Travel Air Manufacturing Co. formed at Wichita October 1924 by group including Walter H. Beech, Clyde Cessna and Lloyd Stearman. Travel Air 1000 (August 1925) 3-seat biplane was better than rivals and led to 15 variants with many engines. H. Rawdon designed subsequent high-wing monoplanes, including 6-seat 5000 (January 1927) and derived 6000, also built as seaplane, and 4-seat 10-D and 10-B (1929), but in early 1930 sought refuge from Depression by accepting takeover by Curtiss-Wright, which continued same designs.