08/14/2002. Manufactured in 1947.

(Larry Brannon Collection)

The following text from Aviation Week is not unique to the aircraft pictured:

01/02/1961. Gieuseppe M. Bellanca, 74, died last week in New York, USA. He designed the Wright-Bellanca monoplane Columbia which in 1927 set an endurance record of 51 hr 11 min 25 sec, and was the first aircraft to fly the Atlantic with a passenger. He founded the Bellanca Aircraft Corp., which he sold in 1954.

Text from an advertisement in November 1945 issue of Flying:

BETTER MILEAGE THAN YOUR CAR Many owners have flown the Cruisairs at the extreme fuel economy of 22 to 25 mls (35 to 40 km)/gal. Now comes the 1946 Cruisair- America's Economy Plane- with new additional war-developed features. Its modern design and attractive appearance will be augmented by all those characteristics of efficiency and dependability which carried Bellanca planes to so many world records over a quarter of this century. Get your name on file today for complete information. Bellanca AIRCRAFT CORPORATION New Castle, Delaware, USA