Integral to this Collection is the biography page for Lee Willey, which itself exhibits 60 photographs, documents and artifacts that illustrate the chronology of Willey's career in aviation. Please direct your browser to his link to learn about one of the Register's most interesting and accomplished, yet little-known, pilots.

The following exhibits four images from his Eastern Airlines career.

About 1934 Willey took a job with Eastern Airlines, and from August, 1934 to June, 1942, and then from August, 1946 to September, 1950 he worked for Eastern and Eddie Rickenbacker. He was a pilot and instrument flying instructor. From his biography linked above, you learned that Eastern was not the first airline he worked for.

In 1927 he began flying for Standard Air Lines (SAL). SAL, for whom he flew for the better part of its 28-month business life, was bought by Western Air Express (WAE) during July, 1930. WAE then combined with Transcontinental Air Transport (TAT) to become Transcontinental & Western Air (TWA) later in 1930. To complicate matters, WAE had acquired Mid-Continent Air Express (MAE) during 1929. Willey survived in the face of this flurry of Depression-throttled acquisitions. He literally wore the hats of most of these airlines over the short period of approximately 1928-1934.

Below, a Western Air Express Mainliner. NC16060 was a Douglas DC-3A, S/N 1900. We are not sure if Willey flew this airplane (we don't have his pilot log books). Does anyone RECOGNIZE the terminal?

Douglas DC-3A, NC16060

In 1934, Air Mail route 13 (Note "A.M. 13", lettered on the vertical stabilizer) was a 778-mile service that operated from Salt Lake City, UT to Las Vegas, NM to Los Angeles, CA to San Diego, CA. The toddler, while adding interesting foreground balance to the image, would never be found on an active air transport ramp today!

Below, a Lockheed model L10 Electra, date and location unidentified. It is in Eastern Airlines livery (logo on nose). Site contributor Tim Kalina says of the airplane, "Besides being larger than the L12 the nose shape is different but the obvious give-a-way is the landing gear. The L10 has arms on either side of the wheel. The L12 has a single arm, inboard." The nose baggage compartment is open, and a luggage or freight cart stands in the foreground. Again, it is not known if Willey flew this airplane (it is not among the aircraft types he flew listed on his biography page).

Eastern Airlines Lockheed (12A?), Date & Location Unidentified

Willey was an amateur photographer who took pictures of his passenger and of ground scenes as they came about. Sometimes they were published in newspapers. Below are two examples of each that appeared in unidentified and undated newspapers. This activity was encouraged by his Eastern Airlines boss, Eddie Rickenbacker.

Young Women From Mobile, AL Travel to New York City

A newsworthy fire was captured by Willey's camera. Although the picture is undated and otherwise unidentified, information from the Atlanta History Center states, "The Cable Piano Company building was constructed in 1909 and located on Broad Street in downtown Atlanta. The building was destroyed by fire on November 19, 1936. Three people were killed in the fire, and 19 people were injured [note the paper states 18 injuries]."

Aerial Photograph of the Cable Piano Company Fire

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UPLOADED: 07/08/09 REVISED: 12/30/22