1929 Pitcairn Mailwing PA 6

In 1926 the independently wealthy Harold Pitcairn first won the New York to Atlanta mail contract, then later in the year acquired the Atlanta to Miami route. Forging the eastern costal lines into a single line he then decided to build his own plane to carry the mail. The Mailwing was the end product. Designed for night flying it had navigation lights on its port and starboard wingtips with landing lights on the lower wings at interplane struts. The forward cockpit area was given over to the mail compartment. On May 1 1928 Pitcairn Aviation’s Mailwing flew the first air mail from New York to Atlanta and, on December 1 all the way through to Miami. Within a year Pitcairn sold the airline for $2.5 million in cash to the aeronautical complex being assembled by C.M. Keys were it acquired a new name. Eastern Air Transport.