The Benoist Aircraft Company was an early manufacturer of aircraft in the United States. It was formed in 1912

1912 in aviation

This is a list of aviation-related events from 1912:-January:*10 January – Lieutenant Commander Charles Samson flies Short Improved S.27 No. 38 from a platform constructed over the deck of battleship HMS Africa moored in the River Medway, England...

 in St Louis, Missouri by Thomas W. Benoist

Thomas W. Benoist

Thomas W. Benoist was an American pilot who started the first scheduled aircraft service.- Early life :In 1907 Benoist founded Aeronautic Supply Company with his brother becoming the first aircraft parts distributor. Benoist's first flight was at the Kinloch Park Aero Club field in Kinloch,...

. Over the next five years, it would manufacture some 106 aircraft, including Benoist XIV

Benoist XIV

-References:* * * * Servis, Richard. "". Non Fiction Reader Magazine* from St Petersburg Museum of History executive director Will Michaels printed in the St Petersburg Times 2 February 2004.* -External links:* *...

s that would be used for the first heavier-than-air airline service. The company dissolved with Tom Benoist's accidental death in 1917

1917 in aviation

This is a list of aviation-related events from 1917:- Events :* During her 30 November 1916-24 February 1918 cruise, the Imperial German Navy commerce raider Wolf carries a Friedrichshafen FF.33e seaplane nicknamed Wölfchen , which during 1917 singlehandedly captures at least four of the 37 enemy...

History

In 1908 Benoist founded the Aeronautic Supply Co, the first supplier of aircraft parts.

In 1913, Benoist moved production into the St. Louis Car Company

St. Louis Car Company

The St. Louis Car Company was a major United States manufacturer of railroad passenger cars, streetcars, trolleybuses and locomotives that existed from 1887–1973, based in St. Louis, Missouri.-History:...

 factory run by E. B. Meissner. After Benoist's death, Meissner continued to build aircraft on contract to the government as the St. Louis Aircraft Corporation

St. Louis Aircraft Corporation

St. Louis Aircraft Corporation was a American aircraft manufacturer founded in September 1917.In 1915, the St. Louis Car Company had been approached by Thomas W. Benoist to build 1000 flying boats in 1915. A prototype was built, but the concept did not into production.In 1917 The United States...

Benoist built the type XV twin engine flying boat with hopes to market it as a anti-submarine patrol aircraft for the British government. A round-the-world publicity tour was scheduled and a merger with the Meissner's company to make a thousand examples were in the works when World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

 tensions cancelled the efforts. In 1917 Benoist Aircraft moved operations to Sandusky, Ohio

Sandusky, Ohio

Sandusky is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Erie County. It is located in northern Ohio and is situated on the shores of Lake Erie, almost exactly half-way between Toledo to the west and Cleveland to the east....

.

Aircraft

align=center style="background:#BFD7FF"| Summary of aircraft built by

Model name	First flight	Number built	Type
Benoist Headless		1	Modified Curtiss Pusher
1912 Benoist		1	Tractor biplane
Benoist Land Tractor Type XII Benoist Land Tractor Type XII |-See also:...		5	Tractor biplane
Benoist XIV Benoist XIV -References:* * * * Servis, Richard. "". Non Fiction Reader Magazine* from St Petersburg Museum of History executive director Will Michaels printed in the St Petersburg Times 2 February 2004.* -External links:* *...		2	Flying boat
Benoist C		1	Pusher twin floatplane
Benoist E		1	Pusher twin floatplane
Benoist XV		1	Flying boat
Benoist XVII		1	Tricycle Biplane