Hawley Bowlus

      William Hawley Bowlus, born 8 May, 1896, was a designer, engineer and builder of aircraft and recreational vehicles in the 1930s and '40s. Prior to his work on travel trailers, he was the Superintendent of Construction on Charles Lindbergh's aircraft, the Spirit of St. Louis. He also designed and constructed the innovative but unsuccessful XCG-16A experimental military glider ordered by the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1943.

Charles Lindbergh in front of his plane, Spirit of St. Louis

"Fathers of Aircraft Maintenance." Amtausa. http://www.amtausa.com/fam.html (accessed December 10, 2012).

Sources:

"History." Airstream, Inc. Airstream, Inc., n.d. Web. 14 Nov 2012. <http://www.airstream.com/company

      /history/>

The 1936 Airstream Clipper

 Streamlined Car

      The streamline style of the 1930s was a result of the Art Deco style that originated in Paris in the 20s.  This sleek, simple modern look was used widely in the designs of cars, furniture, and of course the iconic Airstream Clipper trailer.  William Hawley Bowlus was one of the first builders of the streamlined trailers.  He was the first to produced the aluminum Road Chief trailer that was shaped like an airplane fuselage.  

Road Chief 

      After Bowlus' company went bankrupt in 1936 Byam purchased some of his equipment and hired a number of his employees and redesigned Bowlus' trailer into the Airstream Clipper.  Byam installed roll-up windows and moved the door of the trailer to the side which allowed for the front edges to disappear.  He also moved the chassis between the wheels and raised the covers for a larger interior.  Today only a handful of Clippers remain but the look and feel of past and current Airstreams all originated from the original design.

Airstream Clipper

Sources:

Lopez Cotelo, B. "Airstream Clipper." Tectonica Blog, 21 January 2010. Web. 5 Nov 2012. <http://tectonicablog
      .com/?p=4470>.
Strongman, Tom. "1936 Airstream Clipper." Tom Strongman's Auto Ink, 17 September 2012. Web. 9 Dec. 2012. 
      <http://tomstrongman.com/1936-airstream-clipper-3/>.

Airstream: an Evolution

Approximately 1934, the first of the Airstream line

Starting in 1935 as the Bowlus Road Chief, it is the first aluminum travel trailer of its kind.

Following the Airstream's purchase of the Bowlus Company, the door was relocated to the side and the trailer was re-branded. The Clipper was born. (1937)

In 1948, the line grew to include 4 sizes of trailer.

 Over time, the Clipper grew, the interior having many different options, the exterior changing very little. Other models were introduced, and by the 50s, the Airstream fleet ranged across all sizes of trailer.

By 1963, the fleet had grown expansively, and continues to grow today

1963

1981

Today, Airstreams are more than just a mobile home, many people have taken to restoring and retrofitting them to their own individual needs.

A restored 1953 Clipper

Restored interior

Some Airstreams repurposed as food trucks

Sources:

Burkhart, Bryan, and David Hunt. Airstream: The History of the Land Yacht. San Francisco: Chronicle, 2000. Print.

"History." Airstream, Inc. Airstream, Inc., n.d. Web. 14 Nov 2012. <http://www.airstream.com/company/history/>

Hawley Bowlus' Road Chief

Hawley Bowlus's "Road Chief", the original riveted aluminum trailer. The company was purchased by Byam and later redesigned into the original Clipper by making minor modifications such as moving the door from the back to the middle.