Dragoon Mountain Engineering (DME), based just outside Tombstone, AZ, was founded in April of 1935 by Mr. Henry McLaren, a native of Tombstone. 

     Mr. McLaren was born 8/22/1906, and lived a fairly uneventful childhood. His first exposure to aviation came as a child; his father's ranch began using ex-WW1 aircraft to track stray cattle, and run rustlers to ground. McLaren showed a degree of mechanical aptitude, helping to keep the old aircraft flying until newer units became available, and improving some of their weaker points (his talent with keeping notoriously cranky rotaries running was particularly well-known). His father, seeing this talent, convinced McLaren to attend college in Texas. 

     McLaren attended Texas A&M, and when not immersed in the technical intricacies of farm equipment, served a stint with the local militia, first as an assistant mechanic, then working his way up to crew chief. By the time he acquired his degree in spring of 1928, he ran the TAMU militia's mechanics' branch in all but official fact; this changed after graduation, when he was promoted to Chief Mechanic. 

     Two years later, all Hell broke loose; Texas seceded from the Union, touching off the collapse of the USA and Canada. Mexico, still attempting to re-absorb the southwestern US, decided Texas would be easy meat. The TAMU militia -and McLaren- found themselves on the sharp end of Texas's terrible swift sword. In the course of the war, McLaren was decorated twice for his work in keeping TAMU's aircraft (and in several cases, the aircraft of other militia units) up and running, allowing Texas to keep the Mexicans off-balance and behind the power curve. 

     McLaren served with TAMU until 1934, acquiring his Masters degree in aviation engineering. His retirement from the TAMU militia saw one of the largest going-away bashes ever seen. 

     He returned to Arizona, now part of the nation of Arixo, and attempted to find a place within Arixo's aviation community. However, the bureaucrats controlling Arixo's aircraft works did not look favorably upon someone with Texan connections; McLaren was, for all intents and purposes, blacklisted. 

     McLaren did not give up that easily -- Tombstone comes by its tough reputation honestly. McLaren's father advanced him the cash and land needed to start his business. McLaren's first foray into Arixan aviation involved a local militia outfit whose W&C Peacemakers were showing themselves inadequate for the light bomber role. McLaren and his small crew of mechanics created what he called the "Peacemaker 740", a turret-equipped, 2-crew, twin-engine version of the Peacemaker 370 (the 740 derives from "370 times 2", representing the doubling of crew and engines). The militia used the 740s to devastating effect -- they were so successful that Peacemaker pilots in Arixo's regular air force clamored for the government to acquire Peacemaker 740s. It took until fall 1937 before the first 740s arrived on AADF airfields; McLaren's firm, named for the mountain range that dominates Cochise County, AX, was swamped with orders for the 740, as well as other rebuilds. McLaren has never mentioned in interviews or other conversations his feelings towards Arixo's bureaucracy; most folk believe he lets his rebuilds do his talking. 

     Dragoon Mountain Engineering does not yet build any original designs; McLaren is still, in his words, "bootstrapping up to the level needed" (what level he believes he needs, he does not say). DME also sponsors a militia and field-testing unit, by name of "Cochise County Civilian Cavalry", or C-4; their main area of operations is across the AX-Mexican border, but they have also struck against pirate bands who have breached their agreements with Arixo (to the infinite annoyance of Arixo's government). 

William & Colt/Dragoon Mountain Engineering Peacemaker 740: DME's first refit, giving the Peacemaker a turret and double engines.

Sanderson Machine Corps/ Dragoon Mtn. Eng. FB14 "Vampire" Variants: A turreted "Vampire," as well as a passenger version.

Marquette Airworks/ Dragoon Mtn. Eng. PR-1D "Defender": A more heavily armored, speedier, and generally better version of the "Defender."

Bell Aircraft Corp./Dragoon Mtn. Eng. "Valiant I-E": This Valiant variant offers better range and sturdier fuel tanks, but at a lower cost.

Whittly & Douglas/ Dragoon Mtn. Eng. M210-F "Raven": A cheaper Raven variant with better close-range firepower.

Ravenscroft Industries/ Dragoon Mtn. Eng. "Coyote-B": This Coyote mounts a turret and sports better landing gear, at a steaper price than the original.