What better way to spend a day in June than travel back in time to the days when air travel meant flying in a "tail-dragger" like NC8407 -- the EAA's beautifully restored and airworthy Ford Tri-Motor.
NC8407 was built "Ford tough" in Dearborn, Michigan by the Stout Metal Airplane Co.
Eastern Air Transport was the predecessor to Eastern Air Lines. In 1928 Contract Air Mail Route No. 19 was awarded to Pitcairn Aviation, which two years later was renamed Eastern Air Transport.
Tri-Motors were especially suited to the short, mostly dirt landing strips of the 1930s. NC8407 took very little of Blue Grass Airport's 7003-foot Runway 22 to get airborne.
As one might expect, landing was no different, albeit a bit bumpier for the passengers aboard.
Finally, a few shots taken of NC8407 in the air over Central Kentucky!
