Barrett-Jackson lands vintage plane for Scottsdale show
September 30th, 2008, 2:08 pm · Post a Comment · posted by Donna Hogan
You may think it’s just an auto auction, but Barrett-Jackson has sold the Miami Vice boat, John Lennon’s piano and a 40-foot tall, fire-breathing, car-crushing metal dinosaur at previous Scottsdale events.
For this January, Barrett-Jackson chairman Craig Jackson has landed a World War II-era Ford Tri-Motor plane.
It was built in 1929 for passenger service, but it unexpectedly came under fire when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941, launching the United States into the world conflict. The plane was bombarded by bullets during the attack but was fixed up and restored to passenger duty. Since 1969, it has been privately owned and was part of the Wings and Wheels museum collection previously located in Orlando, Fla.
“Ford’s Tri-Motor airplanes played a very important role in creating the modern transportation system,” said Steve Davis, Barrett-Jackson president. “Just as he put America on wheels with the Model T ‘Tin Lizzie,’ Henry Ford created the Tri-Motor ‘Tin Goose’ airplane to help the general public realize the benefits of air travel. This particular plane has a wonderful history and everyone who loves both automobiles and aviation will be touched by its story.”
Jackson said he hasn’t lined up the 1,000 or so collector cars he plans to auction for his signature event, which roars into WestWorld Jan. 11, but the Tri-Motor will be a star attraction.