Boles Aero

Stationed at Norman, Oklahoma, he could not find suitable housing for his wife and three children so he purchased a used 27 foot travel trailer in which the Boles family lived for the duration of the war.

[7][8] Released from the Navy after V-J Day, Don and his family enjoyed a cross country vacation towing the trailer home to California.

Several more hopeful buyers arrived after the sale and Don realized there was solid demand for travel trailers among the war weary population.

Inspired, he began designing a sturdy travel trailer with riveted aluminum construction, based upon his aircraft experience at Lockheed.

[1][10] Aware that growth demanded a proper manufacturing facility, Don purchased a commercial property in Burbank and began construction of a small factory in 1946.

Boles resisted the urge to increase profit margins by reducing build quality, setting an industry standard for solid construction.

[9][4] By the 1960's Boles Aero was one of the top trailer brands on the West Coast, with production and sales facilities in Burbank, California and Elkhart, Indiana.

They continued to evolve their design, treating the exterior panels of later trailers with gold anodizing to give them both a distinctive look and robust corrosion protection.

[9][2] During the Vietnam War Boles Manufacturing built lightweight mobile photo, medical, and dental labs that could be shipped overseas by large cargo aircraft.

Don and Jeanette attended these events frequently, happy to answer questions, share manufacturing details from old business records, and in some cases autograph trailer interiors.

Boles Aero travel trailers continue to generate interest and command high resale values well into the 21st century.