THE MUSEUM OF FLIGHT SEATTLE, WA
ABOUT THE MUSEUM OF
FLIGHT SEATTLE, WA
The Museum of Flight is
the largest independent, non-profit air and space museum in the world! With
over 175 aircraft and spacecraft, tens of thousands of artifacts, millions of
rare photographs, dozens of exhibits and experiences and a world-class library,
the Museum and its people bring mankind's incredible history of flight to life.
HISTORY
A SPARK OF PASSION
In 1964 a small group of
aviation enthusiasts realized that important and historic artifacts
representing the evolution of flight were being lost or destroyed at an
incredible rate. To aid in the preservation of these artifacts, the Pacific
Northwest Aviation Historical Foundation was established with the goal of
saving significant aircraft and related artifacts to educate the public about
their importance.
A PLACE TO SET UP SHOP
It soon became clear that
a place to store and exhibit these artifacts was needed, and in 1965 the first
official Museum of Flight exhibits were put on display in a 10,000 square-foot
space at the Seattle Center, the location of the 1962 World’s Fair.
A NEW BEGINNING
The concept for The
Museum of Flight complex began to take in 1975 when the Port of Seattle leased
the land on which the Boeing Red Barn now sits to the Museum for 99 years. The
Red Barn, the birthplace of The Boeing Company, was saved from demolition in
its original location on the Duwamish River and floated by river barge to its
current location. The Red Barn was restored in 1983 and became the first
permanent location for The Museum of Flight.
A BRIGHT FUTURE
The Red Barn was
eventually joined by the Great Gallery in 1987, the Library and Archives
Building in 2002 and the J. Elroy McCaw Personal Courage Wing and Airpark in
2004. The Museum of Flight continues to expand our exhibits, our experiences
and our educational programs—paying homage to the history of flight and
inspiring the entertainment and education of generations to come.
https://www.museumofflight.org/About-Us/history
CONCORDO
Manufacturer: Concorde:
AƩrospatiale and British Aircraft Corporation
Model: Concorde
Year: 1978
Registration: G-BOAG
Dimensions: Wingspan: 83.83ft, Length: 204ft, Height: 37ft
Cruise Speed: 1,354mph
Power Plant: Four
Rolls-Royce/SNECMA Olympus 593 Mk 610 turbojets, 38,050 lbs. thrust each
Range: 4,090miles
British and French
aerospace companies began collaboration in 1956 on design studies of a
supersonic transport. Following formal agreement in late 1962, detailed design
and development began. French President Charles de Gaulle named the new
aircraft "Concorde" in a 1963 speech. First flight of the
French-built prototype 001 occurred at Toulouse in March 1969, followed by
British-built 002 at Filton, England a month later. The partnership would
ultimately lead to 20 Concorde aircraft built between 1969 and 1979. Flying
with Air France and British Airways, the glamorous supersonic jets offered a
luxurious and speedy trip across the Atlantic and other select routes for 27
years. Capable of speeds over two times the speed of sound and at altitudes up
to 60,000 feet (18,290 m), Concorde could fly from London to New York and
return in the time it took a conventional aircraft to go one way. A tragic
accident in Paris in 2000 led to flagging demand and rising operating expenses,
and Concorde service ultimately ended in 2003.
Concorde's elegant
"ogival" delta wing design took advantage of vortex lift at the lower
speeds associated with takeoff and landing. This configuration eliminated the
need for complex and heavy high-lift mechanisms. The Olympus 593 engine and its
inlet/exhaust design, a joint project of the British Rolls-Royce and French
SNECMA firms, was a significant contributor to Concorde's performance. It was
the only turbojet with reheat (afterburner, used for takeoff) in commercial
service during its flying career.
The Museum's aircraft,
registration code G-BOAG, is referred to as Alpha Golf. It was
first flown in April of 1978 and delivered to British Airways in 1980. It was
the eighth British-built production Concorde. Equipped with four powerful
Rolls-Royce/SNECMA Olympus 593 Mk. 610 turbojet engines, Alpha Golf logged
more than 5,600 takeoffs and over 16,200 flight hours while in service. It flew
the last British Airways commercial Concorde flight, from New York to London,
on October 24, 2003. On its retirement flight to The Museum of Flight on
November 5, 2003, Alpha Golf set a New York City-to-Seattle
speed record of 3 hours, 55 minutes, and 2 seconds. Much of the flight was over
northern Canada, where it flew supersonic for 1 hour, 34 minutes, and 4
seconds.
AERONCA C-2
Manufacturer: Aeronca
(Aeronautical Corporation of America)
Model: C-2
Year: 1929
Registration: N30RC
Dimensions: Wingspan: 36.00ft,
Length: 20ft, Height: 8ft
Maximum Speed: 80mph
Cruise Speed: 65mph
Power Plant: One
Aeronca E-107A, 26 h.p. engine (Currently equipped with an Aeronca
E-113 Range: 240miles
The Aeronca C-2 wasn't
fast, big, or powerful, but it was one of the first American airplanes to be
affordable and practical for the average person to own. Essentially a powered
glider, it heralded the dawn of general aviation in the United States, paving
the way for later types such as the Piper J-3 Cub. The pilot sat on a bare
plywood seat with five instruments, a stick, and rudder pedals in front of him.
If the pilot wanted a heater or brakes, that cost extra. The little plane had
odd, almost comical lines that earned it the nickname "The Flying
Bathtub." Aeronca sold 164 C-2s in 1930 and 1931, in the depths of the
Great Depression.
What became the C-2 was
derived from the U.S. Army Air Service GL-2 glider designed by Jean Roche, a
French-born engineer at McCook (later Wright) Field in Dayton, Ohio. Roche’s
next design, this time with an engine, was built with the help of John Dohse
and Harold Morehouse. In September 1925, both plane and inexperienced pilot
Dohse made their first flights. Dohse and Morehouse eventually left Dayton to
pursue other interests (Dohse went on to work for Boeing in Seattle), and Roche
was left to find a way to produce his successful little plane. In 1929, he sold
his design to the Aeronautical Corporation of America ("Aeronca") of
Cincinnati, Ohio, and after some refinement, it became the first of many
Aeronca C-2s and follow-on designs.
The airplane’s powerplant
followed a circuitous route. First, Roche installed a borrowed Henderson
motorcycle engine, but it couldn't get the plane off the ground. Roche next
turned to Harold Morehouse, who had designed a small engine to pump ballast air
into a blimp. It was modified and installed for the airplane’s first flights.
When a crash destroyed that engine, another was fashioned by Roy Poole and
Robert Galloway. For C-2 production, the Poole-Galloway engines were fabricated
by the Govro-Nelson Company, assembled at Aeronca, and called Aeronca E-107s.
The Museum's restored
1929 C-2 was owned by Robert Cansdale and donated in 1986. It has an Aeronca
E-113 36-horsepower engine that was typically used to power heavier Aeronca
C-3s.
AERONCA L-3B GRASSHOPPER
Manufacturer: Aeronca
(Aeronautical Corporation of America)
Model: L-3B
Grasshopper
Year: 1943
Registration: N47427
Dimensions: Wingspan: 35.00ft,
Length: 21ft, Height: 8ft
Maximum Speed: 87mph
Range: 350miles
The Aeronca L-3B is an
example of the light planes used by the U.S. Army during World War II. Built by
Stinson, Piper, Taylorcraft, and Aeronca, these little observation and liaison
planes, collectively nicknamed “Grasshoppers,” were adapted from existing
commercial airplane designs made before the war. Using established designs and
proven airframes saved time and money and brought the Grasshoppers into service
quickly. Aeronca's Model 65TC Tandem Trainer flew as the O-58, later changed to
L-3 ("Liaison" rather than "Observation"). Aeronca's L-3B
was modified with a wider fuselage, bigger windows, and additional military
equipment and was outfitted with a Continental A65-8 65-horsepower engine. The
L-3B was used as an observation plane, VIP transport, and artillery spotter and
director. A total of 701 L-3B aircraft were produced, among thousands of this
aircraft class built during the war.
The Army liaison-type
airplane's famous name is said to have originated with U.S. Army Major General
Innis P. Swift after observing a rough landing during maneuvers at Fort Bliss,
Texas, in the summer of 1941. Soon, all of the Army's liaison aircraft were
generically called "Grasshoppers."
The Museum’s L-3B was
manufactured in 1943 and was privately owned by several individuals after 1954.
From 1979 to 1980, the Aeronca was owned and restored by Henry Coleman and
Larry Henderson of Dayton, Ohio. It was purchased by Aeronca, Inc. in 1985 and
returned to its wartime colors for donation to The Museum of Flight.
https://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/aeronca-l-3b-o-58b-grasshopper
ALBATROS D.VA (L24)
REPRODUCTION
Manufacturer: Original
design by Albatros Flugzeugwerke, reproduction by Art Williams and Jim and Zona
Appleby
Model: D.Va
Year: 1917
(1984 reproduction)
Registration: NX36DV
Dimensions: Wingspan: 29.67ft,
Length: 25Ft, Height: 9ft
Maximum Speed: 116mph
Starting with the
introduction of the D.I (L15) in August 1916, the Albatros D series produced
many of the most iconic German fighter planes of World War I. However, while
early planes from the run were considered fast, hearty, and well-armed compared
to the opponents they met in the skies, the Albatros D.V had lost considerable
ground by the time of its introduction. It was outmatched by the more powerful
SPAD and S.E.5a or the more maneuverable Sopwith Camel. It was also plagued by
design deficiencies. "The D.V is so outdated that one does not risk
anything with it," were the harsh words from fighter ace Manfred von
Richthofen. "And the people at home, for nearly a year, have developed
nothing better than the lousy Albatros."
The Albatros D.Va (L24)
was an updated version of the D.V that attempted to address the worst design
flaws -- in particular, the "V" wing struts that caused the lower
wing to flutter in high speed dives, which could lead to structural failure.
Even with added support to strengthen the union between wing and wing strut,
the D.Va was far from perfect. Pilots were often instructed not to dive too
steeply in the plane.
Despite these
shortcomings, the Albatros factory was willing and capable of producing large
numbers of planes, and the war was raging. The result was that, when an Allied
pilot encountered a German fighter, it was usually an Albatros. Over 2,500
examples of the D.V and D.Va were made. Armament consisted of two 7.92mm
Maschinengewehr (MG) 08/15 machine guns, with interrupter gear to fire through
the propeller arc. These guns were sometimes referred to as
"Spandau," in reference to the arsenal where much of the German small
arms development and production occurred.
The Museum's D.Va
reproduction was completed in 1984 and delivered to the Champlin Collection.
Airframe and wings were built by Art Williams in Germany, and the final
assembly and finish work was completed by Jim and Zona Appleby. The aircraft
bears the markings of German ace George van Hippel and incorporates an original
Mercedes D.IIIa engine.
https://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/albatros-dva-l24-reproduction
ALEXANDER EAGLEROCK
Manufacturer: Alexander
Aircraft Company
Model: Eaglerock
Combo-Wing
Year: 1928
Registration: N4648
Dimensions: Wingspan: 36.00ft, Length: 25ft, Height: 10ft
Maximum Speed: 100mph
Cruise Speed: 85mph
Range: 395miles
The Alexander Eaglerock
series was one of several civilian aircraft brands that emerged after World War
I. Winging away from the Denver-based Alexander Aircraft Company at
"mile-high" altitudes, equipped with a Curtiss OX-5, 90-horsepower
engine, Eaglerocks joined Wacos, Travel Airs, and Swallows as the most popular
general aviation aircraft of the late 1920s.
The business that was to
become the Alexander Aircraft Company originally started in film production.
When owner J. Don Alexander became interested in airplanes, which he felt could
be a boon to film advertising, the company shifted gears toward aircraft
manufacturing. In 1925, the first Alexander Eaglerock hit the market,
incorporating innovations such as a tail wheel and wings that folded back for
storage. However, its performance didn’t live up to marketing promises and a
more conventional follow-on plane appeared in early 1926.
Later that year, AAC
designers Daniel Noonan and Al Mooney (who later founded the Mooney Aircraft
Company) unveiled the "Combo-Wing," an aircraft with three different
upper and lower wing configurations selectable by the customer. The Eaglerock
Combo-Wing was one of the first aircraft certificated by the U.S. Department of
Commerce, with Approved Type Certificate (ATC) #7 assigned to the
"Combo-Wing" and ATC #8 to the similar "Long-Wing" version
in April 1927.
The Museum's Eaglerock
was purchased by Frank and Victor Hansen in 1977. "It was a true basket
case," Victor said. "…So bad that we probably wouldn't have restored
it if it hadn't been for our father." Their father, Bernard Hansen, owned
an Eaglerock in the 1920s, which he used in barnstorming performances. The
Hansens, with Bill Duncan, restored this Eaglerock in memory of their father.
The Museum acquired the aircraft in 1998.
