WOW! AWESOME! BREATHTAKING! UNBELIEVABLE!
Here is a picture from the early 1930’s from a negative that has not been printed since it was first used in Airstream advertising.
The Airstream World has seen this, or similar images, copied from early prints. These images have been in books, magazines, and advertising.
This one came from a collection of negatives from the Estate of Helen Byam Schwamborn, my mother and Wally Byam’s cousin.
In this collection, there are negatives from different facets of Wally Byam’s life. Radio magazine days, early Airstream, 1948 Vanderbilt and Byam in Europe, Caravans, and other classic photographs are saved as negatives in this collection.
In the 1955 Airstream Story catalog, Wally mentions in 1929 and 1930 a partnership in Culver City, California, building a “Torpedo Car Cruiser,” which he referred to as a trailer.
I believe I have negatives of it. It looks more like a “Buck Rogers” style motorhome.
What else can be found in the archives? There are magnetic tapes with recordings of Wally Byam’s voice. How interesting!
Years ago, an author named Russ Banham wrote a book called Wanderlust: Airstream at 75. His book contains vintage photos, a company history, a timeline, and much more. In the process of writing the book, he interviewed me and, at one point, asked me to describe Wally’s voice.
After 45 years, I couldn’t.
I knew I had tapes, but no reel-to-reel player. So I visited a pawn shop and found one for $25. Upon returning home, I set up the player and selected a tape. Bingo: an excellent introduction to Wally, as recorded in 1954.
“Russ, do you remember our conversation earlier about Wally’s voice? Here is Wally, he can tell you himself.”
When you get up close to these early photographs, recordings, and artifacts, you feel Wally’s presence with you. You feel his passion for Airstream, the owners, the dealers, and providing Caravans. It's a passion he instilled in every person he touched.
When he left us in 1962 on his heavenly Caravan, his dream lived on through able custodians. With a few ups and downs, Airstream survived gas crises, economic downturns, and ownership changes. In 2015, Airstream represents Wally’s enduring passion and continues to build products that discerning buyers want.
Airstream has come a long way from the Torpedo pictured. But it lives up to its legendary past as an iconic symbol, revered worldwide, and as a manufacturer that continues to push boundaries and offer its customers travel comfort and high adventure.
Dale “Pee Wee” Schwamborn has silver in his blood. Each week, Pee Wee shares one of his many stories, including his experiences on the iconic Airstream Caravans, his time spent working in the Airstream factory, and the many Airstreamers he’s befriended, far and wide.
