06/30/2014. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "The fourteen aircraft of this model were powered by either a 410 hp Wasp A (c/n 168, 169, 177, 181, 182, 184, 185) or 420 hp Wasp C (c/n 172 to 175, 178, 183, 186). With the exception of c/n 174 (NC988Y), which went to Asa G. Candler Jr. as an executive transport, all Orion 9s were delivered as airliners. Most Orion 9s had a fairly short life, with the first loss occurring on November 5, 1931, when c/n 178 crashed at Camden, New Jersey, and the last four or five aircraft ended their lives during the Spanish Civil War.

Another Wasp A powered aircraft in this series (c/n 192, NC12277) used the uncompleted fuselage of an Air Express, to appear in December 1932 as a cargo aircraft under the designation Orion 9 Special. Less than six months later it was modified as a passenger-carrying Orion 9E before delivery to Transcontinental & Western Air. While in service with that carrier it crashed near Kansas City on July 28, 1933.

The pictured aircraft was delivered to New York & Western Air Lines in May 1931. Subsequent owners were Air Express Corporation, Pacific Airmotive Corporation and San Luis Mining, whereafter it was exported to Mexico. Reregistered XB-AHQ in 1936, it served briefly with Lineas Aereas Mineras, as in 1937 it went to the Spanish Republicans."