ANTONOV AN-2 COLT
Manufacturer: Antonov
Model: An-2
Colt
Year: 1977
Registration: N61SL
Dimensions: Wingspan: 59.71ft,
Length: 46ft, Height: 14ft
Maximum Speed: 157mph
Cruise Speed: 124mph
Range: 562miles
First taking to the skies
in August 1947, the Antonov An-2 has a record-setting production run and flying
career that spans over four decades. The aircraft was the first design of the
OKB-153 Design Bureau, led by Oleg K. Antonov and eventually based in Kiev,
Ukraine. It was originally designed for civil utility uses, but its versatility
allowed the An-2 to serve in a wide range of roles, including transportation,
search-and-rescue, agriculture and forestry, geographical survey, fire bombing,
and research. Military versions served with Soviet, later Russian, armed forces
and their allies. NATO assigned the code name "Colt" to the aircraft,
but it is known throughout the former Soviet Union as "Annushka"
(Annie).
The An-2 is one of the
largest single-engine biplanes ever produced. It was particularly prized for
its versatility and extraordinary slow-flight, short takeoff, and landing
capabilities. In fact, the An-2 has no published stall speed, and pilots have
been known to fly the plane under full control at 30 mph. This combined with
its ability to handle extreme weather conditions and rough, makeshift runways
made it an ideal workforce in undeveloped and remote operational environments.
In addition to its
original factory in Novosibirsk in the former Soviet Union, the plane has seen
production runs in the Ukraine, Poland, and China. It is equipped with a single
1,000-horsepower 9-cylinder Shvetsov ASh-62 radial engine. It has been produced
in dozens of variants that span civil, military, and scientific uses.
The Museum's An-2 was
manufactured in 1977. In April 1998, the aircraft, named Polar 1,
recreated a 1928 transpolar flight originally made by Hubert Wilkins and Ben
Eielson from Barrow, Alaska, USA to Spitsbergen, Norway. The recreation flight
included a landing at the North Pole on April 13, 1998. The An-2 was donated to
the Museum by owner Shane Lundgren and Air Berlin. In July 1999, Captain
Lundgren, an Air Berlin pilot, flew the An-2 across the Atlantic and mainland United
States to Seattle.
https://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/antonov-2-colt
BEECH C-45H EXPEDITOR
Manufacturer: Beech
Aircraft Corporation
Model: C-45H
Expeditor (Model D18S)
Year: 1942
Registration: N115ME
Dimensions: Wingspan: 47.67ft,
Length: 34ft, Height: 10ft
Maximum Speed: 215mph
Power Plant: Two
Pratt & Whitney R-985-AN-1-3 engines
Range: 700miles
Beech's twin-engined
Model 18 was developed to supplement their famous Model 17 Staggerwing. First
flown in January 1937, the Beech 18 was intended for private owners or charter
operators. Initial sales were slow, with only 39 units produced before the
outbreak of World War II. However, C-45 versions of the plane were widely used
by the Army and Navy as trainers for pilots, gunners, bombardiers, and
navigators, and as personnel and cargo transports. The last of the over 7,000
civilian and military versions of the Model 18 series was built in 1969, ending
a 32-year continuous production run.
Most of the American
pilots who flew the big bombers and cargo planes during World War II flew Beech
Model 18-type aircraft near the end of their training. After pilots had
mastered the small single-engine trainers, the next step was bigger, two-engine
craft. But pilots were not the only ones Beeches helped train. Around 90% of
the nation's navigators and bombardiers, as well as many aerial gunners,
learned their trade in Army and Navy versions of the 18.
The Museum's Beech was
built in November 1942 and delivered to U.S. Army Air Forces Bolling Field
Headquarters Command in Washington, D.C. It was transferred to Victorville Air
Field, California in 1946 and went into storage in 1949 at Hill Air Force Base,
Utah. Reclaimed in 1951, it was one of hundreds of C-45s extensively
remanufactured to the C-45G-BH standard (similar to the civil D18S); it was
delivered in "zero-timed" condition to Barksdale AFB in Louisiana in
December 1952. In 1957, it was further upgraded to the C-45H standard at
Laughlin AFB, Texas by substitution of Hamilton-Standard propellers and two Pratt
& Whitney R-985 AN-14B engines. By 1959, it was in storage again, this time
at Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson, Arizona.
After 17 years of serving
the Army and Air Force, this and several other C-45s were sold to Rogue Valley
Memorial Hospital of Medford, Oregon, later renamed Mercy Flights, Inc.
Nicknamed "Iron Annie" and "The Bandaid Bomber," the C-45
evacuated over 1,150 people from remote areas in Oregon and Northern California
to city hospitals for medical care. Among many missions, it was involved in the
August 1959 rescue operation following the explosion of a nitrate truck passing
through Roseburg, Oregon. This plane also flew missions to locate downed
aircraft and assisted in firefighting operations before being retired in 1980.
Mercy Flights donated “Iron Annie” to the Museum in 1982.
https://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/beech-c-45h-expeditor
BOEING 100/P-12/F4B
Manufacturer: Boeing
Airplane Company (now The Boeing Company)
Model: Model
100 (P-12/F4B)
Year: 1928
Registration: N872H
Dimensions: Wingspan: 30.00ft,
Length: 21ft, Height: 10ft
Maximum Speed: 169mph
Cruise Speed: 142mph
Power Plant: One
Pratt & Whitney R-1340B "Wasp" 450 h.p. engine (Currently has one
Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Junior engine)
Range: 520miles
In 1928, Boeing
introduced the first in a series of fighters that would become one of the most
successful designs of the interwar period. The Model 83 and 89 prototypes were
significantly advanced compared to Boeing's previous fighter planes. Refined
and improved versions were developed as the Army P-12, the Navy F4B, and the
civil Model 100 series. The military variants were armed with two machine guns,
one each of .30 and .50 caliber, and could also externally carry bombs. A total
of 586 examples of this famous Boeing biplane were built. It was one of the
premier frontline fighters for both the U.S. Army and Navy throughout the
1930s.
The P-12/F4B/100 series
is a mixture of old and new design components. Although many monoplane designs
were emerging in the late 1920s, the military still wanted proven, World War
I-style biplanes. While the Boeing fighters were still primarily cloth-covered,
the company incorporated corrugated aluminum aileron and tail surfaces. The
wing structure was made of spruce and mahogany, but the fuselage was a
combination of welded steel tubing and bolted aluminum tubing. Later versions
incorporated aluminum skin throughout.
The Museum's Boeing Model
100 was one of four built as commercial export versions of the Navy F4B-1. This
one was delivered to Pratt & Whitney and was used as a flying test bed.
Over the course of its career, it flew with a variety of different engines,
including the R-1340 Wasp, R-985 Wasp Jr., R-1535 Twin Wasp, and R-1690 Hornet.
In 1933, Pratt & Whitney
sold the plane to stunt pilot Milo Burcham, who modified it for skywriting,
extended inverted flight, and airshow stunts. Later, the aircraft was purchased
by well-known movie stunt pilot Paul Mantz. The plane appeared (often in
disguise) in many aviation films, such as Men With Wings (1938)
and Task Force (1949). In 1977, it was acquired by a
restoration group led by Lew Wallick and Bob Mucklestone, who restored the
plane to flyable condition. Today, the Model 100 sports a P-12 scheme in the
markings of the U.S. Army 95th Pursuit Squadron, circa 1929.
BOEING 737-130
Model: 737-130
Year: 1967
Registration: NASA
515
Dimensions: Wingspan: 87.00ft,
Length: 94ft, Height: 37ft
Cruise Speed: 575mph
Power Plant: Two
Pratt and Whitney JT8D-7 engines
Range: 1,150miles
The 737 is the smallest
and most popular jetliner in the Boeing family. Dependable and economical, the
737 series has a reputation as a workhorse and can be found in airline fleets
across the world. Since 1967, over 10,000 "Baby Boeings" have been
produced.
The 737 was designed to
share significant component commonality with its predecessor 707 and 727
aircraft. One major difference for the new 737 was elimination of the flight
engineer station and adoption of a two-crew flight deck. The 737-100 and
stretched -200 entered service in 1967. Early production was based at the
Thompson Site at Boeing Field before moving to Renton in 1970.
The 737-300/400/500
family was introduced in the mid-1980s and sported several engineering
improvements, such as new high-bypass ratio CFM56 engines and a new flight
deck. Originally designed as a purely short-haul aircraft that could fly 1000
to 2000 miles, the 737 achieved transcontinental range in the mid-1990s with
the Next Generation (NG) 737-600/700/800/900 series. The NG also introduced the
Boeing Business Jet (BBJ). The 737 MAX family, the fourth generation of the
737, entered airline service in 2017.
Several military versions
of the 737 have served in various roles. The U.S. Air Force T-43
navigator-trainer was based on the 737-200. The C-40A/B was based on the NG
series and provided personnel and cargo transport capability for the U.S. Navy
and Air Force, respectively. The NG airframe is also the platform for the U.S.
Navy P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft and airborne early warning and
control (AEW&C) aircraft for several nations.
The Museum's aircraft is
the very first 737 ever produced. It was the last new airplane to be
manufactured at Boeing Plant 2. The aircraft made its first flight with Brien
Wygle and Lew Wallick at the controls on April 9, 1967. Boeing used the 737 as
a flight test aircraft before selling it to NASA in 1974. Based at the Langley
Research Center in Virginia, this 737 became the Transport Systems Research
Vehicle, known as NASA 515. It tested many technological innovations, including
a virtual cockpit, electronic flight displays, and airborne windshear detection
systems. It was retired in 1997.
This aircraft is on loan
from the NASA Langley Research Center.
https://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/boeing-737-130
BOEING B&W REPLICA
Manufacturer: The
Boeing Company
Model: B&W
Year: 1916
(1966 replica)
Registration: N1916
Dimensions: Wingspan: 52.00ft, Length: 31ft
Maximum Speed: 75mph
Cruise Speed: 67mph
Power Plant: One
Hall-Scott A-5, 125 h.p. engine (Replica has one Lycoming GO-435 170-horsepower
engine)
Range: 320miles
The B&W was the very
first Boeing aircraft, designed and built by William E. Boeing and Conrad
Westervelt, hence the "B&W" initials. Boeing, then a prominent
timber man, and Westervelt, a Navy engineer, first met at Seattle's University
Club. They bonded over their shared interests and backgrounds; both men liked
boating and playing bridge, both had studied engineering, and both had a
fascination with the dawning field of aviation. Their initial flights in a
Martin seaplane convinced the two men they could develop a better airplane. The
result was the Model 1 or B&W, which had its first flight on June 15, 1916.
The B&W's basic
design was derived from the Martin TA Trainer, which Boeing had purchased after
taking flying lessons at Glenn Martin's school in Los Angeles. Boeing and
Westervelt incorporated a number of improvements and innovations into their
aircraft, including a lighter, improved aerodynamic wing section and twin float
configuration that gave the B&W better handling on the water. Boeing showed
the plane to the Navy in the hopes of a contract but was turned down. Both the
first B&W, nicknamed the "Bluebill," and the second, called the
"Mallard," which was built the following November, were eventually
acquired by the government of New Zealand. Their ultimate fate is unknown.
As for the B&W's
creators, Westervelt was soon transferred to the East Coast and went on to
command the Naval Aircraft Factory in Pennsylvania. Boeing proceeded with his
aeronautical efforts by incorporating the Pacific Aero Products Company in
1916. It would eventually become an aerospace giant.
The Museum's B&W is a
1966 replica built for The Boeing Company's 50th anniversary by the Jobmaster
Company of Renton, Washington. Though externally similar to the original
B&W, it incorporates a number of design changes for safety and ease of
construction, such as revised tail surfaces, steel-tube fuselage, and a
different engine. While the original B&W had one Hall-Scott A-5,
125-horsepower engine, the Museum's replica has a Lycoming GO-435
170-horsepower engine. With these changes, the aircraft was given the official
designation Boeing Model 1A.
This aircraft is on loan
from The Boeing Company.
BOEING 787 DREAMLINER
Manufacturer: The
Boeing Company
Model: 787-8
Dreamliner
Year: 2009
Dimensions: Wingspan: 197.25ft,
Length: 186ft, Height: 56ft
Maximum Speed: 593mph
Cruise Speed: 567mph
Power Plant: 2x
Rolls-Royce Trent 1000
Range: 9,030miles
The Boeing 787
"Dreamliner" introduced multiple technical innovations to the world
of commercial air travel. Through its widespread use of composite materials in
primary structure, more electric (less pneumatic) systems architecture, and
advanced aerodynamic and engine technology, the 787 achieved a 20% reduction in
fuel burn compared to previous airplanes in its class. It also maintains a
lower maximum cabin altitude for improved passenger comfort and offers larger
windows for viewing the scenery outside. The 787 is roughly the size of the 767
but with the longer range of the 777.
Initially marketed as the
7E7, the airplane was designated 787 at the time of its official launch in
April 2004. It was originally planned for delivery in 2008, but the challenging
technical and business aspects of the program resulted in schedule delays.
First flight finally occurred on December 15, 2009, with first delivery to All
Nippon Airways (ANA) on September 26, 2011.
