The newest addition to Arcadia Publishing’s Images of Aviation series is Michigan Aircraft Manufacturers by local author Robert F. Pauley. The book boasts over 200 vintage images and reveals the answers to questions such as the number of aircrafts built in Michigan, how many different types there are, and what they look like.
In 1911, the first aircraft manufacturer opened for business in Michigan. During the 1920s and 1930s, the Detroit area was known as the “Aviation Capital of America.” The All-American Aircraft Show, held annually in Detroit from 1928 to 1933, was the major showcase for introducing new airplanes to the aviation community. Major competitions, such as the Ford Air Tours (1925 to 1931) and the Cirrus Derby (1930), originated and ended at airports in Michigan.
Michigan’s aircraft manufacturers made major contributions to America’s war efforts, building 1,500 Liberty planes during World War I and 8,685 B-24 bombers during World War II. In addition to those major manufacturers, a large number of individual designers and entrepreneurs toiled to build the ultimate airplane. Today the pioneering tradition lives on in the hundreds of individuals who design and build airplanes in their garage or basement.
Pauley hopes that this book “will give some well-deserved recognition to those now forgotten Michigan aviation pioneers who helped lay the groundwork for today's vast aerospace industry.”
Highlights of Michigan Aircraft Manufacturers:
• Brooks was Michigan’s first airplane manufacturer.
• Bill Stout built the first all-metal airplane in America.
Available at area bookstores, independent retailers, and online retailers, or through Arcadia Publishing at www.arcadiapublishing.com or
(888)-313-2665.
Arcadia Publishing is the leading publisher of local and regional history in the United States. Our mission is to make history accessible and meaningful through the publication of books on the heritage of America’s people and places. Have we done a book on your town? Visit www.arcadiapublishing.com.
