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Aviation Foundation
of America, Inc.
121 5th Ave. N.W.
Suite 300
New Brighton, MN 55112
651-255-1999
A 501(c) (3) public charity
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The finish line at the Ford Airport for the 1930 tour. Two Ford tri-motors at left, then right to left, Monocoupe, Great Lakes, Kingbird, Rearwin Ken-Royce. Two Wacos, two Bellancas at right, and in the far row, Goodrich Vega, unidentified low-wing monoplane, three Wacos, two Air Corps 0-2s, three Curtiss Fledglings, a Monocoupe and the Monarch Coffee Ford. The four round objects at right center are platform scales for final weighing of contestants' loads.
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Monday morning, September 28, 1925 was clearing into a bright fall day after an early morning rain. A perfect day for the beginning of first "National Air Tour for the Edsel B. Ford Reliability Trophy". On hand with the starters flag at Ford Airport in Dearborn, Michigan was Edsel B. Ford himself. Ford, assisted by "Shorty" Schroeder sent the 17 official entries on their way. It was the beginning of one of America's greatest aviation events.
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Number three to cross the starting line, following the flag given by Edsel Ford in the 1925 tour, Walter Beech "gives it the gun" in his Travel Air Model B6 with a Curtiss C6 engine. Beech won the 1925 air tour giving great credit to his navigator Brice Goldsborough, some fancy new instruments and the old reliable "iron compass" - the railroad tracks.
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One of the two Swallow aircraft in the 1925 National Air tour, equipped with a Curtiss OX5 engine, is shown departing Ford Airport. Edsel B. Ford, one of two official starters for the 1925 tour, can be seen with the large starting flag.
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On a drizzly Sunday afternoon, October 4th 1925, Bill Stout and Henry Ford. looking a little apprehensive, await the return of the aircraft on the 1925 National Air Tour. Ford had been at the airport since noon that day and, at 4:41, the first plane arrived. He shook the hand of every returning pilot, saying before he left, "I am more encouraged than I can say by the successful results of this first tour and it only strengthens my faith and belief in the possibilities of commercial aviation".
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