Stout's airline at first operated as Detroit-Grand Rapids Airline and Cleveland-Detroit Airline. This early Tri-Motor crashed near Toledo, Ohio on 16 January 1929 following an in-flight fire. The aircraft carried 2500 pounds of mail. Photo from: Cleveland Public Library

The sole Bellanca K was built for a transatlantic flight to Rome. Cesare Sabelli's crew took off from Old Orchard Beach, Maine on 20 September 1928 but returned with a loose piston and ditched. The aircraft was repaired but subsequent users also experienced engine problems: a flight from Argentina to Spain didn't happen, a record endurance flight failed due to high oil consumption and finally Thor Solberg ditched NX4864 off Newfoundland on his way to Norway on 23 August 1932. The odd design of the aircraft, with lifting surfaces forming a sort of W-shaped lower wing, was supposedly very efficient and led to the Model P Airbus/Aircruiser. Photo from: Smithsonian Institution

The second of six M.18 flying boats to serve in Portugal's navy from 1928 until about 1934. Flown from the factory in Varese to Lisbon in August-September 1928 - not straightforward without wheels. Photo from: Museu de Marinha (Portugal)

Photographed at one of the many small airports that dotted LA in the late 1930s. This one was operated by American Aircraft Corp, which was among other things a Waco agent. NC5013 (now N5013) is still registered in 2013. Photo from: University of Southern California

Photo showing what the hangars looked like at San Francisco - Mills Field almost 100 years ago. This is what would later become San Francisco International Airport (KSFO). Photographer unknown.

In 1927 construction pioneer Gottlob Espenlaub moved with his factory to Düsseldorf-Lohausen. In front of the company building D1570 (promoting the Dapolin gasoline brand) is parked together with Espenlaub E-11 D1183 and Espenlaub E-7, one of his glider-constructions. Mr Espenlaub later made tests with rocket propulsion. Picture taken by my late Grandfather.

in 1927 constructing pioneer Gottlob Espenlaub moved with his factory to Düsseldorf-Lohausen, here proudly presenting his machine to those interested ladies. Mr Espenlaub later made tests with rocket propulsion. Picture taken by my late Grandfather.

No 23 Sqn lined up. Gamecocks J8084, J8040, J7907, J8045, J8075, J8410, J8078, J7904 and J8092 can be identified. The squadron was based at Kenley in the given year. Photo from: San Diego Air & Space Museum

G-CAFY was destroyed in a hangar fire at Hamilton on August 18, 1929. Jack Elliott operated from his own own airfield. In 1929 a municipal airport opened in Hamilton. Photo from: Canada Science and Technology Museum

The Vigil was one many one-off prototypes built by Canadian Vickers. It was designed for forest patrols. However the aircraft was overweight and instead used as a proficiency trainer and mail plane until it required an overhaul. It was scrapped instead. Photo from: Canada Science and Technology Museum

Damaged beyond repair on August 9, 1929. Photo from: Library and Archives Canada

Tracing it origins back to the British Nieuport Nighthawk fighter, the Grouse sesquiplane led to the Grebe fighter. The sole Grouse, G-EAYN, was converted to a two-seat trainer and sold to Sweden in December 1925 where it was designated Ö3 as an 'exercise' (advanced trainer) type aircraft. It was withdrawn from use in 1929. Photo by: Karl Johan Stenhardt / Östergötlands Museum

From Western Air Lines archives. Photo from: Civil Aviation Historical Society, Melbourne, Australia

Photo taken by the father of Joan Lynch. Photo from: Civil Aviation Historical Society, Melbourne, Australia

Operated by WA Airways. Became VH-UDZ shortly before the registration was cancelled in 1931. Photo from: National Library of Australia

Name Old Gold is a reference to a product of MacRoberston chocolates, which backed the airline. Coincidentally, VH-UTL (as it had become) was sold to Guinea Airways in Papua New Guinea for use on the gold fields. Certificate of Airworthiness lapsed in 1936. Photo from: National Library of Australia

Reregistered VH-UHX by August 1930. Registration lapsed in 1936 but was renewed in October 1937. -UHX was withdrawn from use in December 1948 before returning to the register in September the next year. The registration was cancelled for the final time in 1951. Photo from: State Library of Queensland

First flown on 12 March 1927, the F.VIII was a largish airliner designed for KLM's busiest European routes. Baggage could be loaded through the nose. Fokker built this one for Malert in Hungary and Manfréd Weiss in Budapest built them another three. Photo from: Amsterdam City Archives

This aircraft was the second of seven Air Expresses to be built. It carried four or five passengers and mails. Later to NC7955. Obtained from Lockheed 60 years ago.

Boeing designed the Model 40 in 1927 and the four-seat 40B-4 derivative was used on the 1,918 mile air mail route from San Francisco to Chicago. The rugged aircraft had a 525 h.p. P&W Hornet powerplant. Obtained from United Airlines 60 years ago.