Civilian Planes

Ohio History

Curtiss Jenny

The purpose of this plane, the Curtiss Jenny, was mainly pilot training during World War I. The aircraft was used both for basic flight training and for bomber training. More than 6,000 of these planes were manufactured before the end of the war. Many of the surplus aircraft were sold to civilians after the war and used throughout the 1920s and 1930s. This was the first time airplanes were widely available to the public, and began widespread civil aviation. In fact, stunt pilots used them to perform tricks in the sky, either solo or in groups, known as the 'airplane circus.' The planes were also used to sell airplane rides to civilians. They would traverse the country, spending a couple days in a farmer's field before moving on.