The Tri-Motor Heritage Foundation is seeking your support through a new awareness campaign as they near the end of their restoration project.
Aviation history is rich and complex, a story written into the fabric of America itself. One piece of this story comes in the form of the 1929 Ford Tri-Motor Aircraft, a rare and unique transport craft which has been largely forgotten by the general public and historians alike - until now.
The Ford Tri-Motor Heritage Foundation has devoted itself to restoring one such plane, keeping this chapter of aviation history alive for years to come.
For information on the Ford Tri-Motor, visit https://www.restoretheford.org
The purpose of this awareness campaign is to generate interest in aviation history by restoring this machine to its former glory with the end goal of bringing it up to flight-ready standards. The airplane was originally owned by Island Airlines but was damaged by Hurricane Andrew, leading to this campaign being established to restore what was lost.
While primarily a civilian aircraft, the Ford Trimotor did see limited use in the Second World War, making it a valuable relic in both hobbyist circles and among military historians. While hundreds of the planes were built over the limited run by Ford in the late 1920s, less than 18 have survived, and only around 7 have been granted airworthiness certificates by the FAA.
Given the rarity of this particular model of aircraft, the Tri-Motor Heritage Foundation has devoted its time and resources to ensuring that eventually, the craft will fly once more. Their team is working entirely on public donations to purchase replacement parts and faithful replicas of the original interior fixtures.
The project managers hope to eventually use the plane as a public showcase piece for use in air shows and other exhibitions. It will also be housed semi-permanently at the Tri-Motor Foundation’s headquarters in Ohio, where it will be maintained on a continual basis.
The team behind the project has recently updated its website with new images of the restoration, which show the plane being meticulously assembled and reconstructed by their skilled technicians. Currently, the fuselage and tail sections of the plane are fully constructed, with segments of the wings and interior also in mid-assembly.
If you are interested in aviation history, the Foundation has a wealth of information on this and other aircraft for you to check out. Read more about this project and donate to this great cause while you're there!
The Ford Tri-Motor Heritage Foundation is composed of a dozen passionate aircraft enthusiasts and historians who came together nearly a decade ago to begin the daunting process of restoring this aircraft. The Foundation is also accepting volunteers to help in any way with the project, alongside monetary donations.
For more on the restoration, visit https://www.restoretheford.org
