Introduced in 1929, the Ford tri-motor was a three-cylinder civilian aircraft. Some 199 of the aircraft, nicknamed the “The Tin Goose,” were produced. The tri-motor was designed for passenger use. With removal of seats in the fuselage, the plane could be adapted for hauling cargo. As with Ford cars and tractors of the period, these Ford-produced aircraft were relatively inexpensive, reliable, and well designed. A strength of the plane was that rudimentary servicing could take place in the field. The tri-motor could be fitted with skis and floats.