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over and rolled, damaging the plane and propeller, but he was not injured.
During World War I Longren served in aircraft inspection work at McCook Field, Dayton, Ohio.
In 1919 he re-established the Longer Aircraft Corporation at Topeka, where in 1921 he brought out the Model AK training biplane. It was of unique construction, having a moulded, streamlined, vulcanized fibre fuselage, reinforced internally by ash stringers and light laminated ribs. It had folding wings for easy storage and was powered by a 60 h.P. Anzani engine. At the time he had his own flying field and hangar adjacent to his factory and was operating two planes for training and passenger carrying.
In 1923 Longren received an order for and built three fibre-fuselage planes for the Navy Department. In 1924 the Longer Aircraft Corporation was dissolved.
When the Spartan Aircraft Company was formed at Tulsa, Oklahoma, in January, 1928, Longren became Vice President of the new firm. There he assisted in the design and development of the well known Spartan biplanes.
By 1933 he [[strikethrough]]had[[strikethrough]] resigned to form[[strikethrough]]the[[strikethrough]] Longren Aircraft, Inc [[strikethrough]]orporated[[strikethrough]] of Kansas City, Kansas, to develop a plane with his patented metal fuselage.
In April, 1937, Longren became Vice President of Cessna Aircraft Company at Wichita, Kansas, where he remained for a time, later moving to Torrence, California. There he formed another Longren Aircraft Company which he operated until retirement in 1944.
In retirement he settled at Adin, a small town in Northern California, where he passed away on November 19, 1950, at age 68. His remains were returned to Kansas and burial took place at Leonardsville, his birthplace near Manhattan. LOngren was a founding member of the Early Birds.
Flying Pioneer Alvin K. Longren devoted most of his active lifetime to aviation as a plane builder, self-taught aviator, manufacturer, and true ambassador of flying. His contributions toward the progress of American aviation development were many and history must give him great credit for his lifelong efforts.
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