How Mail Made Commercial Aviation

Comparing Aircraft

The pictures has two aircraft parked in front of a hanger. In front is a Douglas M-2 biplane that is dwarfed by the Douglas DC-3 behind it. Both planes are painted in Western Air Express color schemes, the M-2 is painted red and silver with white lettering, the DC-3 silver with red lettering.
A Western Air Express DC-3 and a M-2 at Santa Monica, California, 1941.

Plane Comparison Chart

  Model Mail Capacity/
Passengers
Range Speed Year First
Manufactured
Refer to model name Curtiss JN-4H 200 lbs. 280 Miles 93 mph 1915
Refer to model name Standard JR-1B 180 lbs. 280 Miles 95 mph 1918
Refer to model name deHavilland DH-4B 500 lbs. 350 Miles 120 mph 1918
Refer to model name Curtiss Model R-4LM 400 lbs. 350 Miles 120 mph 1918
Refer to model name Martin MB-1 1,500 lbs. 490 Miles 100 mph 1918
Refer to model name Junkers JL-6 1,500 lbs. 860 Miles 110 mph 1919
Refer to model name Twin-DH 630 lbs. 500 Miles 130 mph 1919
Refer to model name Douglas M-1
through
Douglas M-4
1,000 lbs. 700 Miles 100 mph
145 mph
1925
Refer to model name Ford 4-AT 1,280 lbs. + 8 passengers 570 Miles 132 mph 1925
Refer to model name Curtiss Carrier Pigeon 1,000 lbs. 590 Miles 125 mph 1925
Refer to model name Waco 9 385 lbs. 375 Miles 90 mph 1925
Refer to model name Travel Air 5000 750 lbs. + 5 passengers 700 Miles 123 mph 1927
Refer to model name Pitcairn PA-5 600 lbs. 600 Miles 120 mph 1927
Refer to model name Swallow OX-5 360 lbs. 500 Miles 100 mph 1927
Refer to model name Boeing Model 40 800 lbs. 535 Miles 137 mph 1927
Refer to model name Pitcairn PA-7 500 lbs. 520 Miles 130 mph 1930
Refer to model name Boeing Monomail 2,280 lbs. (model 200)
750 lbs. (model 221)
530 Miles 158 mph 1931
Refer to model name Sikorsky S-42 2,000 lbs. + 36 passengers 3,100 Miles 190 mph 1934
Refer to model name Douglas DC-3 2,083 lbs. / 28 passengers 1,400 Miles 183 mph 1935