When he started Airstream, he continued to camp and hike, but usually took an Airstream out for the weekend. At that time, it may have been any one of the three early models: the Torpedo, Airlite, or Clipper.
Firsthand, Wally understood what it was like for his customers to use their Airstream travel trailers.
Wally’s first longterm Airstream use was in 1948, when he and his close friend Cornelius Vanderbilt, Jr. spent several months traveling Europe.
With his advertising and publishing background, he promoted his first Caravan to Mexico and Central America. Wally believed it could provide just the right shot of adrenaline to help Airstream continue to grow.
There is no doubt: that’s exactly what the Caravan accomplished. Each following year brought a better, larger, more exotic Caravan, making Airstream world renowned – an advertising success. Owners who joined the Caravans were able to venture into foreign areas they would otherwise be hesitant to visit.
As Airstream’s reputation grew, so did the company, which grew from one factory in California to a second in small Jackson Center, Ohio, which today serves as Airstream’s headquarters and production facilities.
But perhaps the best way to measure Airstream’s success is in miles traveled.
In 1956, the Airstream Wally Byam Caravan traveled six months in Europe. They traveled the Alpine highways, the German Autobahn, narrow village streets, and even braved a fierce June snowstorm.
In 1959, the African Caravan became a reality. There is no doubt that across the ocean, the Wally Byam Creed became a reality.
In traversing the continent, from Cape Town to Cairo, Caravanners were able to claim they experienced modern cities, native villages, rainforests, axle-deep desert sand, the Pygmy peoples, elephants, lions, pyramids, ancient temples, and a Wally Byam Caravan never to be repeated – the experience of a lifetime. There were good times and hard times in Africa, but all were exciting.
As always, Wally kept a close eye on the performance of the trailers themselves, as the taxing adventure was a way to evaluate and make improvements to Airstream design and construction. Always, the Airstream became a better product each time a Caravan had concluded.
For example, upon his return from Africa, Wally said, without reservation, that no longer would there be single-axle trailers at 24 or 26 feet in length – only dual axles.
As soon as possible, they would also implement rubberized axles and eliminate springs. That was the beginning of a change to DuraTorque axles used today in all Airstream travel trailers.
The entire process repeated itself once more in 1963, when the Around The World Caravan traveled from Singapore to Portugal, with visits throughout Asia, the Middle East, Europe, behind the Iron Curtain to Moscow, and finally to Land’s End in Portugal.
Airstream, through the years, has always listened to its customers, making improvements based on real feedback from road travel. Their engineers are always looking for and finding ways to make improvements. Sales receives feedback from dealers on what customers are looking for, and cooperation between purchasing and vendors allows new products to be introduced in manufacturing a better product.
With one final thought, I leave you with words from Wally’s final book, Trailer Travel Here and Abroad, in which he describes what it took for Airstream to become the most iconic name in land travel.
For in the final analysis the real measure of living is in seeking out and meeting challenges. What point is there, really, in always doing what is easiest?
There is no substitute for experiencing a thing firsthand. You have to feel the pains to enjoy the delights. You have to feel you own back aching, your own arms turning to lead, the rough calluses on your fingers. If you don’t you can never appreciate the view from the mountain top.
Mountain tops, it seems to me, don’t just naturally. You’ve got to climb your own and see for yourself.
…we know that what is worth while does not come easily. Part of the joy of triumph is in the earning of it. If everyone could learn this little lesson it would be a happier and wiser world.”
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.
Read more about Wally's Creed:
