Registered in June 1934 to the Evening News Association and operated by The Detroit News. A radio reporter could broadcast from inside the aircraft and there was a camera installed in the fairing on the left wing (visible by the man wearing a trilby hat). The Orion was commandeered in 1942 by the Defense Supplies Corp as UC-85 serial 42-62601. Released in 1944 and restored as NC799W, it was scrapped after an accident in November 1947 at Los Angeles. Photograph taken by William H Engle Photo from: William Engle (son of the photographer) via Tim Martin

For The Detroit News, operating an L-5 Vega, NC32M, was not a whim. In 1934 they bought this new L-9 Orion. A radio reporter could broadcast from the plane - WWJ, on the tailfin, was the call sign of the Detroit News Radiophone. There was even a photo camera installed in the fairing on the left wing. NC799W was worn earlier by the newspaper's Pitcairn autogyro. The Orion was requisitioned as 42-62601 in 1942. Scrapped after an accident in 1947. Photo from: The Henry Ford

1931-built Autogyro preserved at the Dearborn Museum near Detroit.