Craftsman built model of the Ford Tri-motor aircraft
Built in the Ford factory between 1926 and 1933, the Tri-motor was used by airlines, oil companies and even wealthy individuals, it was a pioneering aircraft that led to the development of future generations, such as Douglas and Boeing.
This model has a wingspan up over 1 m and is made with flat and corrugated sheet metal with an eye-catching silver polished surface. The model is a caringly built work of art, with great attention to detail across it's components, Including the cylinder cooling fins on its intricate radial engines, the embossed surfaces of its wings and body and it's authentic windows and interior.
In the day some 200 Tri-motors were built using the now standardised monoplane wing, as used in the junker JU-52 planes that were flying the Berlin–Rome–London route.
The Ford Tri-motor was a well-designed aircraft as were the Ford cars and tractors of the day, it was reliable and to build, relatively inexpensive. It's soon developed a reputation for being a rugged plane with its simple systems and strong metal structure. With this inherent strength it was extremely able and fly, with the fitting of skis or floats into otherwise inaccessible areas.
Primarily designed for passengers the tri-motor was often stripped of its internal seating and used as a reliable and large cargo hauler, with some later versions having drop-down cargo holds fitted below the inner wing sections to increase the carrying capacity.
The aircraft had a major impact on the aviation industry of the time with the design seen as a quantum leap over other aircraft of the era. When superseded by more modern aeroplanes, the Tri-motor still found work with small regional air carriers, carrying heavy weight freight for mining operations and passengers sightseeing tours.
