Founded 1938 | ||
Harlow Aircraft Company was an American aircraft manufacturer at Alhambra Airport, Alhambra, California.
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History
The company was founded in 1936 by professor Max B. Harlow to build the Harlow PJC-2 a production version of the PJC-1. The aircraft had been designed and built as a class project at Pasadena Junior College. Harlow had worked with Howard Hughes on the Hughes H-1 racer. Hughes in turn later backed Harlow's enterprise. Flight operations were conducted at Alhambra Airport in the former Western Air Express hangar. The PJC-2 was followed by a military training version the Harlow PC-5. The PC-5 rights were purchased by Cub Aircraft Limited for wartime production. Harlow in turn bought one-third interest in Porterfield Aircraft Corporation. A majority interest in the company was bought by Intercontinent Corporation in 1941 who then sold the company to Vultee Aircraft The company and facilities were subsequently used to build aircraft assemblies and components throughout the war. In 1945 the company bought Alhambra Airport for $350,000 with the intention to build the Interstate Cadet but resold the rights to Call Aircraft Company in 1946 for $5,000, and the airport to real-estate developers.