The initial version, the
787-8, can carry 210 to 250 passengers. The longer 787-9 carries 250 to 290
passengers. The longest version, the 787-10, accommodates 300 to 330
passengers. These figures vary with airline seating configuration choices and
flight range.
The Museum's 787-8, known
as ZA003, was the third Dreamliner built. It first flew on March 14, 2010. In
addition to its role in the flight test and certification program, Boeing flew
ZA003 to 23 countries during a global marketing showcase of the 787 called the
Dream Tour. At the Museum, the airplane's interior is partially configured as
an airliner and flight test aircraft, with the remaining space now devoted to
displays and artifacts covering the development of the 787.
https://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/boeing-787-dreamliner
BOEING B-29 SUPERFORTRESS
Manufacturer: Boeing
Aircraft Company
Model: B-29
Superfortress
Year: 1942
Registration: 44-69729
Dimensions: Wingspan: 141.25ft,
Length: 99ft, Height: 28ft
Maximum Speed: 365mph
Cruise Speed: 220mph
Power Plant: Four
Wright R-3350-23 engines, 2,200 horsepower each
Range: 5,830miles
The B-29 Superfortress
was the most capable bomber of World War II. It could carry more payload and
fly faster and at higher altitudes than contemporary types such as the Boeing
B-17, Consolidated B-24, or Avro Lancaster. Its performance enabled long-range
systematic bombing of Japan in 1944 and 1945. Two modified B-29s dropped atomic
bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan in August 1945, helping end the war in
the Pacific.
The B-29 continued in
frontline bomber service through the Korean War. The aircraft was also used in
other roles, such as maritime patrol, aerial refueling, weather reconnaissance,
and search and rescue. Specific B-29s were adapted as "motherships"
for research aircraft in the late 1940s and 1950s, including Chuck Yeager's
first supersonic flight in the Bell X-1. The design was further developed as
the B-50, introduced in 1947.
The B-29 development
program was an unprecedented industrial effort in the early 1940s. The aircraft
introduced several innovations for bomber types, including pressurized crew
areas, remotely-controlled gun turrets, and dual bomb bays with alternating
bomb release. It was the world's heaviest production airplane at the time of
its introduction. The B-29's refined aerodynamics benefited from significant
wind tunnel testing.
The initial XB-29
prototype first flew from Boeing Field in Seattle, Washington on September 21,
1942. The powerful Wright R-3350 engines experienced chronic overheating issues
during testing, leading to the crash of the second prototype just north of
Boeing Field on February 18, 1943. Wartime production of the B-29 was spread
among Boeing plants in Wichita, Kansas and Renton, Washington and built under
license by Martin and Bell.
The Museum's B-29, known
as T-Square 54, fought in the Pacific during World War II, flying at least 37
combat missions with the 875th Bomb Squadron, 498th Bomb Group. After the war,
the bomber was converted to an aerial refueling tanker and served in the Korean
War. The aircraft was then retired to the China Lake Naval Gunnery Range, where
it remained until a rescue was organized in 1986 by volunteers from Lowry Air
Force Base in Colorado. Restoration work was begun, but the closure of Lowry in
1994 resulted in the aircraft's transfer to The Museum of Flight, where
detailed restoration continues while on public display.
This aircraft is on loan
from the National Museum of the United States Air Force.
https://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/boeing-b-29-superfortress
BOEING B-52G STRATOFORTRESS
Manufacturer: Boeing
Airplane Company (now The Boeing Company)
Model: B-52G
Stratofortress
Year: YB-52
first flight 1952, B-52G first flight 1958
Registration: 59-2584
Dimensions: Wingspan: 185.00ft, Length: 159ft, Height: 41ft
Cruise Speed: 650mph
Power Plant: Eight
Pratt & Whitney J57-P-43WB engines
Range: 7,500miles
The Boeing B-52 was
developed as a strategic long-range bomber. Originally designed to deliver
nuclear weapons from high altitude, it has demonstrated flexibility in a
variety of unforeseen roles. During the Vietnam War, the aircraft was adapted
to carry up to 84 500-pound conventional bombs. Over time, advances in
anti-aircraft missiles required a shift to a low altitude, under-the-radar
mission profile. In the 1980s, the B-52 began a new role as a stand-off cruise
missile launch platform. The aircraft continues to adapt to new 21st century
missions in response to changing requirements and threats.
The YB-52 prototype first
flew at Boeing Field in April 1952, and the B-52A entered service with the U.S.
Air Force in 1955. A total of 744 B-52s were produced in Seattle, Washington
and Wichita, Kansas, culminating with the B-52H model last delivered in 1962.
Some B-52H aircraft are expected to continue operation until 2040.
The Museum's B-52 was one
of 193 G-models built at Boeing's Wichita plant. The G-model incorporated
numerous improvements in avionics, fuel system, and flight controls, as well as
a shorter vertical fin. The Museum's B-52 was delivered to the U.S. Air Force
in October 1960 and spent its entire service life with the Strategic Air
Command. It was one of 110 B-52Gs that saw combat during the Vietnam War as
part of Operation Bullet Shot/Linebacker. When it was retired in 1991, it had
accumulated 15,305 hours of flight time. It was demilitarized under the terms
of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) in August 1992.
After its retirement, the
aircraft was placed in outdoor storage at Paine Field in Everett, Washington.
In June 2017, the Museum launched "Project Welcome Home," a
fundraising effort to restore this aircraft for inclusion in a commemorative
park honoring Vietnam War veterans. In 2019, the restored B-52 was relocated to
the Museum's main campus, where its serves as the centerpiece of the Vietnam Veterans
Memorial Park.
This aircraft is on loan
from the National Museum of the United States Air Force.
https://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/boeing-b-52g-stratofortress
BOEING MODEL 40B
REPRODUCTION
Manufacturer: Original
design by Boeing Airplane Company, reproduction by Century Aviation
Model: Model
40B Replica
Year: 1927
(2007 replica)
Dimensions: Wingspan: 44.17ft,
Length: 33ft, Height: 12ft
Maximum Speed: 137mph
Cruise Speed: 125mph
Power Plant: One
Pratt & Whitney R-1690 "Hornet" engine
Range: 535miles
In 1925, Boeing built its
first Model 40 in response to a U.S. Post Office competition for a design to
replace war surplus de Havilland DH-4s. The specification required using the
World War I-era Liberty engine. The Model 40 first flew in July 1925, and the
Post Office purchased the single airframe, but no more. However, the Kelly Act
of 1925 opened up air mail to private ventures, stimulating a new industry.
In late 1926, when the
Chicago-San Francisco airmail contract went for bid, former Boeing pilot and
experienced mailplane operator Eddie Hubbard approached the company's chief
engineer, Claire Egtvedt, with a business proposal. Together, they revisited
the Model 40 design. A two-seat passenger compartment was added, the fuselage
structure was redesigned with welded steel tubing, and -- most importantly --
the water-cooled Liberty engine was replaced with the new and efficient Pratt
& Whitney air-cooled Wasp. Hubbard and Egtvedt convinced William Boeing
that the improved Model 40 would enable the firm to win the transcontinental
contract.
Boeing indeed won the
business with the new airplane, dubbed Model 40A. The newly formed Boeing Air
Transport would conduct the operation, beginning in July 1927. It was
immediately profitable; asked how he could operate so efficiently, Boeing said,
"I would rather fly 200 more pounds of mail than water." In addition
to mail, the two-passenger compartment created a market of its own. Later
versions of the 40 flew with a more powerful Pratt & Whitney Hornet and
room for four passengers. Over time, 40As were upgraded to the Hornet and
called 40B, later 40B-2 after introduction of the four-passenger 40B-4.
The Boeing Model 40 was
the company's first major commercial success, ensuring Boeing a place in the
rapidly growing civil market of the late 1920s. It also cemented a long-lasting
relationship with engine-maker Pratt & Whitney. A total of 77 Model 40s
were built between 1925 and 1932.
Thanks to the generosity
of William E. Boeing Jr., the Museum's Model 40B reproduction was constructed
by Century Aviation of Wenatchee, Washington, and was installed in our Great
Gallery in October of 2007.
https://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/boeing-model-40b-reproduction
BOEING CH-47D CHINOOK
"MY OLD LADY"
Manufacturer: Boeing
Vertol
Model: CH-47D
"Chinook"
Year: 1961
Registration: 91-00261,
Dimensions: Length: 98ft,
Height: 18ft 11in
Maximum Speed: 200
mph
Cruise Speed: 180
mph
Power Plant: 2x
Lycoming T55-GA-714A turboshaft engines
Range: 460
miles
The CH-47 Chinook is a
descendent of the banana-shaped Piasecki helicopter designs of the 1940s and
1950s, such as the H-21. Frank Piasecki’s company was renamed Vertol in 1956
and acquired by The Boeing Company in 1960. The first CH-47A Chinook for the U.S.
Army entered service in 1962, and the type was widely used in Vietnam. The
Chinooks were vital to many aspects of that war, including troop transport,
placing artillery batteries in mountain positions inaccessible by other means,
and recovering downed aircraft. Chinooks retrieved 11,500 disabled aircraft,
worth over 3 billion U.S. dollars, throughout the conflict.
In the 1980s and early
1990s, a major upgrade program was initiated, converting over 500 “A” models to
more powerful and modernized CH-47Ds. Three hundred of these airframes were
further modernized in the early 2000s as the CH-47F, with digital flight decks
and numerous improvements. Further enhancements are planned, which should keep
CH-47s flying into the mid-21st Century.
The Museum’s Chinook,
named My Old Lady, was built in 1962, and on January 9, 1963 it
became the fifth Chinook accepted by the U.S. Army. The twin-engined helo
accommodates a crew of two or three and up to 50 troops. It has served with the
U.S. Army and Army National Guard, based at Camp Murray near Joint Base
Lewis-McChord in Washington, since 2009. The aircraft flew combat missions in
Iraq, Kuwait, and Afghanistan during 2009-2011. Locally, it was flown in
support of domestic emergencies, most recently the Okanogan Complex Wildfire in
2015. It is the only authorized U.S. Army aircraft with nose art. My
Old Lady was the oldest flyable Chinook in the world-wide Army
inventory when it was taken off of flight status in 2017 after 54 years of
service.
BOWERS FLY BABY 1A
Manufacturer: Original
design by Peter Bowers, built by Al Stabler
Model: Fly
Baby 1A
Year: 1971
Registration: N4339
Dimensions: Wingspan: 28.00ft,
Length: 19ft, Height: 7ft
Maximum Speed: 120mph
Cruise Speed: 107mph
Power Plant: Continental
A-65 engine
Range: 320miles
The Fly Baby was the
winning entry in the 1962 Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Design
Contest. Designed and built by Seattle resident Peter Bowers, the little plane
specifically met EAA's requirements for a low-cost, folding wing plane that
could be towed or trailered and is easy to build and fly. A popular design with
many homebuilt aircraft enthusiasts, the Fly Baby's plans sold for about $65.
The finished airplane could fit in a standard garage and could also be built in
biplane and twin-float seaplane versions. Although not intended for heavy
aerobatics, the little Fly Baby can do simple loops, barrel rolls, and spins.
A life-long aviation
enthusiast, Bowers wrote his first aviation article as a high school student in
1938. He became one of the world's most respected aviation historians, with
numerous books and hundreds of articles to his credit. Never far from a camera,
Bowers also amassed one of the United States' largest collections of aviation
prints and negatives, now held in The Museum of Flight's archives.
This particular Fly Baby
was built by Al Stabler. He purchased plans in November of 1967 and made the
maiden flight in his Fly Baby on February 2, 1971, at Kitsap County Airport in
Washington State. The plane was retired in 1980 with about 130 hours of flying
time.
According to Al Stabler's
logbook, actual work on the plane began early in 1968. The all-wood
construction consisted of spruce structural members, fir plywood, and mahogany
door skins. The gas tank and engine cowling were homemade and the wheels,
propeller, and engine were purchased locally. The airframe was inspected by the
FAA in September of 1970 and assigned the registration number N4339. Soon
after, the wings were covered with Ceconite 101 fabric and nine coats of
brushed-on dope. That November, Al began taxi tests, and the following
February, his Fly Baby finally took to the skies!
BOWERS FLY BABY PROTOTYPE
Manufacturer: Peter
M. Bowers
Model: Fly
Baby
Year: 1962
Registration: N500F
Dimensions: Wingspan: 28.00ft,
Length: 19ft, Height: 7ft
Maximum Speed: 120mph
Cruise Speed: 107mph
Power Plant: One
Continental C-85, 85 h.p. engine
Range: 320miles
The Fly Baby was the
winning entry in the 1962 Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Design
Contest. Designed and built by Seattle resident Peter Bowers, the little plane
specifically met EAA's requirements for a low-cost, folding wing plane that
could be towed or trailered and is easy to build and fly. A popular design with
many homebuilt aircraft enthusiasts, the Fly Baby's plans sold for about $65.
