The "Holiday" as posted on e-Bay

I found my first “Wally Byam Holiday,” a 1954, in the backwoods of central Florida. It took me several months to find anyone who had even heard of the “Holiday.” While waiting till my schedule would allow me to begin restoration, I accidentally came across another “Holiday, this 1955 painted one on e-Bay. It was in much better condition than the 54 and although it would take a road trip from Georgia to the Catskills, I had to have it. Luck was in my favor once again and I became the proud owner of my second Wally Byam Holiday.

While building up Airstream’s Ohio production and sales during the first two years, Wally Byam also manufactured a less expensive trailer under his own name. Based on small lightweight trailers he saw in Europe, the Wally Byam “Holiday” is a 15’ flat-sided canned ham style trailer built only in Ohio and sold during 1954 and 1955. I am fortunate to have found and purchased two o of them them, both a 54 and a 55.

It can sleep five adults. The undercarriage is steel ladder frame construction like the Airstreams. The outside skin and most structural body members were riveted aluminum, with a few wood framing members as necessary. The interior on this one is all wood, 3 ply 3/16th inch thick Birch paneling. Balura paneling was also used. Standard equipment included a four burner butane stove, oil heater, airplane type toilet, sink and faucet, 50 lb. ice refrigerator, dinette, and a bunk bed over a rear double bed. The price was $1,395.00 F.O.B. Jackson Center, Ohio. In the first models, optional extra equipment included a marine type flushing toilet, 10 gallon stainless steel water tank and hand pump, gas light, propane Panel Ray heater, coil spring mattress, twin butane tanks and an Astral or Silo gas refrigerator. My 54 has the Gas light, an Alaska 110 electric refrigerator, the twin tank option and a Dearborn butane heater.