Aircraft delivered to Rapid Air Lines on 15 May 1928. The name Wamblee Ohanko is in the Sioux language and means Swift Eagle, and the aircraft also carries the airline's slogan "Safe and Sane Flying". This Tri-Motor was damaged beyond repair when a wing was torn off during a forced landing at Metz, Missouri on 17 April 1942. Photo from: Denver City Library Special Collections

Written off in a forced landing near Metz, Missouri, April 17, 1942. The hangar remains an art deco feature of Hastings airport to this day. Photo from: History Nebraska

Operated by Ford offering joy flights to Ford car buyers. NC7583 was sold to the US government and taken to Costa Rica in connection with work on the Trans-American Highway. Joined the Costa Rican register as TI-64. Photo from: Quincy Public Library

'All American Air Meet plane over Viking Airport in Biscayne Bay.' The aircraft seems to have been based here, perhaps in winter. TMAT was from Port Cinton, Ohio. Photo by: Gleason Waite Romer / Miami-Dade Public Library

No doubt, the pilot is Harold S Johnson of Illinois, the 'King of Fords'. Check out online videos to admire his really impressive Tri-Motor aerobatics. Soho Oil sponsored him but here the titles are not clear. Tri-Motor c/n 4-AT-42 was later registered as N9610. Photo from: Grand Rapids Public Library

Delivered in September 1928. Crashed in Honduras in 1934, then operated by Morgan Air Lines. Photo from: The Henry Ford

The logo on the fuselage is that of Phenick Flying Service, a small company formed in the 1930s by Herman Phenegar and Oscar Nichols. On 27 February 1939 they bought this 1928 Tri-Motor. They sold rides for 75 cents - note the company caravan equipped with megaphones. The aircraft was bought by the US government on 30 November 1942 to assist in the construction of the Pan American Highway in Costa Rica, where it later became TI-61. The old terminal and tower of then Port Columbus Airport are in the background. Photo from: Columbus Metropolitan Library

This Tri-Motor was used by Reid, Murdoch & Co to promote their Monarch Foods brand. Canned foodstuffs such as sweet pickles, peanut butter, popcorn, toffees, sardines, peas and asparagus were stocked on board. The Detroit News apparently published a photo of this plane in July 1931, claiming it carried gangsters Pizzino and Livecchi to Marquette Prison. Photo from: Wayne State University

Maddux Air Lines was a well-known airline in California in the late 1920s. A November 1929 takeover by Transcontinental Air Transport resulted in TAT-Maddux, and then in 1930 a merger with Western Air Express led to what became known as TWA. Photo by: G Haven Bishop / The Huntington Library

Built in 09.27 as 4-AT-A NC1077 for Sky View Lines, Detroit. Later to Canada as G-CARC. Restored by Greg Herrick's private collection as a 4-AT-B C1077 and is the oldest surviving Ford Trimotor.

Seen at its home base, this aircraft was damaged beyond repair in a take off accident three months later on August 21, 1972. The airframe was salvaged and underwent rebuild at Hov-Aire in Vicksburg MI, with its sister ship N7584 (4-AT-38). It is reported to have made its first post-restoration flight in October 2010, and was later reregd to N9610 and based at Lufkin, TX.

Seen on final in the later livery, with small registration high on the rudder.

Parked outside Island Airlines hangar at Port Clinton. Barely discernable is the small "The Spirit of South Bass" name on the nose.

Departing for the short flight out to South Bass Island, seen here in the early livery with large registration numbers.