The finished airplane could fit in a standard garage and could also be built in
biplane and twin-float seaplane versions. Although not intended for heavy
aerobatics, the little Fly Baby can do simple loops, barrel rolls, and spins.
A life-long aviation
enthusiast, Bowers wrote his first aviation article as a high school student in
1938. He became one of the world's most respected aviation historians, with
numerous books and hundreds of articles to his credit. Never far from a camera,
Bowers also amassed one of the United States' largest collections of aviation
prints and negatives, now held in The Museum of Flight's archives.
The Museum's Fly Baby is
the original prototype, built by Peter Bowers himself. Bowers labored 720 hours
to construct the aircraft, at a cost of $1,050. It first flew on July 27, 1960
(the EAA contest was postponed to 1962 due to initial lack of entries).
Following a crash by another pilot in April 1962, the fuselage was replaced. It
was later obtained by Bob and Diane Dempster. The Museum acquired the aircraft
from the Dempsters in 2004.
https://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/bowers-flybaby-prototype
CAPRONI CA.20
Manufacturer: Caproni
Model: Ca.20
Year: 1914
Dimensions: Wingspan: 26.00ft,
Length: 27ft, Height: 10ft
Maximum Speed: 103mph
Power Plant: One
Le RhƓne 110-horsepower rotary engine
The Caproni Ca.20 was an
aircraft ahead of its time in design, purpose, and armament. In early 1914,
before World War I, this speedy single-seat monoplane was created and equipped
with a forward-facing machine gun mounted above the propeller arc. Considered
the world's first fighter plane, the Ca.20's pilot could aim the overhead
.303-caliber Lewis machine gun at enemy aircraft via false sight at eye level.
The model 20 was a
derivative of Caproni's Ca.18 reconnaissance airplane -- the first Italian-made
airplane to be used by the Italian military. The new "fighter plane"
version incorporated a larger engine (a Le RhƓne 110-horsepower rotary engine),
shorter wingspan, and a streamlined metal cowling to reduce drag and increase
speed. Interestingly, the left wing is 5.5 inches longer than the right wing
(presumably to counter the torque reaction of the rotary engine.)
Test flights in 1916
proved that the Ca.20 was an exceptional airplane -- the equal of other
military airplanes being made in France and Germany. Yet the Italian military
wanted Gianni Caproni's company to focus on heavy bombers and only this single
Ca.20 was ever produced.
The Museum acquired the
historic aircraft in 1999. The plane was preserved by the Caproni family in
Italy for over 85 years. It was eventually stored, strangely enough, in a
monastery. To prepare for its move, the Ca.20 was carefully dismantled piece by
piece by Museum staff and then lowered through a second story window. The rare
aircraft was then shipped to The Museum of Flight and painstakingly reassembled
and displayed as it appeared in Europe. The Caproni Ca.20 may not be as crisp,
clean, and pretty as the day when it was rolled out from the workshop, but
that's part of its beauty. Unlike most aircraft in museum collections, this
plane is displayed in almost entirely original condition. It wears covering
that was applied long ago, and that battered fabric shows all of the scars and
stains of a century of life.
CESSNA CG-2 GLIDER
Manufacturer: Cessna
Aircraft Company
Model: CG-2
Year: 1930
Registration: N178V
Dimensions: Wingspan: 35.17ft,
Length: 18ft, Height: 7ft
Cruise Speed: 25mph
To keep his aircraft
manufacturing company alive in the early years of the Great Depression, Clyde
Cessna began to sell small and simple aircraft such as the CG-2 glider (Cessna
Glider, model 2). Designed and built with his son, Eldon, the little sport glider
sold by catalog for $398. The CG's spartan design was based on German primary
gliders used to train pilots after World War I. It could be launched to flight
speed by a slingshot-like device using bungee cords. Longer flights could be
made off a hill or ridge, or pulled by automobile. Cessna advertisements of
1930 stated, "Glider pilots will be future transport pilots."
The CG-2 became the basis
for many other small Cessna aircraft, including the CPG-1, a powered glider;
the CS-1, a sailplane; and the EC-2, a tiny one-place monoplane. Cessna records
show sales of only 54 CG-2 units, although many more may have been built from
kits. Sadly, sales of the CG-2 and its offspring could not save the Cessna
Company from shutting down in 1931. Clyde Cessna would revive the company in
the mid-1930s with a successful line of air racers.
The Museum's CG-2 was
purchased and assembled in 1930 by ten members of the Yakima Glider Club, which
had been recently founded by pioneer Northwest aviator Charlie McAllister. The
glider cost $400, paid in equal allotments by the 10 members. The club flew the
glider for ten years. It was preserved and eventually donated to The Museum of
Flight in 1987.
CURTISS P-40N WARHAWK
Manufacturer: Curtiss-Wright
Corporation
Model: P-40N
Warhawk
Year: 1944
Registration: NL10626
/ 44-4192
Dimensions: Wingspan: 37.34ft,
Length: 33ft
Maximum Speed: 378mph
Cruise Speed: 288mph
Power Plant: Allison
V-1710-81 12-cyclinder 1,360 hp
Range: 750miles
The Curtiss P-40 was
obsolete at the outbreak of World War II, and despite continued improvements,
never equaled the capabilities of its adversaries. But it had one priceless
advantage: it was available and being efficiently mass-produced when needed
most. It was an effective weapon when its strengths were leveraged: diving
passes and rapid departure without engaging in a turning dogfight with more
agile opponents. The U.S., Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Free
French, South Africa, and Russia flew the Curtiss fighter, and it served in all
theaters of operation. The most famous P-40 unit was undoubtedly the American
Volunteer Group (AVG), better known as the "Flying Tigers," who had
great success flying the type in China in early 1942.
Derived from the Curtiss
P-36 series and first flown in 1938, the P-40 was kept in production until
1944, with nearly 14,000 of all models delivered. The British called it the
Tomahawk (B and C models) and Kittyhawk (D and E models). The F through R
versions were known as Warhawks in U.S. service. The N model had decreased fuel
capacity and increased armor, along with other minor system changes, relative
to its predecessors. It was armed with four .50 caliber machine guns and could
carry one 500-pound and two 100-pound bombs.
The Museum's P-40N-30 may
have the lowest flight time of any surviving warbird. It was flown directly
from the Curtiss factory in Buffalo, NY, to storage near Tucson, Arizona in
1945, with only 60 hours of total flight time. It was later put on display in
Griffith Park in Los Angeles for a number of years, until noted movie pilot
Frank Tallman acquired it and loaned the fighter to the San Diego Aerospace
Museum. Doug Champlin purchased the P-40 in 1972 and had it fully restored by
Dick Martin at Carlsbad, California in 1979. The chosen markings are those of
Colonel Phil Colman of the Chinese-American Composite Wing. The plane was named
after "O'Reilly's Daughter," a popular Army Air Forces drinking song.
https://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/curtiss-p-40n-warhawk
CURTISS – ROBERTSON ROBIN
C-1
Manufacturer: Curtiss-Robertson
Aircraft Corporation
Model: Robin
C-1
Year: 1929
Registration: N979K
Dimensions: Wingspan: 41.00ft,
Length: 25ft, Height: 8ft
Maximum Speed: 120mph
Cruise Speed: 102mph
Power Plant: One
Curtiss Challenger 185 h.p. engine (Currently equipped with a Wright
R-760-8)
Range: 300miles
Curtiss designed the
Robin to capitalize on the new popularity of aviation following Charles
Lindbergh's transatlantic flight in 1927. It was a simple cabin monoplane
design with seats for a pilot in front and two passengers in back. The aircraft
was originally built to use a World War I-surplus OX-5 engine (still available
almost 10 years after the war), though Robins later incorporated newer power
plants. The dependable and inexpensive Curtiss Robin became one of the most
commercially successful civil airplanes of its time, with 769 produced from
1928 to 1930. It was the most-produced Curtiss aircraft in the period between
World Wars I and II.
The Robin was a practical
airplane, but best remembered for unusual endurance flights. In 1930, Dale
"Red" Jackson performed over four hundred consecutive slow rolls in
his Robin. In 1929, Jackson and Forrest O'Brine spent nearly 17 days circling
over St. Louis. That record was surpassed in 1935 by the brothers Fred and Al
Key, who flew their Robin for over 27 continuous days. (Fuel was delivered from
another Robin via hose; mail, food, oil, and spare parts came via container on
the end of a rope.) The most famous Robin may be that of Douglas
"Wrong-Way" Corrigan, who flew the Atlantic to Ireland after
announcing his destination as Los Angeles. These endurance flights showed not
only the reliability of the Robin but the dependability of aircraft in general
during the 1930s.
The Museum's Robin,
dubbed The Newsboy, was purchased in 1929 by the Daily
Gazette newspaper of McCook, Nebraska. Delivered as a C-2 Robin
powered by a Curtiss Challenger 185-horsepower engine, it flew 380 miles (600
km) a day to deliver 5,000 newspapers to 40 towns across rural Nebraska and Kansas.
Publisher Harry Strunk hired pilot Steve Tuttle to deliver the Gazette in
the morning and (hopefully) defray costs by selling flying lessons in the
afternoon. At each town, Tuttle would drop a bundle of newspapers out of a hole
in the bottom of the fuselage. The Newsboy is considered the
first aircraft to be used to deliver newspapers on a regular schedule.
After sustaining damage
in a tornado, the aircraft was eventually sold, repaired, and flown
sporadically in the ensuing decades. The aircraft was restored as a C-1 in the
late 1960s by Perry Schreffler and Robert Van Ausdell and is currently equipped
with a Wright R-760-8 engine. It has been on loan to the Museum since 1972.
https://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/curtiss-robertson-robin-c-1
DA VINCI II CIGNO
INTERPRETATION
Manufacturer: Sandy
McAusland, John Grove, and Merle Haley from a design by Leonardo da Vinci
Model: Ornithopter
Il Cigno
Year: 1490
Dimensions: Wingspan: 31.34ft,
Length: 14ft, Height: 5ft
Leonardo da Vinci
(1452-1519) was one of the great minds of the Renaissance. Although most famous
for his contributions to art, he was also proficient in mathematics, anatomy,
botany, physics, and engineering. His flying machine illustrations are some of
the earliest documented design concepts for human flight.
Il Cigno (The Swan)
is an ornithopter, a machine shaped like a bird that is held aloft and
propelled by wing movements. The pilot pulls the wings down by pushing with
their arms and legs, while air pressure pushes the wings back up. The moveable
tail, actuated by the pilot's body movements, controls pitch and yaw during
gliding flight. However, ornithopters were technological dead ends; human musculature
and metabolism are woefully inadequate for the job. A bird has some 60 percent
of its weight devoted to the muscles that operate its wings, a huge lung
capacity to sustain prolonged flight, and hollow, lightweight bones.
Still, Il Cigno could make a respectable glider and with a
brave, strong, and very light pilot, it might achieve a couple of wing flaps
during a flight.
Il Cigno was built by Sandy
McAusland, John Grove, and Merle Haley in 2002-2004, in consultation with
Leonardo experts. It is not an exacting reproduction of one of Leonardo's
sketches. The builders concluded that Leonardo's sketches were simply a
thinking process, never intended to be made into working machines. Leonardo
himself likely knew that he had not solved the problem; the wide variety of
designs and unfinished drawings tend to support this conclusion. His sparing
collection of human flight studies moved the dream of flight toward practical
design, but much additional work would need to be done by others centuries
later.
No modern materials or
manufacturing techniques were used to build Il Cigno. Wood dowels
and rawhide fasten the members together. The structure is white oak, a
Mediterranean wood commonly used during Leonardo's time. This interpretation of
Leonardo’s vision was presented to the Museum in 2004
https://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/da-vinci-il-cigno-interpretation
DOUGLAS A-4F SKYHAWK II
Manufacturer: Douglas
Aircraft Company
Model: A-4F
Skyhawk
Year: 1966
Registration: 154180
Dimensions: Wingspan: 27.50ft,
Length: 40ft, Height: 15ft
Maximum Speed: 674mph
Power Plant: One
Pratt & Whitney J52-P-8A engine with 9,300 lbs thrust
Range: 2,000miles
The nimble and speedy A-4
Skyhawk bucked the trend of "bigger is better." In 1952, Douglas
designer Ed Heinemann, who had been the company's chief engineer since 1937,
proposed that the Navy's newest attack plane be smaller, lighter, and faster
than its contemporaries. Heinemann's team produced an A-4 design that surpassed
all of the Navy's requirements for a light attack aircraft at about half the
requested size and weight. Starting in 1955, the small but powerful A-4 flew
with Navy and Marine units, eventually flying combat missions during the
Vietnam War. The Skyhawk was the aircraft flown by the U.S. Navy Flight
Demonstration Squadron, better known as the Blue Angels, for the 1975-1986
seasons.
A small package with a
powerful punch, the Skyhawk enjoyed many advantages over larger Navy planes.
