Wichita Photos - 1929

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Wichita Photos - 1929

Wichita, Kansas has claimed itself to be "The Air Capital of the US" since 1927. Clyde Cessna began building aircraft in Wichita for nearly a century ago.

Matty Laird formed the E.M. Laird Airplane Company in 1920, employing men who whose names are still synonymous with aviation: Walter Beech, Clyde Cessna, and Lloyd Stearman.

These three men formed the Travel Air company in 1925, and built the two aircraft featured here. The Travel Air Model R, and the Travel Air Mystery Ship. History tells us that the Clyde Cessna and Walter Beech left the company in 1927 over a dispute over whether to build monoplanes or biplanes.

In the last 90 years, Wichita has seen aircraft businesses come and go, companies absorbed into ever larger conglomerates, but "The Air Capital of the US" will forever be remembered for it's role in helping to give birth to not only the Golden Age of aviation, but also the Post-War production boom that gave us some of our most treasured classic aircraft.

Wichita is still a major player in the aircraft manufacturing business, but global economics have changed the rules. Cessna is now manufacturing airplanes in China (disgusted), and the cost of new aircraft are continually pushing higher, making it even more difficult for the average person to afford a new airplane manufactured in the US. Blame it on the lawyers, blame it on China, blame it on unions, blame it on mismanagement and poor timing. You can place the blame anywhere you want, but it's still true.

As our government continues to develop more burdensome regulations to provide the illusion of safety and security, we are left only with the memories of the "good old days". Days when a man with an idea could revolutionize an entire industry. When a pilot had the freedom to fly his ship anywhere he pleased, and the evolution of the machine seemed never-ending.

The pictures here are from a website called Wichita Photo Archives. They have photos of all things Wichita from the 1860's through today. If you're like me, and you have a passion for aviation, you will really enjoy taking a trip back in time to view these photos.

The photos are searchable and categorized for easy surfing. These three images I've chosen are just a sampling of the many photos on the site. Take a trip back in time to the early days of Wichita aviation at the Wichita Photo Archives.