[VAC] Re: '38 Airstream on eBay - may be authentic

[wescott50@xxxxxxxxx (Bill Scott)]

Fred, you are absolutely right in terms of the 1938 Airstream models.
The reason we have no 38's or any year later , until 47, is because none
were made.   Last summer, I had a long conversation with the founder of
the VAC,  Rutherford, "Bud"  Cooper, and discovered that Wally Byam,
probably closed the factory in 1938 due to the Depression, and did not
re-open it until he left Curtiss Wright in 1947.    Many of us thought
that Wally stopped making Airstreams in 1939 just before the emergency
order on Strategic metals was issued by the War Materials Board.   In
fact,  in 1939,  the US ambassador to France returned from France to
tell  FDR that the Europeans were scared to death of the new German
"Luftwaffe" (Nazi Air Force).  FDR did affect an emergency order to
place US industry on alert to prepare for war, but no order on strategic
metals was issued until 1942.  In actuality, aluminum was so scarce in
1938, that the only ones able to get any , were Aircraft manufacturers.
With the Depression still dragging and money being a scarce commodity,
Wally probably closed the factory after the 1937 run.   Bud Cooper has
gleened this information from Wally's cousin Helen Byam Schwamborn.
She is still alive and living in Bakersfield , Calf..  Although,  she
was not sure that the factory was closed,  she did say,  she thought
Wally closed in 1938 due to,  "the absence of Capital."   What many
people do not realize, is that the "Depression" lasted until the War
started in 1941.   It is a small miracle  that any Airstreams were built
during the 30's.   If anyone has information to confirm or dispute the
above,  please let me know.

Bill Scott
Charter Member and Membership Chairman
Washington DC Unit,  WBCCI   #3221
Our Homepage;  http://www.servintfree.net/wbcci-dc/