The Air Mail Act of 1925 opened the skies for Walter T. Varney, who purchased a fleet of Swallow biplanes and applied for Commercial Air Mail Route 5, carrying mail from Pasco, Washington through Boise, Idaho and on to Elko, Nevada. On April 6, 1926 Leon Cuddeback took off with 10 sacks of mail. History was in the making: Varney Air Lines eventually became part of United Air Lines.
Six Swallows were originally delivered to Varney with Curtiss K-6 150 hp six-cylinder inline engines. When airmail service began on April 6, 1926, from Pasco to Elko over the Cascade mountains, it was realized after a week that a more powerful engine was needed. The Swallows were grounded for 60 days until Wright Whirlwind J4 208 hp nine-cylinder radial engines could be installed. Successful flights then took place.
In 1934, Varney Airlines, National Air Transport, Pacific Air Transport and Boeing Air Transport merged to form United Air Lines. The four companies are represented by the four stars in United’s pilot wings.
Swallow restoration project
The United Airlines Historical Foundation undertook a fundraising effort to support the Experimental Aircraft Association’s restoration of an original 1927 Swallow biplane. UAHF provided a Continental W-670 engine to replace the original OX-5, then mounted a fundraising campaign for cockpit instruments, flying wires (to hold the wings together), radios, brakes and an exhaust system.
With the restoration complete, visitors to the EAA’s Pioneer Airport can view the plane and are periodically offered a chance to fly in a vintage open-cockpit air-mail plane. Learn more at EAA ↗
Watch Capt. Buck Hilbert talk about the Swallow Other restored aircraft