| Union Aircraft Company | |
| Type: | Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Foundation: | 1937 |
| Key People: | Keith Rider, CS Story, WK Gawley |
| Parent: | Story-Gawley Propeller Company |
Union Aircraft Company was an American aircraft manufacturer specializing in race aircraft.[1]
California based aircraft designer Keith Rider had developed aircraft since 1916, and specialty aircraft for the National Air Races in the early 1930s.[2] Starting his career as a draftsman for the Glen L. Martin Company. His five early racing designs built in a casket factory were state of the art monoplanes of the era. Despite large payoffs in the height of the depression, Rider fell into debt with the Story-Gawley Propeller company. He founded the Union Aircraft Company as a subsidiary of Story-Gawley to produce an aircraft that would provide enough winnings to pay off the debts, and seek future profits.[3] The company produced the Rider R-6 "Eight-Ball".
The profits did not come about, leading to the end of aircraft production. In 1941 the parent company Story-Gawley was absorbed by Industrial Forming.[4] Rider went on to become Vice President of Doak Aircraft, and project engineer for the Timm Aircraft Company.[5]
| + align=center style="background:#BFD7FF" | Summary of aircraft built by Union Aircraft Company | ||
| Model name | First flight | Number built | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rider R-6 | 1938 | 1 | Racing aircraft |