Towle Marine Aircraft Engineering Company was an American aircraft manufacturer of light amphibious aircraft.
| Industry | Amphibious Aircraft Manufacturer |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1927 |
| Defunct | 1927 |
| Successor | Towle Aircraft Company (1928-1932) |
| Headquarters | Detroit, Michigan |
Key people | Thomas Towle |
The short lived Towle Marine Aircraft Engineering Company, and its successor Towle Aircraft Company were founded by former Stout Metal Airplane Division of the Ford Motor Company engineer Thomas Towle initially to build a custom round-the world amphibious aircraft, and follow-on aircraft based on the design.[1]
In a 1930 patent, Towle listed the Towle Aircraft Company as part of the Michigan Amphibian Airplane Corporation.[2]
At the height of the depression, financing was difficult. Towle's TA-3 used diesel engines on loan from Packard, and was funded by Dr. Adams, a "painless dentist" of the Detroit region.[3]
Aircraft edit
| Model name | First flight | Number built | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Towle WC | 1928 | 2 | Amphibious |
| Towle TA-2 | 1929 | 1 | Amphibious |
| Towle TA-3 | 1931 | 1 | Amphibious |
References edit
- ^ Robert F. Pauley. Michigan Aircraft Manufacturers.
- ^ "Patent 1888335" (PDF). Retrieved 6 November 2011.
- ^ ROBERT B. MEYER (1964). The First Airplane Diesel Engine: Packard Model DR-980 of 1928. SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION • NATIONAL AIR MUSEUM WASHINGTON, D.C.