USA.
Formed during First World War at Dayton, Ohio, for quantity aircraft production, with Orville Wright as consulting engineer. Built Liberty-engined DH-4 (the “Liberty plane”) and Standard J-1. In 1919 built a limousine version of DH- 4, single-seat Messenger, and also a three-seater. In 1920 Milton C. Baumann designed the revolutionary RB Racer, with solid all-wood wing, totally enclosed cockpit and retractable landing gear linked to rod-operated leading and trailing-edge camber-changing flaps. Built the USB-1, an Engineering Division redesign of the Bristol Fighter; 1921 twin-engined seaplane; side-by-side two-seat TR- 3 (last rotary-engined design for U.S. Army) and singlewheel landing-gear TR-5. In 1922 built Douglas DF-2. In 1923 the parent company, General Motors, abandoned aviation and dissolved Dayton-Wright; aeronautical work of the company taken over by Consolidated Aeronautics Inc.

The Dayton-Wright Company approached the USAAS to replace their World War 1-era Curtiss JN-4 “Jenny” series of trainers and was in turn asked to deliver three TA-3 models for evaluation. Though the design itself proved promising enough, the TA-3 (designated with an “A” for its air-cooled engine operation) was delivered by request with an uprated Le Rhone engine of 110 horsepower. Still further evaluation models were ordered, this time with the requested Wright-Hispano I V-8, 150 horsepower engine of increased power (designated TW-3 with the “W” standing for its water-cooled engine process) finally culminating in an official order by the USAAS.
Production rights for the trainer were secured by the newly-created Consolidated Aircraft Company (established by Reuben Fleet of the Gallaudet firm) as General Motors was reviewing their commitment to aircraft production in a post-war world and would eventually shut down operations at Dayton-Wright altogether. The TW-3 was delivered by 1923 and became the first notable variant of the “Trusty” production line.