1928 Ford 4-AT-B Tri-Motor Airplane, "Floyd Bennett," Flown Over the South Pole by Richard E. Byrd

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Artifact Overview

The Ford Tri-Motor was the most popular airliner of the late 1920s and early 1930s. Its rugged dependability led Richard Byrd to choose a Tri-Motor for his attempt to be the first person to fly over the South Pole. On November 28-29, 1929, Byrd and a crew of three achieved that goal in this plane.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Airplane

Date Made

March 1928

Subject Date

November 1929

Creators

Place of Creation

Location

at Henry Ford Museum in Heroes of the Sky

Object ID

00.240.3

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Edsel B. Ford.

Material

Metal
Composite material

Dimensions

Height: 12.75 ft
Width: 76 ft
Length: 50 ft

Inscriptions

Sides: FLOYD BENNETT / BYRD ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION Tail: FORD / TRI-MOTOR Oval plate on each side: FORD MOTOR COMPANY / DEARBORN, MICH. Plate on center engine: Wright model R-1750 / 525 horsepower @ 1900 RPM / Serial #8509 / Dated 5/31/28 Plate on left Outboard engines: Wright Whirlwind model J-5A / 200 horsepower @ 1800 RPM / Serial #B-8964 / Dated 7/12/28 Plate on right Outboard engines: Wright Whirlwind model J-5A / 200 horsepower @ 1800 RPM / Serial #B-8968 (right) / Dated 7/12/28
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