This is the 4th in a series of aircraft designed, built and flown by more than 25 aircraft companies that called Wichita "home" during the early years of "Wichita, the Air Capital." Some of the aircraft in this series takes us up to 1949. Some of the early companies are world famous today, while many are nearly all but forgotten. However their history should be recorded and aviation aficionados will find great pleasure in seeing these aircraft. Thanks to the photographic artistry of pioneer aviation photographer, Edgar B. Smith (1896-1966), excellent photographs exist today of most of these early day aircraft. The photos were printed from Edgar B. Smith’s original 8X10 inch negatives of the Robert J. Pickett Collection. Courtesy of the Kansas Aviation Museum.
Stearman Aircraft Company: Model 85/US Navy XOSS-1 (1938)
Travel Air Mfg Co.: Model 5000 (1927)
Beech Aircraft: Model 35 "Bonanza" (1949)
Cessna Aircraft Co.: Model BW (1928)