Viewing page 22 of 43

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

plane, and continued the steady development of the "S" series famed "Tommies" into both tandem and side-by-side two-seater planes for training and sport flying. About this time the firm also started the study and development of all-metal plane construction methods and did much valuable pioneering work in this field.

In 1921 the firm built two racing planes which were entered in the National Air Races. Following the metal construction development several experimental all-metal military planes were built, using both the prevailing liquid-cooled and the new radial air-cooled engines, but these craft were never put into production.

After World War I Oliver retired from aviation and devoted his time to his extensive ranch properties near Rosario, Argentina. 

In 1922 William resigned his position as Vice President and Consulting Engineer of Thomas-Morse and retired from the firm. Since 1910 he had assisted in the planning and building of 22 different types of airplanes, and during World War I had guided his firm to becoming the fourth largest producer of military aircraft in the United States, certainly a creditable pioneering record. He continued to live in Ithaca for a time but soon purchased a residence property at Daytona Beach, Florida, for a winter home. At this time he began private aviation engineering consulting work and later became a Director and Consulting Engineer for the Cunningham Aircraft Corporation, Rochester, New York, a firm closely associated with the James Cunningham, Sons and Company, manufacturers of motor cars. The firm was engaged in research pertaining to all-metal plane construction and William assisted in these projects. This company later became the Cunningham-Hall Aircraft Corporation and some experimental all-metal commercial aircraft were built, including a special machine to enter the Guggenheim Safe Plane Competition in 1929. 

Frank Burnside remained as Chief Pilot for Thomas-Morse until 1923 when 

9