Luscombe history mystery

barnbstormer · **Posted:** Sun Mar 18, 2012 2:58 pm

I was just going through some more old aviation company archives here, in the Mono-Aircraft/monocoupe/Monocoach/Monoprep sections. Found some nice oled signed letters by Don Lusombe.

It was interesting to note that on the MONO-AIRCRAFT Inc letterhead,(Moline, Illinois) with a Dec 8, 1928 date, Luscombe has signed the letter "D.A.Lusombe, Vice Pres."
In future letters he signed, on the Monocoupe (Lambert Field Robertson MO.), and Luscombe (Kansas City, MO)letterheads.

If Luscombe was "ONLY" the Vice Pres, in 1928, it begs the question: "Who was the President, at that time). I'm sure it wasn't Folkerts, who worked "for" Luscombe. Having been re-organized from the Central States Aero Co. the answer may lie there...

I enjoy trying to find missing pieces of aviation history puzzles, in these original records, when I can. Does anyone know?

The Inspector · **Posted:** Sun Mar 18, 2012 4:06 pm

My guess would be Willard Velie who built cars in Illinois before building airplanes. He was a grandson of John Deere.
HEMMINGS CLASSIC CARS did a nice article about Velie cars and the leadup to Monocoupe about 2 years ago, might be able to get a reprint or back copy by writing to them.

Mo' info- Willard Sr. couldn't adequately run both the auto and airplane companies and sold the airplane side to Willard Jr in 1928 just before his death, Willard Jr. died in 1929 and the airplane company was purchased by Phil Baker an original backer of Lindberg & the Spirit of St. Louis, the car company was absorbed into John Deere. Willard Srs. home in Moline became a bank. geek

barnbstormer · **Posted:** Sun Mar 18, 2012 5:15 pm

Hi Inspector;
Thank you for the quick reply. (only about an hour!)
Further research along the lines you mention, and pointed out to me, suggest that Willard Velie and son were almost certainly the President(s) of Mono aircraft at the time Luscombe signed as VP in Dec. 1928, in Moline.
Hard to imagine Don Luscombe taking orders or direction from ANYone else. He readily admitted to always being open for a fight, with awareness that he often jumped in when silence would have been the smarter option, and confronted the regulating, and governmental authorities of the day, with bold insults and stinging criticism. He was definitely a leader, and NOT a "follower."

The Inspector · **Posted:** Sun Mar 18, 2012 8:27 pm

barnbstormer wrote:

Hi Inspector;
Thank you for the quick reply. (only about an hour!)
Further research along the lines you mention, and pointed out to me, suggest that Willard Velie and son were almost certainly the President(s) of Mono aircraft at the time Luscombe signed as VP in Dec. 1928, in Moline.
Hard to imagine Don Luscombe taking orders or direction from ANYone else. He readily admitted to always being open for a fight, with awareness that he often jumped in when silence would have been the smarter option, and confronted the regulating, and governmental authorities of the day, with bold insults and stinging criticism. He was definitely a leader, and NOT a "follower."

Or Don Mooney giving any positive thoughts about airplane mechanics as he designed? :lol:

JohnB · **Posted:** Mon Mar 19, 2012 10:22 am

Yes, it was W.L. Velie....
per the Monocoupe ATC 113 section of Juptner. Vol. 2 Pg.37.

Obergrafeter · **Posted:** Mon Mar 19, 2012 5:49 pm

Dons' wife was President at one time I think.

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Luscombe history mystery

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