Now we're getting somewhere - - - Don't think there is any connection between BALDWIN Airlines and BALDWIN LOCOMOTIVE WORKS. And can't see any connection with Insul or other traction enterprises. But, here we go again: There are tons of stuff on the Internet and Wikipidia about my great-uncle Frederick Brant Rentschler. (Check Rentschler Field in East Hartford) After an unsuccessful pass at building automobiles (Republic), shortly after graduating from Princeton in 1909, WWI came along, and he was commissioned as a 1st Lieutenant. Later he became President of the fledgling Wright Aeronautical Corp. After a quarrel with the stodgy directors he set out on his own and, yes, did start United Aircraft, and along with Bill Boeing, start United Airlines. Very abbreviated history, but Allen Hazen has it correctly. Company split apart into engines, airframe and airline. And, again, my God, did these men make money!!! I only wish that my side of the family had been early investors, but that was not to be. Check out cover story of TIME magazine, May 28, 1951, = MR. HORSEPOWER = "The engine is the key to our supremacy" And they were real pioneers with jet engines, Sikorsky, and later (now) a huge conglomerate. I only met him once, in the late 1940's, the last time he cam back to Hamilton, Ohio, for his final business meeting at the Hamilton Works, just prior to becoming BLH. So my history is from TIME and family here say, rather than direct association. All the best, Hank Rentschler PS: Glad to see that our BLH Site is getting some activity - I usually check Site most every day, and we have generally been dormant for the last 3/4 weeks. Signing off = HAR.
Henry A. Rentschler