Unfortunately, modern RVs rarely earn praise from a design standpoint, lacking the charm of the most iconic older models. Over the past few years, however, one family has revived a classic example from the Golden Age of road trips, reviving a defunct brand and providing a meticulous reproduction (with all of the necessities of modern life accounted for, of course). Meet the Bowlus Road Chief, the family enterprise spearheaded by retired couple John Long and Helena Mitchell at the impetus of their daughter Geneva.

The Road Chief, as designed and sold by the Long family, is the reincarnation of a trailer originally designed by pilot and aircraft designer Hawley Bowlus. Bowlus's claims to fame include supervising the construction of Charles Lindberg's famous "Spirit of St. Louis," which made the first solo flight across the Atlantic in 1927. Bowlus created the first version of the Road Chief in 1934, using aviation principles and an aerodynamic aluminium monocoque (single shell) to create a vehicle reminiscent of the most advanced airplanes of the day.

While only 80 of Bowlus's Road Chiefs were ever built, the more successful line of trailers known as the Clipper (created by travel trailer pioneer Wally Byam and his Airstream Trailer Company) adopted a similar design in 1936. Since so few of the original Road Chiefs were ever produced, those which still exist today are prized heirlooms and collector's items. The family responsible for the brand's reboot got the idea after purchasing their own 1935 Road Chief and spending ten years restoring it.

The 1930s Road Chief was, in many respects, decades ahead of its time. Drawing off his experience working on aircraft like the Spirit of St. Louis, Bowlus adapted the principles of aviation design to trailers: his creation was lightweight and aerodynamic, with a low center of gravity and no space allowed to go to waste. The Road Chief was a leading example of the "moderne" school of design, whose enduring appeal had made it such an in-demand item at auctions. Taking on the task of engineering a 21st century edition of the roadway classic, John Long took these same principles to heart.

Aircraft-grade aluminium sheets are fastened to a tubular alloy skeleton (just as they were in the 1930s) to form the trailer's exterior, although the new trailers have been made eight inches wider and four inches taller to account for the taller, heavier people of today. With 70% more interior volume, the modern edition of the Road Chief includes amenities such as a glass-mat battery for devices, water tanks, plumbing and ventilation, and a propane tank. Even with these additions, the trailer still weighs less than half of its conventional counterparts weigh (just 2,300 lbs or 1,043 kg). Thanks to its minimized weight, the Road Chief can easily be pulled by everyday mid-size cars.

The Road Chief is a luxury trailer, of course, and the reborn company has added a slew of perks to earn that distinction. The trailer includes a glass top Italian cooktop and refrigerator, a six-foot sofa, integrated central heating and air conditioning, heated floors, 15" aluminium wheels, a portable 120-watt solar panel, a private bedroom (with twin beds that convert to a king size), and electric brakes.

Despite being classified as a luxury trailer, the Road Chief is still readily affordable compared to competing brands and more traditional models. As of 2017, the "Heritage Edition" will cost $115,000 while the "Open Road Edition" will run customers $137,000. Customers can custom select their own seating, linens, flooring finishes, and other personal touches. Given its price point and top-grade construction values, the reborn Bowlus trailer is designed to serve families for several generations over the course of its useful life.