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AAC Cadet - This particular Pitcairn Mail Wing was not used for the mail service. It was constructed by an enterprising mechanic from parts that he purchased that were left in the closed factory. This type of airplane was in fact used in the early air mail under the company name of Pitcairn. Pitcairn was one of several small air mail operators that merged and eventually became Eastern Airlines. This particular airplane was used in an Eastern Airlines Television Ad filmed in the early 80's. I flew the airplane into Atlanta International Airport with no radio just a phone call from a local 7 - 11 on the east side of Atlanta. As a side note the man that took me to the 7 - 11 was an elderly Mr. Gordon Bella, whom I later found out, was Doug Davis' mechanic during the racing heydays of the 20's and 30's. Pitcairn's airmail route extended from Atlanta up the eastern seaboard. Stone Mountain lies northeast of Atlanta. Story is that one of the Pitcairn's flying in the clouds ground to a stop on top of Stone Mnt. with no injuries to the pilot but the airplane was destroyed. Cole purchased this plane in the late 70's from someone in the northwest and flew it to Rhinebeck following Interstate 80. Sorry for the long post, just ramblin' on.
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