A-4s were easy to manage on an aircraft carrier deck and their stubby modified
delta wings didn't need to be folded for storage. Without complex wing-folding
mechanisms, the Skyhawk was even lighter and simpler to maintain. These
attributes allowed it to stay in operational service with the U.S. and several
other countries for over 35 years. The Skyhawk had one of the longest
production runs of any American combat aircraft, with 2,960 built over 26
years.
The Museum's A-4 was
delivered to the U.S. Navy in 1967. From 1967 to 1970, it served with attack
squadrons VA-125, VA-93, VA-23, and VA-22 at Naval Air Station (NAS) Lemoore in
California. It is believed to have seen action over Vietnam while VA-22 was
deployed aboard the USS Bon Homme Richard (CVA-31) in 1970.
During 1971-1972, the aircraft was assigned the Naval Air Test Center at
Patuxent River, Maryland, then to the Naval Air Training Command at Pensacola,
Florida until 1975. Afterwards, it was transferred to training and service
squadron VF-43 at NAS Oceana, Virginia, where it served in land-based
capacities until 1980.
In May 1980, with 2,773
flight hours logged, the Skyhawk was assigned to the Blue Angels. Several
modifications, including removal of the upper fuselage avionics
"hump," were completed to configure the aircraft for its new role.
From 1980 to 1986, the Blue Angels flew the aircraft in positions 2, 3, 4, and
6. When the squadron transitioned to F-18 Hornets in 1987, their A-4s were
retired. The Museum's A-4 sat at the Boneyard at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base
for several months before overland transfer to Seattle in June 1987. The
aircraft is now painted as Blue Angel number 4, associated with the
"slot" position; when the Blue Angels fly in diamond formation, the
slot flies directly behind the leader, surrounded on three sides by other
aircraft.
This aircraft is on loan
from the National Naval Aviation Museum at Pensacola, Florida.
https://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/douglas-4f-skyhawk-ii
FOKKER D.VII REPRODUCTION
Manufacturer: Original
design by Fokker Flugzeug-Werke GmbH (Fok.), reproduction by Jim and Zona
Appleby
Model: D.VII
Year: 1918
Registration: N38038
Dimensions: Wingspan: 29.34ft,
Length: 23ft, Height: 9ft
Maximum Speed: 117mph
Power Plant: One
Mercedes D III, 160 h.p. in-line engine or one B.M.W. III, 185 h.p. in-line
engine
Most experts agree that
the Fokker D.VII was the finest all-around fighter plane of World War I.
Designed by Reinhold Platz, the prototype was test-flown in a January 1918
design competition by a number of notable German airmen, including Manfred von
Richthofen. The D.VII was the clear winner, and was ordered into immediate production
at Fokker, as well as under license at two Albatros factories. The different
production lines worked from separate drawings, and their respective D.VII
output and parts were not completely standardized. Regardless, by late April
1918, the first D.VIIs arrived to waiting combat units. By the end of the war
in November, 775 were in service.
Pilots found that the
Fokker had good visibility and was a maneuverable but relatively easy ship to
fly. The D.VII remained very controllable even at its altitude ceiling, and
pilots were able to make it "hang on its prop" to fire upward at
higher-flying Allied machines. Famous German aces such as Ernst Udet, Erich
Lƶwenhardt, and Hermann Gƶring achieved great success in the D.VII. Allied
aviators began to dread the appearance of the "straight wings" with
their "coffin noses." Although it couldn’t reverse the declining
fortunes of the German Army on the ground in late 1918, the feared Fokker D.VII
was the only airplane mentioned specifically by name to be handed over to the
Allies under the Armistice terms.
Fokker D.VII armament
consisted of two 7.92mm Maschinengewehr (MG) 08/15 machine guns, with
interrupter gear to fire through the propeller arc. These guns were sometimes
referred to as "Spandau," in reference to the arsenal where much of
the German small arms development and production occurred.
The Museum's reproduction
aircraft was started by the noted aircraft replica builder Joe DeFiore. After
buying the basic steel-tube fuselage from DeFiore, Doug Champlin shipped it to
Jim and Zona Appleby, who later completed the aircraft for museum display.
Equipped with an original Mercedes water-cooled engine and two Spandau machine
guns, it is authentically painted in the unique lozenge-pattern camouflage of
the period and carries the winged-sword emblem of German ace Rudolf Berthold.
https://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/fokker-dvii-reproduction
FOKKER D.VIII
REPRODUCTION
Manufacturer: Original
design by Fokker Flugzeug-Werke GmbH (Fok.), reproduction by E. O. Swearingen
Model: D.VIII
Year: 1918
(1960s reproduction)
Registration: NX7557U
Dimensions: Wingspan: 27.34ft,
Length: 19ft, Height: 8ft
Maximum Speed: 128mph
Power Plant: One
Oberursel U II 9, 110 h.p. rotary engine (currently has a Warner radial)
The Fokker D.VIII was the
firm's final and most advanced design of World War I. Designed by Fokker's
great engineering genius, Reinhold Platz, the innovative D.VIII was a highly maneuverable
parasol-monoplane aircraft with great pilot visibility and pleasing flight
characteristics. It would have been a formidable opponent had it not been so
late in entering the war.
The swift and nimble
fighter's initial designation was E.V. Arriving to combat in August 1918, its
meaningful service time at the front was delayed while a wing structure
problem, which caused three planes to fatally crash, was rectified. By the time
the airplane was again placed in service, now labelled D.VIII, only 80 units
could be fielded. It had a few weeks to prove itself in combat before the war
ended in November 1918. (It was also hamstrung by a castor oil shortage in
Germany, affecting its rotary engine.) If the war had continued into the winter
of 1918-19, the "Flying Razor," as the D.VIII was called by British
airmen, may have replaced the Fokker D.VII as the preeminent German fighter.
Fokker D.VIII armament
consisted of two 7.92mm Maschinengewehr (MG) 08/15 machine guns, with
interrupter gear to fire through the propeller arc. These guns were sometimes
referred to as "Spandau," in reference to the arsenal where much of
the German small arms development and production occurred.
After the war, a D.VIII
fighter was obtained by Italy as part of war reparations. Today, its fuselage
is the sole authentic D.VIII airframe remaining in existence, in the Museo
dell'Aeronautica Gianni Caproni in Trento, Italy.
The Museum of Flight's
reproduction aircraft was built during the 1960s by E. O. Swearingen of Worth,
Illinois. Swearingen reviewed the surviving aircraft in Italy and later
corresponded with Platz in order to authenticate the accuracy of his work.
Following the aircraft's completion by Swearingen, it was flown for sport. In
1980, Doug Champlin purchased the aircraft. It is still equipped with the
Warner radial engine that Swearingen used.
https://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/fokker-dviii-reproduction
FOKKER E.III REPRODUCTION
Manufacturer: Original
design by Fokker Flugzeug-Werke GmbH (Fok.), reproduction by Jim and Zona
Appleby
Model: E.III
Eindecker
Year: 1915
(1981 reproduction)
Registration: N3363G
Dimensions: Wingspan: 31.25ft,
Length: 24ft, Height: 8ft
Maximum Speed: 81mph
Power Plant: One
Oberursel U I, 100 h.p. rotary engine (currently has a Le RhƓne 9C, 80 h.p.
engine)
With its mid-wing
monoplane design and distinct comma tail, Fokker's E-series fighter is one of
the most recognizable aircraft of World War I. The Fokker E.III Eindecker
("single wing") deserves a significant place in aviation history, not
necessarily because of its aerial prowess, but because it was the first combat
aircraft in the world to be equipped with a forward-firing, fixed machine gun
synchronized to fire between the propeller blades. No more than 150 E.III's
were built, but the design changed aerial warfare and became a platform for the
development of long-lasting fighter tactics and unit organization.
Not particularly fast or
strong, the Eindecker's success came mainly against unsuspecting Allied
observation types in late 1915 and early 1916. Early German aces such as Max
Immelmann and Oswald Boelcke achieved great notoriety flying the type.
Immelmann developed a diving attack followed by a climb and rapid direction
reversal to quickly attack again, a maneuver which still bears his name.
Boelcke established the fighter squadron concept and basic air-to-air combat
tactics which became emulated by air forces worldwide. As for the Eindecker,
its interrupter gear could be unreliable, with sometimes catastrophic results
for its pilot. By mid-1916, the Eindecker was obsolete.
Eindecker armament
consisted of a single 7.92mm Maschinengewehr (MG) 08/15 machine gun, with the
previously noted innovative interrupter gear to fire through the propeller arc.
This gun were sometimes referred to as "Spandau," in reference to the
arsenal where much of the German small arms development and production
occurred.
The Museum’s aircraft was
commissioned by Doug Champlin and built during 1981 by Jim and Zona Appleby,
then of Riverside, California. Typical of an Appleby reproduction, it is
extremely accurate in virtually every detail. It is equipped with an authentic
World War I-vintage Oberursel rotary engine and an authentic Spandau machine
gun offset to the starboard side of the engine cowling.
https://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/fokker-eiii-reproduction
GRANVILLE BROTHERS GEE
BEE Z "CITY OF SPRINGFIELD" REPRODUCTION
Manufacturer: Original
design by Granville Brothers Aircraft, reproduction by Bill Turner
Model: Gee
Bee Model Z Super Sportster
Year: 1931
(1978 reproduction)
Registration: NR77V
Dimensions: Wingspan: 25.50ft,
Length: 15ft, Height: 7ft
Maximum Speed: 270mph
Cruise Speed: 230mph
Power Plant: One
Pratt & Whitney R-985 "Wasp Jr." 535 h.p. engine
Range: 1,000miles
Like so many young people
in the 1920s, Zantford Granville took a keen interest in the burgeoning field
of aviation. He earned his pilot's license in 1925 and soon after started an
airplane repair business in Boston, Massachusetts with his brother Tom.
Business was good enough to bring in their other three brothers, Bob, Mark, and
Ed. They named their company Gee Bee (G.B., for Granville Brothers), and
expanded their scope beyond aircraft repair to aircraft design and development.
The first Gee Bee
aircraft was a conventional biplane dubbed the Model A, recognized in 1929 as
the first aircraft built in Boston. It incorporated cutting-edge features for
its time, such as wheel brakes and a swiveling tail wheel that could be fixed
for takeoff and landing. After obtaining financial support, they relocated to
Springfield, Massachusetts to further develop their designs. The onset of the
Great Depression affected Model A sales, which only amounted to 8 units sold.
The brothers then set
their sights on the lucrative prize money offered in high-profile air races. In
a shrewd business move, they hired gifted engineer Bob Hall and together they
designed a series of sleek Sportsters. The Model X Sportster finished second in
the Cirrus All American Flying Derby in 1930, flown by Lowell Bayles. This
success and financial reward further stimulated the brothers.
The yellow and black
Model Z Super Sportster was built to win the 1931 Thompson event at the
National Air Races in Cleveland, Ohio. With an uprated Pratt & Whitney Wasp
Jr engine incorporated into the smallest possible airframe, the plane was fast
but tricky to fly. Nevertheless, Bayles won the Thompson Trophy at a landplane
record speed of 236.2 miles per hour. Refitted with a bigger Wasp engine during
the autumn, the Z began flying at speeds of over 280 miles per hour. But in
December, during a world speed record attempt run at 150 feet, the Z crashed in
a massive fireball, killing pilot Lowell Bayles. Later Gee Bee aircraft would
have further racing success and experience more tragedy, becoming an iconic and
somewhat infamous brand of the era.
The Museum's Gee Bee is a
reproduction of the original but is not exact in every way. In 1978, Bill
Turner built the plane to fly, but with safety enhancements relative to the
hot-rod original. It has slightly longer wings and fuselage and a less-powerful
engine to make it easier to control. Two of the five original Granville
Brothers, Bob and Ed, consulted on the project. The plane was purchased by the
Disney Corporation and appeared in the 1991 movie The Rocketeer.
Afterwards, the Gee Bee
was placed on display at the Santa Monica Museum of Flying and appeared on
static display at the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Golden Age of Air
Racing exhibits at Oshkosh, Wisconsin in 1991 and 1995. It was purchased by The
Museum of Flight in 2003.
https://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/granville-brothers-gee-bee-z-city-springfield
GRUMMAN EA-6B PROWLER
Manufacturer: Grumman
Corporation
Year: 1971
Dimensions: Wingspan: 53.00
ft, Length: 59 ft 10 in, Height: 16 ft 3 in
Maximum Speed: 658
mph
Power Plant: Two
Pratt & Whitney J52-P-408 turbojets of 11,200-lb static thrust each
Range: 2,021
miles
The Grumman (now Northrop
Grumman) EA-6B Prowler is an electronic warfare aircraft that was operated by
the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. Outfitted with advanced avionics and jamming
equipment, the Prowler was designed to protect aerial strike forces by jamming
enemy radar and communications. It also performed electronic surveillance and
gathered electronic intelligence.
