II vintage torpedo bomber. The type was designed by the Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation of Bethpage, New York, and designated TBF (Torpedo Bomber, Grumman.) Eastern Aircraft Division, General Motors Corporation was brought in by the U.S. Navy just six weeks after Pearl Harbor, as a second contractor to builld the now appropriately named Avenger, re-designated TBM (Torpedo Bomber, General Motors.)
The TBF/TBM Avenger was crewed by a pilot, turret gunner, and radioman/bombardier. The prototype made its maiden flight on August 1, 1941 and TBFs saw combat with Torpedo Squadron 8 (VT-8) during the Battle of Midway on June 4, 1942. Former President George H. W. Bush was an Avenger pilot with VT-51 on the aircraft carrier USS San Jacinto. On September 2, 1944, Bush was shot down near Chichi-jima Island, near Japan, and safely parachuted into the Pacific Ocean where he was later rescued by the USN submarine USS Finback. Neither his turret gunner nor radioman survived.
This particular plane is a General Motors TBM-3E Avenger, Bureau Number 91436, built by Eastern Aircraft in Trenton, New Jersey. It was accepted by the U.S. Navy n August 3, 1945, and did not fly combat missions during WWII. Postwar, it was based at Atlanta, San Diego, and Seattle, then retired after 600 hours total time. Later stored at Litchfield Park, Arizona, it was stricken from the Navy on May 31, 1956.
91436 was sold by the USN at Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego, California, to the Selk Company of North Hollywood for $2,600 on January 25, 1957, and assigned the civil registration N9569Z. Subsequent owners included Aerial Services of Chino, California, Zack Monroe of Lancaster, California, and Cisco Aircraft Inc., also of of Lancaster. Cisco fitted the aircraft with tanks for aerial spraying or fire fighting. In 1963, N9569Z was acquired by Desert Aviation Services of Phoenix, Arizona, who is believed to have operated it for a couple of seasons.
Sometime during the 1960s, the outer wing panels were removed and the aircraft was towed to downtown Phoenix, where it was operated by Desert Aviation Service for the Buehner Window Company as a wind machine for product testing. Desert Aviation Service became Aircraft Specialties, Inc. who continued to operate the wind machine for Buehner until the mid 1970s when the plane was towed to Falcon Field in Mesa, Arizona, for storage and to use as a spare parts source. Aircraft Specialties became Globe Air, Inc. in 1980. This aircraft was sold at the auction of Globe Air assets that was held on October 23, 1985 at Falcon Field. Subsequently, N9569Z was trucked to Tom Reilly Vintage Aircraft in Kissimmee, Florida, where restoration to flying condition started.
Lake Erie Warbirds' Canadian Car & Foundry Harvard IV
Designed by North American Aviation, this is one of the last AT-6 series produced. ("AT designates "Advanced Trainer.")
This plane is operated by Lake Erie Warbirds and is available for public fly-by, formation, static display and PR events. Contact Lake Erie Warbirds for details at: [email protected]
This particular aircraft was produced under license by Canadian Car & Foundry for the RCAF (Royal Canadian Air Force.) After WWII the aircraft was in used by the Italian Air Force until retired in the 1970s.
In 1987 the aircraft was purchased by Charlie & Doug Cartledge and completely restored to its original WWII RCAF configuration. Over 5000 man hours went into the rebuild.
Specifications
Powerplant
Pratt & Whitney R-1340 radial engine (600hp)
Cruise Speed
150 mph
Max. Speed
208 mph at 5,000 ft
Range
730 miles
Wingspan
42 ft.
Length
29 ft.
Weight
4,158 lbs
Variants
USAF: AT-6 Texan
US Navy: SNJ4 (equipped with tail hook)
RCAF & RAF: Harvard
Australia: Wirraway
WWII Boeing Stearman Biplane (Model 75) "Harold's Dream"
Our WWII Boeing PT-17 Stearman Biplane comes to us with a precious pedigree. The plane was previously owned by the late James "Jim" Drakage, a long time supporter and friend of the Liberty Aviation Museum.
The Model 75, frequently referred to the Stearman or Kaydet was produced by the Boing corportation at it's Wichita, Kansas, Stearman manufacturing facility. They were used as trainers by the US Army Air Forces, US Navy, and Royal Canadian Air Force during WWII. After the war, many were sold to the public and found civilian use as crop dusters, sport and performance planes.
This airplane was designed by Nick D' Apuzzo as a midget class pylon racer, and subsequently built by former owner and pilot, William “Bart” Denight. Dubbed “The Denight Special DDT” #97, the racer made its debut appearance at the 1949 Cleveland National Air Races. DDT #97 qualified at 189.7 mph and took second place in the second heat in the Goodyear-Continental Midget Pylon Race.
It was later renamed “Miss Dallas” and flown at the National Air Races in Reno, Nevada in 1967. It also raced in Detroit, Miami, Greensville, Dansville and Westchester, N.Y., and Reading, PA.
The aircraft was restored by Ed Fisher of Lexington, S.C. for the Society of Air Racing Historians, and ownership was transferred to the Cook Cleland Airport Corporation in Texas for display. The Society reacquired the airplane and #97 was donated to the Liberty Aviation Museum in 2017.
The Liberty Aviation Museum is a working museum, with flying aircraft and operational vehicles. The actual aircraft, vehicles, and displays present at the museum at any given time can vary depending upon air show & car show touring schedules, visiting aircraft from other museums & private collections, special events, and other factors.
