Seeing, in the latter part of 1930, a potential market for a light transport aircraft, Lockheed began development of the six-passenger Lockheed 9 Orion. This combined a Vega fuselage with the low-wing and landing gear of the Altair, and the NACA cowling introduced on the Air Express, the first such Orion being flown in early 1931. Orion production totalled 35, and the single Altair DL-2A was also converted to Orion configuration.

The first Orion (NC960Y) entered service with Bowen Air Lines at Fort Worth, Texas, in May 1931, and the type found use with 12 other American airlines. At least 13 of these aircraft, from various sources, were supplied to the Spanish Republican air force in late 1936, soon after the beginning of the Spanish Civil War.