E. M. Laird Airplane Company

E. M. Laird Airplane Company was an American aircraft manufacturer of commercial aircraft and custom race planes.[1]

E. M. Laird Airplane Company
IndustryAerospace
Founded1923 (1923)
FounderEmil Matthew Laird
Headquarters
Chicago, Illinois
,
United States
Laird LC-RW300 Speedwing

History

Wichita Airplane Company
Advertisement from The Aerial Age Weekly in 1921

Emil Matthew Laird partnered with the founders of the Wichita Airplane Company to build a new commercial biplane aircraft in 1920. The E.M Laird Company built 45 Swallow aircraft of this design. The company turned down an offer to move to Monmouth, Illinois in 1922.[2] E.M Laird sold all rights on 27 September 1923 to J. M Mollendick, and formed a new company, the E. M. Laird Airplane Company based out of Chicago.[3] The original E. M. Laird Company then became the Swallow Airplane Company, retaining brother Charles Laird. Charles Laird concurrently started a short lived aircraft company named Laird Aircraft Corporation, publicly known as Whipporwhill in order to differentiate himself from Emil.[4]

E.M. Laird Aircraft

The E.M. Laird Aircraft company returned to Laird's hometown, building facilities at Ashburn Field, in Ashburn, Chicago. By 1928, Laird's aircraft had reached a level quality and competition, that the Stout Metal Airplane Division of the Ford Motor Company offered to hire Laird, and purchase all the assets of his company.[5]

Aircraft
Model name First flight Number built Type
Laird LC-B 11+ Single engine open cockpit utility biplane
Laird LC-R 2+ Single engine open cockpit utility biplane
Laird LC-AA 1 Single engine cabin utility biplane[6]
Laird LC-DC 2 or 3 Single engine open cockpit racing monoplane[6]
Laird LC-DE Speedwing Junior 1930 1 Single engine open cockpit racing monoplane
Laird LC-DW Solution 1930 1 Single engine open cockpit racing biplane
Laird LC-DW500 Super Solution 1931 1 Single engine open cockpit racing biplane
Laird LC-RW 1931 2 Single engine open cockpit racing biplane[7]
Laird LC-EW 1 Single engine cabin utility monoplane
Laird LC-1B 1930 11+ Single engine open cockpit utility biplane[8]
Laird-Turner Meteor LTR-14 (modifications) 1936 1 Single engine cabin racing monoplane

References
  1. "Brief Swallow Company History". AirVenture Museum. Archived from the original on 8 August 2011. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
  2. "Not Anxious to Leave Wichita". Wichita Eagle. 22 October 1922. p. 5. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  3. Wichita Eagle. 26 December 1920. p. C8. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. Donald M. Pattillo. A History in the Making: 80 Turbulent Years in the American General Aviation Industry. p. 6.
  5. Ford Richardson Bryan; Sarah Evans. Henry's attic: some fascinating gifts to Henry Ford and his museum.
  6. Eckland, K. O. (6 April 2009). "Laird, Laird-Swallow, Laird-Turner". Aerofiles. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  7. AAHS Journal: 74. Spring 2004. {{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  8. "Larry Howards Loveley Laird". Vintage Airplane. February 2010.
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