Based on Grumman's A-6
Intruder airframe, the EA-6B sports a radome on its vertical stabilizer, an
enlarged cockpit for a pilot and three electronic countermeasures officers, and
the ability to carry and fire anti-radiation missiles (ARMs). It has gone
through multiple upgrades in its four decades of service, and its ability to
suppress enemy air defenses remained formidable to the end. Grumman produced a
total of 170 Prowlers. Not a single one was ever shot down in combat, but 50
were lost over the years in accidents.
The first Prowler, the
EA-6A, emerged in 1963 from Grumman internal studies. The upgraded, four-crew
EA-6B entered service in 1971 and, in the mid-1970s, was the only tactical
radar jamming platform for all U.S. Armed Forces. Prowler squadrons were based
at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington and were deployed to carrier
air wings as needed. Prowlers served in the Vietnam War and Operation Desert
Storm and participated in numerous other combat and support missions.
The Museum's Prowler last
saw active service with Electronic Attack Squadron VAQ-134
("Garudas"), which was based at NAS Whidbey Island. It also flew with
VAQ-137, VAQ-142, VAQ-129, VAQ-130, and VAQ-131. While with VAQ-131, it
operated as NE502 off the USS Ranger during Operation Desert
Storm. Following the Navy's decision to replace its Grumman Prowlers with
Boeing EA-18G Growlers, the National Naval Aviation Museum offered this Prowler
to The Museum of Flight on long-term loan. This EA-6B was officially
decommissioned on May 27, 2015, following its final active-duty flight -- to
The Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington -- where it became the first
electronic-warfare aircraft to go on display.
This aircraft is on loan
from the National Naval Aviation Museum at Pensacola, Florida.
https://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/Grumman-EA-6B-Prowler
GRUMMAN F9F-8 (F-9J)
COUGAR
Manufacturer: Grumman
Aircraft Engineering Corporation
Model: F9F-8
(F-9J) Cougar
Year: 1953
Dimensions: Wingspan: 34.50ft,
Length: 42ft, Height: 12ft
Maximum Speed: 647mph
Cruise Speed: 516mph
Power Plant: One
Pratt & Whitney J48 engine
Range: 1,208miles
The F9F Cougar is the
swept-wing variant of its forerunner, the F9F Panther -- Grumman's first jet
fighter plane. As MiG-15s tangled with the slower, less agile Panthers and
McDonnell Banshees over Korea, the need for a higher performance fighter became
apparent. Grumman and the Navy considered a swept-wing configuration and
included provisions for it from the beginning of the Panther design effort.
Grumman thus had a head start on the Cougar. The first Cougars were delivered
in November of 1951, but never saw combat in Korea. However, the Cougar became
a mainstay of Navy carrier fighter squadrons for most of the 1950s.
A total of 1,988 Cougars
were built during 1951-60, but the type was superseded in the late-1950s by the
Douglas A-4 Skyhawk, Vought F-8 Crusader, and other advanced types. The Navy's
Blue Angels flight demonstration team flew the Cougar during 1954-57, and one
trainer airframe was retained until 1969. The last Navy Cougar, an advanced
trainer version, was phased out in 1974.
The Museum's Cougar was
built at Grumman's Bethpage, New York factory and delivered to the Navy on
January 25, 1955. The plane served with Navy and Marine units at Cherry Point,
North Carolina (VMF-114), Norfolk, Virginia (O&R BuAer M&S), and Chase
Field, Texas (VT-24). In 1964, it was loaned to the King County Parks and
Recreation Department and put on display at Marymoor Park. The Parks Department
transferred the Cougar to the organization that became The Museum of Flight in
1969. Today, it wears the colors of Navy Fighter Squadron VF-81.
This aircraft is on from
the National Naval Aviation Museum at Pensacola, Florida.
https://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/grumman-f9f-8-f-9j-cougar
INSITU AEROSONDE LAIMA
Manufacturer: InSitu
Group under license by Environmental Systems and Services
Model: Laima
Year: 1998
Dimensions: Wingspan: 9.67ft,
Length: 6ft, Height: 2ft
Cruise Speed: 51mph
Power Plant: Modified
Enya R120 model aircraft engine
Range: 2,044
miles
"Aerosonde" is
a trademarked name of an autonomous aircraft developed by InSitu, Inc. (later
manufactured by Aerodonde, Ltd.), designed to collect data over the ocean,
where weather stations are few and far between. Their measurements of
temperature, pressure, humidity, and wind within the atmosphere complement the
"big picture" data provided by satellites. Someday, Aerosondes may
circulate regularly on weather-reconnaissance flights between Hawaii, Alaska,
and the mainland. The information they gather will allow improved weather
forecasting for the West Coast.
The Museum's Aerosonde is
named Laima, after the ancient Latvian deity of good fortune. On
August 21, 1998, Laima became the first unmanned aircraft to
cross the North Atlantic. The flight occurred 79 years after Alcock and Brown's
first non-stop crossing and 71 years after Lindbergh's historic solo flight. It
spanned 2,044 miles (3,270 km) in 26 hours and 45 minutes, about half of which
was in rainy conditions.
The transatlantic
Aerosonde flight was a joint project of InSitu, the University of Washington,
and others. Launched under manual control from a car roof rack at Bell Island
Airport in Newfoundland, Canada, at 9:59 UTC on August 20, 1998, Laima was
soon switched to the pre-programmed autonomous flight using Global Positioning
System (GPS) navigation. Flying a route slightly to the south of the Great
Circle Route at an altitude of about 5,000 feet (1,500 m), Laima headed
for the landing site at the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) Range
at Benbecula in the Outer Hebrides Islands of Scotland. Laima could
not be tracked over the Atlantic, but its telemetry was picked up by the
Scotland landing crew at 12:15 UTC the next day. The craft was brought in to
land under manual control half an hour later.
Laima was donated to The
Museum of Flight in November 1998.
https://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/insitu-areosonde-laima
LAMSON (ALCOR) GLIDER
Manufacturer: Robert
T. Lamson
Model: L-106
Alcor
Year: 1972
Registration: N924LR
Dimensions: Wingspan: 66.00ft,
Length: 25ft, Height: 6ft
Maximum Speed: 140mph
The Alcor sailplane was
one of the first sailplanes in the U.S. made of composite materials. Other
innovations, like a pressurized cockpit (a first for a sailplane) and a solar
heater, kept the pilot comfortable at high altitudes. The Alcor is the only one
of its kind.
Robert Lamson, designer
and builder of the Alcor, joined the Boeing Company in the 1940s, working as a
test pilot and developer of oxygen systems for high-altitude flight. His
interest in composite technology led to the innovative design of the Alcor. The
sailplane is constructed of Sitka spruce and epoxy glass sandwich composite
material. This construction allowed for an airframe that was light, yet very
strong. Today, composite materials have taken an ever more prominent role in
the aviation industry.
Lamson flew the
experimental sailplane recreationally from 1973 until 1985. From 1985 to 1989,
the Alcor flew in a study of the Chinook Arch in Alberta, Canada. The Chinook
Arch is a weather phenomenon associated with severe turbulence in the Canadian
Rockies. Unlike powered aircraft, the Alcor could glide over the area of
interest and collect undisturbed meteorological and environmental data for
extended periods of time. The Alcor accumulated 36 flights and over 62 flight
hours supporting this effort.
Lamson donated the Alcor
to The Museum of Flight in 1989.
https://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/lamson-l-106-alcor-glider
LOCKHEED D-21B DRONE
Manufacturer: Lockheed
Aircraft Corporation
Model: D-21B
Drone
Year: 1964
Registration: 90-0510
Dimensions: Wingspan: 19.00ft,
Length: 43ft, Height: 7ft
Maximum Speed: 2211mph
Cruise Speed: 2,211mph
Power Plant: One
Marquardt RJ43-MA-11 ramjet engine
Range: 2,955miles
The D-21 drone was an
unpiloted aircraft originally designed for CIA and Air Force surveillance
missions over particularly hostile territories. Launched from airborne carrier
aircraft, the D-21's Marquardt ramjet engine propelled it at speeds over 2,000 mph
(3,200 km/h). The Lockheed M-21 Blackbird "mothership" was designated
M/D-21s when the D-21 "daughter" drone was mounted on top.
One of the two M-21s was
lost in a D-21 launch accident in 1966. The M/D-21 project was canceled after
four flight tests, but the D-21 drone was further adapted in the late 1960s to
be launched from B-52H bombers. This later version, designated D-21B and mated
with a large, solid-propellant rocket for launch, flew the only operational
missions.
During a reconnaissance
mission, the D-21 drone would follow a pre-programmed flight path over areas of
interest. The drone would then return to international airspace, where the
reconnaissance film package, equipped with its own parachute, was ejected. The
package would be recovered in mid-air by a specially equipped airplane or at
sea by a ship. Shortly after the film package was jettisoned, the drone
self-destructed.
The Museum's D-21 was
acquired from the U.S. Air Force in November 1993. In 1994, it was reunited
with the only surviving Lockheed M-21 "mothership." The D-21 is on
loan from the National Museum of the United States Air Force.
https://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/lockheed-d-21b-drone
LOCKHEED F-104C
STARFIGHTER
Manufacturer: Lockheed
Aircraft Corporation
Model: F-104C
Starfighter
Year: 1959
Registration: N56-934
Dimensions: Wingspan: 21.75ft,
Length: 55ft, Height: 13ft
Maximum Speed: 1320mph
Cruise Speed: 510mph
Power Plant: One
General Electric J79-GE-7A engine (with10,000 lbs thrust)
Range: 1,500miles
The development of the
Lockheed F-104, America's first operational Mach 2 fighter, was initially
motivated by the threat posed by fast and agile Soviet-built MiGs of the Korean
War. By the time of its introduction to the U.S. Air Force in 1958, the
Starfighter, with its short wings and powerful General Electric J79 engine, had
been tailored to an interceptor role. The sleek aircraft was quickly dubbed the
"missile with a man in it." By the Vietnam War, it was transitioned
into a fighter-bomber role, which proved to be an awkward fit.
Although phased out of
U.S. front line service by 1969, the F-104 was immensely popular overseas.
Throughout its long career, 2,578 Starfighters were produced, with well over
half built under license in Canada, Europe, and Japan. The high performance
F-104 also set many speed and altitude records during its early years, and
several F-104s had long careers with the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA), flying research, training, and chase missions.
The Museum's F-104C was
delivered to the U.S. Air Force in 1959. It flew with the 479th Tactical
Fighter Wing at George Air Force Base in California, and deployed twice to
Moron Air Base in Spain. It was transferred in 1967 to the Air Force Flight
Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base, where it flew (presumably as a testbed)
for the Air Force Systems Command. It returned briefly to George AFB before it
was retired in 1974, becoming a "gate guard" for many years. The
Starfighter arrived at the Museum in 1992 and is now painted to represent a
NASA F-104A.
This aircraft is on loan
from the National Museum of the United States Air Force.
https://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/lockheed-f-104c-starfighter
LOCKHEED M-21 (BLACKBIRD)
Manufacturer: Lockheed
Aircraft Corporation
Model: Lockheed
M-21 (Blackbird)
Year: 1963
Registration: 60-6940
Dimensions: Length: 102ft,
Height: 19ft
Maximum Speed: 2211mph
Cruise Speed: 2,211mph
Power Plant: Two
Pratt & Whitney J58 engines
Range: 2,955miles
The Blackbird family of
aircraft cruised at speeds of more than Mach 3 and flew over 85,000 feet
(25,500 m) in altitude. Conceived in the 1950s, Blackbirds remain the fastest
and highest flying air-breathing production aircraft ever built.
In 1959, Lockheed’s chief
engineer Kelly Johnson and his team submitted an unsolicited proposal to the
U.S. Air Force for a Mach 3+ reconnaissance aircraft. The resulting vehicle,
called the A-12 (the twelfth of a series of Lockheed designs), was ordered
first by the Central Intelligence Agency. Most of these aircraft were
single-seat configuration, but two were built as two-seaters for potential
later use as drone-launchers. The A-12 pioneered the use of major titanium
structures, composite materials, and low radar cross-section technology. It
required advances in design methods, fabrication techniques, and fuels. The
prototype first flew in April 1962.
The Blackbird, as it was
unofficially called, looked and performed far ahead of its time. The CIA
operated the A-12 on clandestine missions through 1968. The A-12 spawned the
USAF YF-12A interceptor program, which was eventually canceled. The most famous
Blackbird variant, the SR-71, was developed for the USAF and flew frontline
reconnaissance missions until 1990. Three SR-71s continued their careers into
the late 1990s as NASA research testbeds. Although several Blackbirds were lost
in accidents, none were ever shot down.
Key to the performance of
the Blackbird was the Pratt & Whitney J58 turbojet and its advanced inlet
design. Turbojet engines cannot function consuming air at supersonic speeds, so
the inlet incorporates a spike assembly that translates fore and aft as a
function of Mach number, to decelerate the incoming air to a suitable subsonic
speed at the compressor face. The pressure recovery of this inlet air
contributed almost two-thirds of the total net thrust at Mach 3 cruise
conditions.
