STINSON SM-6000 B NC10843

TAMPICO-BOUND

POSTER: Stinson SM-6000B, NC10843

This airplane is a Stinson SM-6000B (S/N 5042; ATC #420) manufactured in June 1931 by Stinson Aircraft Corporation, Wayne, MI.  It came from the factory with three Lycoming R-680 engines (S/N L 503, R 494, C 571) of 215 HP each.  It was an eleven-place airplane weighing 8,600 pounds gross.

It was purchased on June 18, 1931 by Century-Pacific Lines, Ltd., Grand Central Air Terminal, Glendale, CA. During Century’s ownership, the airplane visited Tucson first between November 2nd and November 4, 1931 flown by R.W. Cantwell. Based in Los Angeles, he carried three unidentified passengers to Phoenix.  He did not list his point of origin.

NC10843 was flown to Tucson for the second time solo by G.B. Blackmore on November 14, 1931.  Still based in Los Angeles, the airplane arrived from Phoenix and Blackmore listed his final destination as Tucson.

Century flew NC10843 for less than a year and sold it to American Airways, Inc., Chicago, IL on March 31, 1932.  This sale must have been part of Century’s dispersal of resources, since a sister ship NC10845 was sold to American on the same date. American flew it for a little over two years as an eight- to eleven-passenger/mail transport. 

Between 1934 and 1941 the airplane changed hands seven more times.  It moved from Chicago to Monroe, LA, Robertson, MO, Wenatchee, WA, Waukesha, WI, Henry, IL (see immediately below) and Hapeville, GA.  It accumulated 7,573:35 flight hours up to 1940.

Our airplane was featured on a Depression-era poster, right, from the late 1930s. This image comes to us courtesy of site visitor Brent Evans. He says of the poster's history:

"I do not have a photo of this plane but I do have a poster of it from the plane's days in Henry, Illinois. My father, Harold Burdette Evans (deceased), found 9 "barnstormer-type" advertising posters in an old barn near Henry, Illinois. According to him, the plane was then owned by Harry Morse of Henry, IL who based the plane from his own strip and from the Bradford, IL airport. Mr.Morse was known to fly this aircraft at many county fairs in the midwest in the early 1940's." Thanks to Brent and his dad.

Finally, on September 8, 1942 it sold to Felipe G. DeLara, Transportes Aereos, Tampico, Mexico.   According to the NASM record, it was transported to Mexico on that date.  No further information.

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UPLOADED: 04/02/06 REVISED: 04/10/07 (poster)