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The Travel Air Co., one of the largest producers of commercial U. S. aircraft, is the work of Walter H. Beech, onetime instructor and barnstormer, now potent and resourceful executive. During the War he chafed at discipline which kept him at the job of instructing other young flyers. After it was over, he spent two years barnstorming, began to realize the futility of such hand-to-mouth work and cast about for a real job. In 1922 as an employe of the Swallow Airplane Co. he won the national efficiency race. In 1924, with three good years of apprenticeship in that outfit behind him, started the Travel Air Co. at West Wichita, Kan., with four other young fellows, two of whom, Clyde V. Cessna and Lloyd Stearman, now head their own companies. In 1925, Travel Air won the first Ford Reliability tour, and again in 1926. With these feathers in his hat, Beech began to expand into new territory, and to enlarge his factory. Between 1926 and 1929 there has gone on constant increase in factory output, steady research into aerodynamic design. He has fathered the design of six models now in stock production. His chief triumph is the phenomenal speed developed by his Mystery S. Fastest ship in the St. Louis show, it is a good indication of his relation to the industry. In 1929 the Curtiss-Wright merger got under way. Air-wise, the merger enthusiasts sought a good commercial outlet for their products. By absorbing Travel Air, but not allowing it to lose its identity, and making Beech the president of their Sales Corporation, they assured themselves of intramural coöperation with a company that was turning out roughly 25% of all the commercial planes made in the U. S.