The Museum's aircraft is
an M-21, the first of the rare two-seat variants of the early A-12. Built for a
CIA program code-named "Tagboard," it carried an unpiloted D-21 drone
for intelligence gathering. These drones were intended for launch from the M-21
"mothership" for flights over hostile territories. Design features of
the M-21 include the second seat for the Launch Control Officer and the launch
pylon on which the drone is mounted. Two M-21 airframes were manufactured; the
second was lost in a D-21 launch accident in 1966.
The Museum's M-21 first
flew in 1964 and is the sole surviving example of its type. It was acquired in
1991 and, with its mounted D-21 drone, is the centerpiece aircraft of the Great
Gallery.
This aircraft is on loan
from the National Museum of the United States Air Force.
https://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/lockheed-m-21-blackbird
LOCKHEED MARTIN RQ-3A
DARK STAR
Manufacturer: Lockheed
Martin Corporation
Model: RQ-3A
Dark Star
Year: 1996
Dimensions: Wingspan: 69.00ft,
Length: 15ft, Height: 4ft
Cruise Speed: 288mph
Power Plant: One
Williams-Rolls FJ44-1A engine, with 1,900 lbs thrust
Range: 575miles
During the 1990s, the
U.S. Air Force showed renewed interest in UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles).
These aircraft were intended to fly high over defended areas, observe and
record information, and even locate and mark targets without endangering a
human pilot. One specification resulted in the Lockheed RQ-3 Darkstar, and the
prototype first flew on March 26, 1996.
With a fuselage built by
Lockheed Martin and wings built by Boeing, the RQ-3 incorporated stealth
technology to make it difficult to detect as it cruised above 45,000 feet.
Carrying either radar or optical sensors, the Dark Star could immediately send
digital information via satellite, allowing data to be examined in near
real-time. The Dark Star was fully autonomous; it could take off, fly to the
target, operate its sensors, transmit information, return, and land, all
without human intervention. If the battlefield situation changed while the Dark
Star was airborne, operators could change the UAV's flight plan and redirect
its sensors by radio or via satellite.
The first Dark Star
crashed on its second flight. A modified, more stable version, designated
RQ-3A, first flew in June of 1998. Two additional RQ-3As were built, but they
never flew. In 1999, the Department of Defense terminated the Dark Star
program, though subsequent UAV designs benefited from Dark Star technology
development.
The Museum’s Dark Star is
Air Vehicle (A/V) #3. It never flew. It is on loan from the National Museum of
the United States Air Force.
https://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/lockheed-martin-rq-3a-dark-star
MIKOYAN – GUREVICH
MIG-15BIS (CHINESE MODIFIDE)
Manufacturer: OKB
Mikoyan i Guryevich (MiG)
Model: MiG-15bis
(Chinese Modified)
Year: 1950
Registration: 124079
Dimensions: Wingspan: 33.08ft,
Length: 33ft, Height: 12ft
Maximum Speed: 688mph
Cruise Speed: 520mph
Power Plant: One
Klimov VK-1 turbojet of 2,700-kg (5,952-lb) thrust
Range: 826miles
Developed by the Soviet
Union, the MiG-15 first flew in 1947 and entered service in June 1950, just in
time for the Korean War. The appearance of MiG-15s over North Korea in November
1950 -- flown secretly by Soviet pilots -- put a stop to daylight bombing raids
by U.S. Air Force bombers. On November 1, 1950, MiG-15s took part in the
world's first jet-versus-jet dogfight, when four MiGs encountered four Lockheed
F-80s over North Korea.
Though externally similar
to the MiG-15, the MiG-15bis incorporated many improvements, including a
more-powerful engine, and entered service in 1951. More than 16,000 MiG-15
aircraft of all variants were built, serving with approximately 60 nations.
During the Cold War, the Soviet Union also licensed MiG production to other
nations, including China, Czechoslovakia, India, and Poland.
The early history of
Museum’s MiG-15bis is unknown. It was acquired from China in 1990 by J. Curtis
Earl and was donated to the Museum by the American Fighter Aces Association in
2003. The aircraft carries the colors of the Chinese People's Liberation Army
Air Force and includes nine kill markings.
LOCKHEED P-38L LIGHTNING
Manufacturer: Lockheed
Aircraft Corporation
Model: P-38L
Year: 1944
Registration: NL3JB
/ 44-53097
Dimensions: Wingspan: 52.00ft,
Length: 37ft, Height: 9ft
Maximum Speed: 414mph
Power Plant: Two
Allison V-17105, 1,475 horsepower engines
Range: 1,175miles
Originally conceived as a
high-altitude interceptor to meet a 1937 Army Air Corps requirement, Lockheed's
Model 22, designated P-38 Lightning, was to become one of the most successful
fighters of World War II. The P-38 was the only type flown by the top two
American aces of the war, Major Richard Bong and Major Thomas McGuire, Jr. Its
most famous mission was the shoot-down of Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto's transport
in 1943. The Lightning was the only American fighter type to remain in
production for the entire duration of the war.
The most distinguishing
feature of the P-38 was its podded fuselage and unusual twin-boom tail
assembly. Initially an innovative approach to the original Air Corps
twin-engine interceptor specification, it later would prove ideal for the long,
over-water flights required in the Pacific Theater. Operating in all major
theaters, the design was highly flexible. The P-38 was adapted to
photo-reconnaissance, fighter-bomber, and night fighter roles and excelled at
each. As a fighter, P-38 armament typically consisted of four .50-caliber
machine guns and a 20mm cannon.
The final production
version of many was the P-38L. Equipped with more powerful engines and other
upgrades, it was considered by many to be the best of the breed. Of
approximately 10,000 P-38 airframes produced, over 3,800 were L-models. A later
noteworthy P-38 variant was the P-38M two-seat night fighter, which was
converted by Lockheed from P-38L airframes. This was one of the first
radar-equipped U.S. fighters and was distinctive in having an elevated rear
seat and an extended rear canopy for a second crew member. Its top speed
exceeded that of the Northrop P-61A Black Widow by over 30 mph.
The Museum's P-38 is one
of the last Lightnings produced. Originally manufactured as a P-38L, it was
converted to the P-38M configuration for delivery to the U.S. Army Air Forces.
It later served with the Honduran Air Force in the 1950s, then had several private
U.S. owners through the 1970s. In 1983, Doug Champlin acquired it from Cecil
Harp and Bob Ennis of Modesto, California. Afterwards, it was converted to its
present single-seat P-38L configuration. It is now displayed in the markings of
Captain John Purdy of the 475th Fighter Group, operating from New Guinea and
the Philippines.
https://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/lockheed-p-38l-lightning
MCDONNELL F-4C
(F-110A) PHANTOM II
Manufacturer: McDonnell
Aircraft Corporation
Model: F-4C
Phantom II
Year: 1964
Registration: 64-0776
Dimensions: Wingspan: 38.42ft, Length: 58ft,
Height: 16ft
Maximum Speed: 1433mph
Cruise Speed: 587mph
Power Plant: Two
General Electric J79-GE-15 engines
Range: 538miles
The F-4 Phantom II is one
of the most important fighter aircraft of the jet era. Begun as a derivative of
the McDonnell F3H Demon in 1953, the Phantom II evolved over the next two years
into a significant new design. It incorporated a second crew station for a
dedicated radar intercept officer, two General Electric J79 afterburning
turbojets, and an all-missile armament in the form of four radar-guided Sparrow
missiles. The result was a world-class fighter with exceptional performance.
Following first flight in
May 1958, the F-4 was selected by the U.S. Navy as a fleet defense interceptor.
Soon, its remarkable capabilities led to adoption by the Air Force and Marine
Corps as well. As the preeminent American combat aircraft of the 1960s, it
fulfilled the roles of interceptor, air superiority fighter, tactical bomber,
and reconnaissance aircraft. It became the standard by which all other fighters
were judged until superseded by the McDonnell-Douglas F-15 and General Dynamics
F-16 in the late 1970s. McDonnell produced 5,068 Phantoms in many variants, and
numerous versions were produced for foreign governments.
The F-4C version was
developed specifically for the Air Force and was externally similar to the Navy
F-4B, including the tailhook. Differences included full dual controls, low
pressure tires and deeper wheel wells, anti-skid braking, revised radar
systems, and a refueling boom receptacle. It carried four AIM-7 Sparrow
air-to-air missiles and was also capable of delivering multiple air-to-ground
ordnance packages, including guided and unguided missiles and bombs. Up to
three external fuel tanks provided additional range.
The Museum's F-4C was
built in 1965 and served in Vietnam. It is depicted as it appeared in May 1967
while flying with the USAF 389th Tactical Fighter Squadron of the 366th
Tactical Fighter Wing, when this aircraft shot down three North Vietnamese
MiG-21 aircraft. Two crews were responsible for these aerial victories: Major
Robert D. Anderson and Captain Fred D. Kjer (1), and Lieutenant Colonel Robert
F. Titus and First Lieutenant Milan Zimer (2). After its active Air Force duty,
this Phantom served with the 123rd Fighter Interceptor Squadron of the Oregon
Air National Guard for nine years, flying air defense missions from Portland
International Airport. It was transferred to The Museum of Flight following its
retirement in 1994.
This aircraft is on loan
from the National Museum of the United States Air Force, through the
cooperation and assistance of the Oregon National Guard and the Oregon Military
Museum.
https://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/mcdonnell-f-4c-f-110a-phantom-ii
NIEUPORT 24BIS REPRODUCTION
Manufacturer: Original
design by SociĆ©tĆ© Anonyme des Ćtablissements Nieuport, reproduction by Ron Ochs
and others
Model: 24bis
Year: 1917
(1992 reproduction)
Registration: N24Rl
Dimensions: Wingspan: 26.92ft,
Length: 19ft, Height: 8ft
Maximum Speed: 106mph
Power Plant: One
Le RhƓne 9J, 120 h.p. rotary engine
Range: 239miles
The Nieuport 24 is part
of the famous line of French fighter aircraft built by the Nieuport company. A
preeminent Allied airplane type, various Nieuport fighters were flown by many
famous fighter aces, including Mannock, Ball, Bishop, Lufbery, Nungesser, and
Guynemer. Unlike many of the models that came before it, the Type 24 was more
streamlined and had a rounded fuselage instead of the slab sides seen on
earlier machines. Entering service in early 1917, the 24s were not only used by
France, but also by Russia, Belgium, Italy, and Britain. The United States
purchased a number of 24s to use for flight training. Most Nieuports were
phased out in favor of the superior SPAD XIII by the spring of 1918.
Initially, the 24 was not
as popular with pilots as its Nieuport predecessors due to heavy lateral
control forces. A modification to the aileron hinge installation solved this
problem. Nieuport 24bis armament usually consisted of a single Vickers .303
machine gun mounted in front of the cockpit and synchronized to fire through
the propeller. An additional Lewis machine gun was sometimes mounted on the
upper wing.
The Museum's Type 24 is a
reproduction built from Walt Redfern plans by a number of enthusiasts in
Washington State. Begun in the early 1980s, Ron Ochs acquired the plane in 1992
and, along with others, completed the project. First flown in 1995, the
Nieuport is powered by a Le RhƓne engine originally installed in a Thomas-Morse
S4C Scout that crashed in Corvallis, Oregon in the 1920s. Other than certain
modern enhancements for flyability, such as hydraulic disk brakes, the aircraft
is faithful to the original Nieuport. It has 1.5 hours of flying time.
The plane wears the
markings of the Nieuport 24bis flown by French ace Paul Tarascon. After a plane
crash in 1911, Tarascon's foot was amputated. At the outbreak of war, he
volunteered to fly and was known as l'as la jambe de bois ("the
ace with a wooden leg"). The name of Tarascon's plane, Zigomar,
comes from a group of movie serials popular before the war.
https://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/nieuport-bis-24-reproduction
NIEUPORT 27 REPRODUCTION
Manufacturer: Original
design by SociĆ©tĆ© Anonyme des Ćtablissements Nieuport, reproduction by Carl
Swanson and Jerry Thornhill
Model: 27
Year: 1917
(1980 reproduction)
Registration: N5597M
Dimensions: Wingspan: 26.92ft,
Length: 19ft, Height: 8ft
Maximum Speed: 107mph
Power Plant: One
Le RhƓne 9J, 130 h.p. rotary engine (This one has a Gnome 165 h.p. rotary
engine)
Range: 241miles
The Nieuport 27 was the
last of its type to be flown by the French, Italian, and British airmen in World
War I. Although the trend in fighter design was turning to the faster,
stronger, and more heavily-armed aircraft such as the contemporary SPAD VII and
XIII, the small and agile Type 27 was an important aircraft flown by many
famous French flyers during the last year of the war.
The United States
acquired 287 Type 27 scouts to be used as single-seat trainers before the
pilots went on to fly the more complex, heavier SPADs in combat. Nieuport 27
armament initially consisted of a single "French Army surplus"
Vickers .303 machine gun mounted in front of the cockpit and synchronized to
fire through the propeller.
