Robertson Aircraft Corporation
 | |
| Founded | February 1921 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | St.Louis |
Key people | Maj. William B. Robertson, Frank Robertson and H. H. Perkins |
| Parent | American Airlines |
Robertson Aircraft Coroporation was a American aviation service company based in St. Louis, MO, that flew Air Mail and passengers, gave flying lessons, performed exhibition flights, and remanufactured/modified and resold surplus military aircraft (Standards, Curtiss Jennys/Canucks, DeHavilland DH-4's, Orioles, Spads, and others) and engines (OX-5s) beginning in the early 1920's. In addition to St. Louis, RAC operated facilities in Kansas City, San Antonio, Houston, New Orleans, and Fort Wayne. The company was owned and operated by brothers Frank (1898-1938) and Bill (1893-1943) Robertson who were both former US Army pilots.
On April 15, 1926, Robertson Aircraft started contract airmail service route CAM-2 from Lambert field to Chicago with Charles Lindbergh as chief pilot for the service.[1] RAC started service with three DH-4 aircraft[2] aquired from the U.S. Postal Service's airmail fleet. RAC added service over CAM-29 between St.Louis and Omaha in May 1929.[3]
On August 1, 1943, a WACO CG-4A-RO military troop and cargo transport glider built under license by RAC crashed at Lambert Field in St. Louis during a demonstration flight when its left wing buckled shortly after it had been released by its C-47 tow plane killing all ten on board including St. Louis Mayor William D. Becker, Maj. William B. Robertson, and Harold Krueger, both of Robertson Aircraft.[4][5]
Aircraft
| Model name | First flight | Number built | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waco CG-4 (license built) | Template:Avyear | 170 | Combat Glider |
References
- ^ Thomas Streissguth. The roaring twenties.
- ^ Richard Bak. The Big Jump: Lindbergh and the Great Atlantic Air Race.
- ^ John Motum. The Putnam Aeronautical Review.
- ^ "Mayor of St. Louis, Other Officials Die in Glider's Plunge" The New York Times, August 2, 1943, p. 1
- ^ "Breezing Along With The Breeze". Wings. December 1989.