This
travel trailer was built in Michigan by the Aerocar
Company of Detroit. These trailers were manufactured
commercially at several locations in the U.S.A.
at facilities that were licensed by the Aerocar
Corporation.
This
style of travel trailer was invented in about 1927
by Glenn
Curtiss, a leading American aircraft designer.
By using airplane principals he felt that he could
build a trailer that was lightweight, but strong
enough to travel over country roads.
The
trailers’ long streamlined bodies had a framework
made of vertical oak struts and horizontal longerons
that were connected by diagonally crossed nickel
steel airplane truss wires. These wires had turnbuckles
that were used to “tune” them to maximum
tension thus giving rigidity to the structure. Because
of this design, the trailers had no actual chassis.
The
wheels on the trailers were placed at the extreme
rear end and the front had a long, curved V-shaped
prow with a hitch that rested in the rear deck of
a coupe or roadster. The hitch utilized a “Glenn
Curtiss Aero Coupler”, which consisted of
an airplane tire and wheel mounted horizontally.
This arrangement was an effective cushion against
road shock.
The
trailers were covered on the outside with fabric
which was stretched tightly over tempered Masonite
panels. All Curtiss Aerocar trailers were custom
made, one at a time according to the customer’s
specific requirements. This 22’ trailer was
build for William Gray, a Canadian whose father,
Robert Gray had pioneered the production of Gray-Dort automobiles
in Chatham, Ontario.
In
the late 1930’s, a model such as this would
sell for about $5,000.00.
Owned
and restored by:
Ken and Lana Hindley
Union, Ontario, Canada
