Thomas Towle was an engineer that had been involved with many early aircraft designs.

[1] The salvaged all-metal wing featured internal bracing based on the Ford Trimotor design that Towle had worked on previously.

[2] The prototype was built at Grosse Ile Municipal Airport and first flew in May 1930 piloted by George Pond.

[2] The prototype was leased to Kohler Airlines for two years before being flipped in a gear-down water landing in 1932.

The aircraft was later sold and used in running liquor from the Bahamas to Florida during prohibition until it was destroyed in a storm at Bimini Island.