Walter H. and Olive Ann Beech became the co-founders of Beech Aircraft Cooperation.  Before this Walter, was in the Air Corps. where he served as Army pilot, flight instructor and engineer, then he worked for Swallow Airplane Corporation as designer, test pilot, and salesman.  He resigned in 1924 to start his own company Travel Air Manufacturing Company and this is where he hired Olive Ann Mellor who learned the airplane industry from the ground and became his personal secretary.  With the stock market crash of 1929, Walter was forced  to merge with Curtiss-Wright Airplane Company where he served as president.  Walter and Olive Ann were then married in 1930 and in 1932 founded the Beech Aircraft Company, Walter-president and Olive Ann-secretary-treasurer.  They went to work with a handful of employees to make the first Beechcraft plane which was the Model 17 single-engine Staggerwing biplane which was produce through 1948.  In 1936, the company issued common stock and changed its name to Beech Aircraft Corporation.   Then in 1937, the Model 18 twin-engine Beechcraft was released.  These airplanes were used in World War II.  Everything was going strong, then in 1940 Walter was sick for almost a year and Olive Ann took over the company for that year.  Then when the war ended, they produced the commercial Model 18, single-engine V-tail Beechcraft Bonanza, rugged Beechcraft Twin-Bonanza and the advanced Super 18, with the latter being after Walter's sudden death in 1950 of a heart attack.  After his death in 1950, Olive Ann became the president and chairman of the board until 1968.  To meet the demand of airplanes new models were developed, and the demands of industry lead to Beechcraft pairing with other aircraft companies to produce assemblies for helicopters, transporter  and jet fighters.  Also there was contributions to the NASA space shuttles along with others non-aviation venues.  Olive Ann received many awards for her dedication to the company and growth of it. She became known as "The First Lady of Aviation."  Walter H. and Olive Ann Beech had a commitment to the aviation community for their  high standards of their airplanes.  They were both inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame.More information on aviation and the Beech's
 
 
 
 
 

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