Cavalcade of Planes in Bolingbrook features Ford Tri-Motor

BOLINGBROOK – It was the world’s first mass-produced airliner.

And although it had a short span of dominance in the U.S. before seeing its throne overtaken by bigger and faster planes in the 1930s, the 1929 Ford Tri-Motor remains an important aircraft to flight enthusiasts and the evolution of flight.

The plane will be a featured attraction Saturday and Sunday for the 2017 Cavalcade of Planes at Clow International Airport in Bolingbrook. The Experimental Aircraft Association will bring the plane to the annual event for the first time in four years.

“It’s a true pioneer aircraft,” said Bob Siegfried, a pilot and volunteer with the local EAA chapter. “It was the first to make scheduled airline service a practical thing.”

The plane could transport people from New York to Los Angeles in a day and a half with train rides in between, Siegfried said. Planes could not fly safely at night back then.

But it was an important development for business types and others needing to travel great distances who wanted to cut a day or two off the typical cross-country train ride, Siegfried said.

Nicknamed the “Tin Goose,” the Tri-Motor has a metal exterior with three motors, while the inside was designed to feel like a railroad car – something people were more comfortable with in the 1920s when flight still was a daunting thought to some, Siegfried said.

With nine passenger seats – five on the left side of the aisle and four on the other – there’s no need to claim a window seat. One can see for miles to the front and rear of the plane. The window frames are outlined with wood paneling, and the seats are a reddish leather, in stark contrast from the heavy duty look of the exterior.

The EAA is offering flights in the Tri-Motor throughout the weekend.

Siegfried said that because of the rapid advancement of flight technology, the Tri-Motor was only prominent for a few years in the states. But it went on to extended success in developing nations that didn’t demand large passenger aircraft. It was convenient for people traveling from one side of a mountain to another, or from one island to another.

This particular plane, owned and operated by the EAA, was used in the 2009 film “Public Enemies” featuring Johnny Depp, when he portrayed infamous bank robber John Dillinger.

The Cavalcade of Planes is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Walk-up prices for a flight on the Tri-Motor are $75 for adults and $50 for children 17 and younger. Call on-site crew at 920-379-8348 for information.