It Lived In Chicago And Texas

This aircraft is a Laird LC-113, S/N 164 (ATC #GR2-17) manufactured May-June 1928 by the E.M. Laird Airplane Co., Chicago, IL. It left the factory with a 200-225 HP Wright Whirlwind J-5AB engine, S/N 8433. It weighed 2,850 pounds.

The airplane was sold for $6,000 in June 1928 to Henry Gund, Jr. of La Crosse, WI. NC6907 landed at Tucson three times early in its life. Its first appearances were on 10/4/1928 and 10/13/1928 piloted by Mr. Gund. On what appears to be a round trip voyage to the west coast, he carried Anthony Mackiewicz as passenger.

On 8/24/29 the airplane was sold to Anthony Mackiewicz and C.A. Kohler of Ashburn Field, Chicago, IL. Mr. Mackiewicz landed at Tucson on 8/19/1931 carrying a Mr. Johnson. They had arrived from Chicago on their way to Santa Monica, CA.

On 9/30/29 Mr. Mackiewicz sold his interest to the airplane to Mr. Kohler. He, in turn, on 10/20/29 crashed the airplane at Chicago. He and passenger Christine Reinmiller were uninjured. The airplane sustained damage to the leading edge of upper and lower left wings.

Through 1938 it changed hands five times among local Chicago owners. These owners could easily have all been members of the Aero Club of Chicago, which was based at Ashburn Field at the time.

On 8/8/38, the airplane moved south when it was sold to William Thomas Ferguson of McAllen, TX. It had accumulated 678:16 flight hours. Ferguson installed retractable landing lights and radio receiver equipment on 3/1/39. It changed hands three more times on the cusp of WWII, landing with Theodore W. Swain of Lawton, OK on 2/7/42. The address for the airplane at that time was “Ferrying Div., Army Air Field, Long Beach, CA.” Does anyone know the history of this airplane with the Ferrying Division?

It then went through three more Texas owners without clear title established. It suffered an accident at Paris, TX on 6/27/43. Pilot John McBride (commercial license #64869) of Jones Field, Bonham, TX and passengers Sgt. C.W. Turner and Sgt P.F. Spallees of Camp Maxey, TX were uninjured. During landing the, “right brake wheel locked, ground-looped thru a mud puddle and rolled over on its back. Damage to fuselage, fin & rudder, propeller and left upper wing.” With the press of war taking priority, the registration wasn’t cancelled until 4/8/48.

UPLOADED: 07/09/05 REVISED: