Eastern Air Transport  Stinson U tri-Motor   NC12129    (c/n  9014)

                                          

                                              In February 1933 Eastern Air Transport purchased the routes and assets of Ludington Airlines.
                                              This company had started in 1930 as New York, Philadelphia and Washington Airways with a
                                              fleet of 8 Stinson SM-6000 Tri-Motors (the so-called Model T).    They eventually built up
                                              enough business to offer an "Every Hour on the Hour" schedule, and acquired at least one
                                              larger Stinson Model U, the aircraft seen above.  In 1931 the operating name became known
                                              as The Ludington Line.  This operation illustrated that, even then, possibilities existed for high
                                              frequency, low fare air transportation, especially in that corridor.  (There have been many
                                              "Shuttles" ever since).  Anyway, despite the fact that Amelia Earhart was a vice-president
                                              Ludington was not looked kindly upon by the then postmaster general Walter Folger Brown,
                                              and Eastern was awarded the air mail contract (despite their bid being some three times higher
                                              than Ludingtons) and the latter airline folded, being then snapped up by EAT.    This actually was
                                              the downfall of Brown.  All the Air Mail contracts were cancelled due to the corruption scandal
                                              and the Army took to flying the mails.  More on this on the page for the DC-2.