All Aero

The Chevrolet Brothers Aircraft Company firm started after Arthur and Louis Chevrolet had left the automotive industry. Louis Chevrolet and his younger brother Arthur built cylinder heads and aftermarket speed equipment for Model T Fords in the 1920s. Around 1925 Louis started taking a deeper interest in aviation, attending air shows in and around the Indianapolis area. In 1926 he entered into negotiations with a group of Ohio businessmen who were looking to develop a new airplane engine.

In the spring of 1927, the Chevrolet brothers completed their first aviation engine, an air-cooled, single-overhead-cam, 4-cylinder engine. This engine was installed in a biplane built by the Moundsville Aircraft Corp of West Virginia. There are photos of Charles Lindbergh inspecting the engine in that airplane in the summer of 1927. On the plane’s maiden flight, it was forced to make an emergency landing because of engine trouble. The Chevrolet brothers went back to the drawing board, and news of their venture quickly disappeared from the public eye. In late 1927 or early 1928 the brothers had a heated argument, split up, and did not talk to each other for several years to follow. Given the failure of the first aero engine, and the events that took place in early 1928, it would appear that the argument stemmed from the design of their airplane engine.

In the spring of 1928, Louis left the Chevrolet Brothers Manufacturing Company and started a new company called the Chevrolet Aircraft Corporation. Louis then spent the next year developing his new engine

In late 1928, Louis sold a 90% interest in the Chevrolet Aircraft Corporation to Glenn L. Martin, and he was retained by Mr. Martin to be president of the company.

In January of 1931 Martin changed the name of the company to the Glenn L. Martin Motors Corporation, and Louis’ title was changed to VP and General Manager. The economic depression was drying up capital, and sales took a nose dive. Louis ultimately resigned from the Martin Company in December of 1931, but he did hold onto his stock. When the Glenn L. Martin Company had its initial Public Offering in 1934, Chevrolet and Martin were the only stockholders of the company, Louis still owning 1,000 shares (Martin half a million shares). In 1939 Martin sold the patent rights, and existing inventory of engines and spare parts to the Phillips Aviation Corporation.

The new company was overtaken by its creditors who sold rights to the engine to the Glenn L. Martin Company.

For a long time there has been confusion regarding these engines, some sources calling Louis’ a Chevolair, and so forth. Likewise there have been misunderstandings over the names of the two different companies. When Louis left his brother Arthur in late 1927, Art retained ownership of the Chevrolet Brothers Manufacturing Company. Louis then filed articles of incorporation for the Chevrolet Aircraft Corporation. In the fall of 1928, Art changed the name of the Chevrolet Brothers Mfg Co to the Chevrolet Aviation Motors Corporation. Complicating matters was the fact that Louis’ contract with Glenn L. Martin called for the exclusive use of the “Chevrolet” name. The brothers then had a hearing before the Indiana Secretary of State over the use of the name. Following that hearing Art changed the name of his company in early 1929 to the Arthur Chevrolet Aviation Motors Corporation. Later that year, the name of Art’s company was changed for a third time to the Chevolair Motors Corporation. Muddying the waters further, Glenn L. Martin (for reasons unknown) changed the name of the Chevrolet Aircraft Corporation to the Glenn L. Martin Motors Corporation in January 1931.

1927: Louis and Arthur form the Chevrolet Brothers Manufacturing Company, but their engine proves faulty. Louis exits the venture in late 1927, leaving Arthur full ownership of the firm.
1928: Louis files articles of incorporation for the Chevrolet Aircraft Corporation (fall of 1928).
1928: Arthur changes name of the Chevrolet Brothers Manufacturing Company to the Chevrolet Aviation Motors Corporation.
1929: Arthur changes name of Chevrolet Brothers Manufacturing Company to Arthur Chevrolet Aviation Motors Corporation as a result of a legal dispute with Louis. Apparently, Louis’ contract with his partner – Glenn L. Martin – in the Chevrolet Aircraft Corporation, called for the exclusive use of the Chevrolet name. Arthur changed the name of the original company as a result of a hearing before the Indiana Secretary of State.
1929: later this year, Arthur changes the name of his company once again (a third time) to the Chevolair Motors Corporation.
1931: for reasons unknown, Glenn L. Martin changes the name of the Chevrolet Aircraft Corporation to Glenn L. Martin Motors Corporation in January 1931.