ssion that
the ship was on fire. For another, the vibration was so bad that
out of 10 standard instruments on the plane, 7 were broken from the
jarring before my return. The diesel fuel also produced a strong
odor in the cockpit, the fumes so permeating my luggage and clothes
that my public appearances during the tour always were highly and
not very agreeably aromatic. Having a strong stomach, I soon became
accustomed to the fumes, but another pilot who ferried the plane
between cities for me on one occasion ... was almost overcome. On
arrival he said, "I wouldn't fly that oil burner another mile."[25]

[Illustration: Figure 35.--Ford 11-AT-1 Trimotor, 1930, with 3 Packard
225-hp DR-980 diesel engines, right side view of right engine nacelle.
(Smithsonian photo A48311.)]

Richard Totten,[26] airplane mechanic:

The Ford Trimotor was the poorest of the lot. It was inherently
noisy and slow, and with the Packards installed it was on the point
of being underpowered. It was almost impossible to synchronize the
three engines, and the beat was almost unbearable. It was not flown
much but it made a fine conversation piece standing on the airport
apron....

The Waco taperwing developed the unnerving habit of breaking flying
and landing wires from the vibration, and most of the time sat on
the hangar floor with its wings drooping like a sick pigeon. In
flight the open cockpit filled with exhaust smoke and unburned fuel
and the pilot would land after an hour's flight looking like an
Indianapolis 500 Mile Race driver....

The Stinson "Detroiter," the Bellanca "Pacemaker" and the
Buhl-Verville "Airsedan" were the most successful ships and were
the most used. The "Airsedan," in which Woolson was killed, was his
favorite ship, and the one I believe that was the most flown.

The Towle TA-3 amphibian flew beautifully, but not for long. It never
got a chance to do much as it was a victim of the depression. The Towle
was powered by 2 Packard diesels on loan from the Packard Motor Car
Company. It was built of corrugated aluminum exactly like the Ford
Trimotor. As a matter of fact, Towle had been employed by Ford until
Ford cancelled airplane building. Towle got his airplane built at the
hangar on Grosse Isle in Detroit, and ran out of money during the flight
testing program. He now looked for money to cont