1929 Ford Tri-Motor aircraft flies in to Mayfield May 23

An aviation icon will be on display in Mayfield next week and available to take you for a ride into history.

A 1929 Ford Tri-Motor will fly into the Mayfield-Graves County Airport on Friday, May 23, and stay through Sunday the 25th to give aviation buffs a rare glimpse of America's first mass-produced airliner.

Henry Ford is best known for putting America on wheels with millions of Model T automobiles, but he also moved airplanes from open cockpit barnstormers into reliable luxury air travel.

From 1926 to 1933, Ford Motor Company produced 199 Tri-Motors. The EAA's model 4-AT-E first flew in 1929 as the flagship of Eastern Air Transport, precursor to Eastern Airlines.

EAA’s Tri-Motor later ventured to Cuba and the Dominican Republic, then came back to the United States working in crop dusting and carrying firefighting smoke jumpers. In 1973, the Tri-Motor was restored by EAA staff, volunteers, and Ford Tri-Motor operators through an intensive 12-year effort.

It returned to the sky in 1985 and resumed its mission of enchanting passengers on annual tours across the United States. At last count, 8 Ford Tri-Motors were still airworthy as of 2011.

Flights in Mayfield will take place continuously throughout the day, Friday through Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are $85 to $105. Proceeds from the Ford Tri-Motor tour directly contribute to covering its maintenance and operational expenses.

Admission is free to view and photograph the plane.