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

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

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. 1 2 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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