On 10 December 1926,
Lloyd Stearman as president, Fred Hoyt as vice president, and George Lyle as secretary, chartered Stearman Aircraft, Inc. Aircraft fabrication took place in
Venice, California, with final assembly and test flights taking place at
Clover Field. Four C1 and C2 biplanes were built before production moved back to Wichita in 1927. On 1 October the company was renamed the Stearman Aircraft Company, after additional capital was raised by Walter P. Innes, Jr., and his business associates. The first aircraft constructed in the Wichita factory was a C2B, while adjacent to the factory was a 1390 foot runway. The C2M with mail pit, and a new model, the
Stearman C3 followed. On 11 December, Stearman was named president, Mac Short vice president, Walter P. Innes, Jr., secretary, and Harry A. Dillon treasurer. On 6 September 1927, the company charter was filed with the State of Kansas, and primary shareholders included Stearman, Short, Dillon, and Innes, plus H.M. Steinbuschel and J.O. Davidson, with Davidson also serving on the board of directors. and Northrop's operations were moved from Burbank to Wichita. ==Aircraft==