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Fly in the historic Ford Tri-Motor at St. Paul airport

The Ford Tri-Motor helped to usher in the commercial age of flight in the late 1920s.

ST. PAUL, Minn. - History and aviation buffs have a chance to experience flight in a 1920s Ford Tri-Motor this weekend at St. Paul Downtown Airport.

The Ford Tri-Motor helped usher in the commercial age of flight in the late 1920s. It was considered the first luxury aircraft and was the first all metal aircraft manufactured in the United States where the passengers rode indoors.

The "Fly on the Ford" tour lands in St. Paul July 5 through 8. It's free to come and look at the plane, but flights are $70 (advance) and $75 at the event for adults. It's $50 for children 17 and under. The rides are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday. You can check out their website flytheford.org or call 1-877-952-5395 for more information.

The plane that will be in the Twin Cities logged its first flight in 1929 and was the 150th Tri-Motor built. It was one of the first planes put into service for the Eastern Air Transport and later flew as part of Cubana Airlines.

In the 1950s and 60s the plane served as both a crop dusting plane and was used to fight forest fires by transporting smoke jumpers.

In 1973 the plane was damaged in a windstorm and was purchased by the EAA Air Museum Foundation from Hales Corners Wisconsin and was restored over the next 12 years.

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