The Museum's Nieuport
Type 27 is a reproduction built by Carl Swanson and Jerry Thornhill in 1980.
Created to fly, the builders decided to construct the plane's structure from
steel tube rather than wood and installed a Gnome 165-horsepower rotary engine.
On the outside, the machine is visually an almost exact replica in every
respect to the famous Nieuport scout. The Museum's example carries the markings
of Captain G. B. Moore of Vancouver, B.C., who flew with the Royal Naval Air
Service (RNAS) Number One Squadron.
https://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/nieuport-27-reproduction
NIEUPORT 28 C1
Manufacturer: SociƩtƩ
Anonyme des Ćtablissements Nieuport
Model: 28 C1
Year: 1918
Dimensions: Wingspan: 26.25ft,
Length: 20ft, Height: 8ft
Maximum Speed: 122mph
Power Plant: One
Gnome 9-N, 165 h.p. rotary engine
Range: 183miles
The Nieuport 28 was the
last in the line of Nieuport fighters fielded during World War I. However, it
was rejected in early 1918 by the French Air Service in favor of the superior
SPAD XIII and ill-fated parasol Morane-Saulnier MoS 29. At the time, the
American Army was desperate for any airplane they could scrounge, and 297
Nieuports were delivered to the "Yanks." The first airplane Americans
flew into combat, it was loved by some and feared by others.
Flying 28s, Lieutenants
Douglas Campbell and Alan Winslow each shot down a German fighter on April 14,
1918, becoming the first U.S. airmen to destroy a plane in combat. America's
World War I "Ace of Aces," Eddie Rickenbacker, scored many of his
twenty-six victories flying his Nieuport. On the other hand, Rickenbacker was
almost killed when the upper wing fabric on his 28 tore apart in flight.
President Theodore Roosevelt's son, Quentin, and ace Raoul Lufbery were also
killed while flying Nieuport 28s.
American-flown Nieuport
28 armament initially consisted of a single "French Army surplus"
Vickers .303 machine gun mounted in front of the cockpit and synchronized to
fire through the propeller. A second Vickers was later added.
The Museum's Nieuport 28
is a restored original, one of a batch of twelve aircraft ordered for the U.S.
Navy. Found abandoned on a Florida beach in 1920, it was owned by R. F. Coody
until acquired in poor condition in 1935 by George Jarrett. Restored, it was
displayed at Jarrett’s Museum of World War History in Moorestown, New Jersey
for several years. In 1938, it was repainted and used to promote the film Men
with Wings.
Jarrett's collection
deteriorated in outdoor storage through the World War II years, and in 1948
Frank Tallman purchased the 28 and other types for $500. The aircraft remained
exposed to the elements until acquired in trades by Ned Kensinger and eventually
by Robert Rust. Both Rust and Jim Appleby worked on its restoration before it
was purchased by Douglas Champlin in 1990. The Nieuport restoration was
finished by Roger Freeman of Vintage Aviation in Texas in 1999. The plane has a
Gnome 9-N, 165-horsepower rotary engine and two .303 Vickers machine guns. The
plane currently carries the markings of Lieutenant Quentin Roosevelt, who was
killed in France on July 14, 1918.
NORTHROP YF-5A (N-156F)
FREEDOM FIGHTER
Manufacturer: Northrop
Corporation
Model: YF-5A
Freedom Fighter
Year: 1959
Registration: 59-4987
Dimensions: Wingspan: 25.25ft,
Length: 45ft, Height: 13ft
Maximum Speed: 858mph
Cruise Speed: 581mph
Power Plant: Two
General Electric J85-5 turbojet engines
Range: 2,230miles
In the late 1950s, at the
height of the Cold War, the Northrop Corporation recognized the need and
opportunity for a special kind of export fighter aircraft. Their studies formed
the basis for the N-156F, a simple, economical, versatile, and easy to maintain
light fighter. In 1963, the aircraft was selected for use with the Military
Assistance Program (MAP) countries and designated the F-5A. More than 2,600 F-5
aircraft have been sold or produced in over 30 allied countries. The design
shares much in common with the T-38 Talon, the U.S. Air Force's primary
advanced trainer for approximately 50 years. Two F-5A airframes were utilized
in the design of the experimental Grumman X-29 in the mid-1980s.
Although primarily an
export fighter, the F-5 was also used in small numbers by the U.S. Air Force
and Navy. Based on lessons learned during the Vietnam War, both services were
seeking to boost their pilots' air-to-air combat skills. The upgraded F-5E
model was well suited to playing the “bad guy” role in the Navy's Top Gun and
the Air Force's Red Flag exercises. The F-5, small and maneuverable, had
similar characteristics to the Soviet MiG-21 encountered over Vietnam.
Aggressor Squadrons flying the F-5 and other Soviet-like aircraft in training
have helped American fighter pilots improve their competitive edge.
The Museum's aircraft is
Northrop's prototype "Freedom Fighter," the first of three N-156F airframes
built. It was unveiled on May 30, 1959 in front of visitors from 40 foreign
countries. Two months later, Northrop chief test pilot Lew Nelson flew the
prototype supersonic during its first flight at Edwards Air Force Base. It was
used for pilot familiarization and demo flights, then used as a testbed for
later F-5 versions. It retired from flying in 1964 after 653 flights and 647
flight hours. Following a few years of USAF static display, the USAF donated
the aircraft in 1968 to the Pacific Northwest Aviation Historical Foundation,
the predecessor to The Museum of Flight. It was one of the first aircraft to
join the Museum's collection.
https://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/northrop-yf-5a-n-156f-freedom-fighter
SOPWITH SNIPE (7.F.1)
REPRODUCTION
Manufacturer: Original
design by Sopwith Aviation Company, reproduction by Richard Day
Model: Snipe
(7.F.1)
Year: 1918
(1982 reproduction)
Registration: NX6765D
Dimensions: Wingspan: 31.08ft,
Length: 20ft, Height: 9ft
Maximum Speed: 125mph
Power Plant: One
Bentley, 250 h.p. rotary engine (This one has a Continental 220 h.p. radial
engine)
Range: 375miles
The Sopwith Snipe was
developed to succeed the famous Camel and designed specifically to take
advantage of the 230-horsepower Bentley B.R.2 rotary engine. Resembling a more
muscular Camel, the Snipe improved the pilot's upward visibility. The first
Snipes reached the Western Front in August 1918, too late to contribute
significantly to the Allied cause.
By November 1918, only
three squadrons of the Royal Flying Corps--two British and one Australian--were
equipped with Snipes. Snipes were also intended for the Royal Naval Air Service
and Home Defence duties, but they did not make it into active service before
the end of the war. Snipes continued to serve with the Royal Air Force until
1926. A total of 1,550 Snipes were built, mostly after the war. Armament
consisted of two .303 Vickers machine guns with interrupter gear to fire
through the propeller arc.
The Snipe is perhaps best
known for the epic air battle on October 27, 1918, in which Canadian ace Major
William Barker single-handedly engaged fifteen Fokker D.VIIs. Barker was
attacked by the Fokkers after shooting down a Rumpler C type. In the ensuing melee,
Barker amazingly managed to shoot down three of his foes despite being badly
wounded and fainting multiple times. Barker ultimately escaped and was awarded
the Victoria Cross for this action.
The Museum's Snipe was
built by Richard Day of Colonia, New Jersey and completed in 1982. It
incorporates a modern Continental 220-horsepower radial engine, but otherwise
is an authentic reproduction of a Snipe in postwar Royal Air Force service.
https://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/sopwith-snipe-7f1-reproduction
RUMPLER TAUBE (DOVE)
REPRODUCTION
Manufacturer: Original
design by Rumpler-Werke A.G., reproduction by Art Williams
Model: Taube
(Dove)
Year: 1913
(1984 reproduction)
Wingspan: 45.83ft,
Length: 34ft, Height: 11ft
Maximum Speed: 60mph
Power Plant: One
Mercedes D.IIIa, 120 h.p. in-line engine
Range: 180miles
When German glider
pioneer Otto Lilienthal perished in a flying accident in 1896, an Austrian
named Ignaz "Igo" Etrich acquired two of his gliders. Etrich went on
to build many of his own designs, improving but not entirely deviating from the
bird-like forms of his predecessor. The first Taube ("Dove") flew in
1910. After the German Patent Office invalidated Etrich's patent in 1911,
dozens of companies began producing aircraft based on the design.
The Taube was stable in
flight, which made it very attractive to the neophyte aviators of the time.
Built by over fifty manufacturers in hundreds of configurations, the Taube was
the most common type of airplane seen in Germany and Austria prior to World War
I. It has the distinction of dropping the world's first aerial bombs (one-pound
devices), delivered by Italian Commander Gavotti, on Turkish forces in Libya on
November 11, 1911.
In 1914, during the first
months of World War I, Taubes flew with the Central Powers armies in the role
of scout aircraft. As new Allied aircraft began arriving at the front, Taubes
became a serious liability; they were slow, unmaneuverable, and unarmed. As
such, they were soon transferred to the role of training student aviators.
The Museum's Taube is a
reproduction of the configuration built by the German firm Rumpler. The
reproduction was built by master craftsman Art Williams for Doug Champlin,
completed in 1984. It is equipped with a rare, original Mercedes D.IIIa engine.
https://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/rumpler-taube-dove-reproduction
SOPWITH CAMEL F.1
REPRODUCTION
Manufacturer: Original
design by Sopwith Aviation Company, reproduction by Jim and Zona Appleby
Model: Camel
F.1
Year: 1917
(1979 reproduction)
Registration: NX6330
Dimensions: Wingspan: 28.00ft,
Length: 19ft, Height: 9ft
Maximum Speed: 117mph
Power Plant: Commonly
one Clerget 9B or Z, 110 or 130 h.p. rotary engine (This one has a Warner 185
h.p. radial engine)
Range: 293miles
The famous successor to
the Sopwith Pup, the Camel owes its nickname to the pronounced hump in front of
the cockpit -- actually an enclosure for two Vickers machine guns. The plane's
design resulted in an unusual concentration of mass, with guns, ammunition,
engine, pilot, and fuel tank all in close proximity. This configuration allowed
for superior maneuverability but required great pilot skill to leverage the
advantage in aerial combat. The Camel was known for the torque effect from its
rotary engine, which caused the nose to drop in a right turn and rise in a left
turn. It was an unforgiving aircraft with a high accident rate.
Despite its quirks, the
Camel was one of the most successful and versatile fighters of World War I,
performing air-to-air, bombing, and training roles. Camels destroyed 1,200-plus
enemy aircraft, more than any other type. It flew in combat with the British
Army Royal Flying Corps, the U.S. Army Air Service, and the air forces of
Belgium and Greece. Additionally, a naval variant, the 2F.1, conducted
ship-borne operations with the Royal Naval Air Service. After the war, Camels
operated primarily in the United States, Canada, and Poland. A total of 5,490
Camels were built.
Sopwith Camel armament
consisted of two .303 Vickers machine guns with interrupter gear to fire
through the propeller arc. Camels flew with several different rotary engine
types, including 130-horsepower Clerget, 110-hp Le RhƓne, and 150-hp Bentley
B.R.1, among others.
The Museum's flyable
reproduction was acquired by Doug Champlin in 1979 from Jim and Zona Appleby's
Antique Aero Limited. This aircraft is authentic to the original but is powered
by a modern Warner 185-horsepower radial engine and includes other
enhancements, such as main gear brakes and improved instrumentation.
https://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/sopwith-camel-f1reproduction
RUTAN MODEL 76 VOYAGER
REPLICA
Manufacturer: Original
design by Rutan Aircraft Factory
Model: Model
76 Voyager (replica)
Year: 1984
Dimensions: Wingspan: 110.00ft,
Length: 25ft, Height: 10ft
Maximum Speed: 122mph
Cruise Speed: 116mph
Power Plant: Teledyne
Continental IOL-200
Range: 26,366miles
More than a dozen
innovative aircraft designs have sprung from the mind of Burt Rutan. After
early work as a flight test engineer, then a designer for Bede Aircraft, Rutan
formed his own company in the mid-1970s. He was a pioneer in the use of
composite materials such as fiberglass and later formed Scaled Composites to
produce prototypes for himself and the aerospace industry.
Rutan's Model 76 Voyager
is an all-composite airframe made primarily from a 1/4-inch sandwich of paper
honeycomb and graphite fiber, which was shaped and then cured in an oven. The
front and rear propellers are powered by two difference engines. The front
engine, an air-cooled Teledyne Continental O-240, provides extra power for
take-off and during the initial flight stage while the plane was heavily loaded
with fuel. The rear engine is a water-cooled Teledyne Continental IOL-200,
which acts as the main source of power throughout the flight.
The Voyager accomplished
the first nonstop, non-refueled flight around the world. Piloted by Dick Rutan
(Burt's brother) and Jeana Yeager, the plane began its flight on December 14,
1986. On December 23, Nine days, 3 minutes, and 44 seconds later, it landed
back at Edwards Air Force Base.
The original Rutan
Voyager is displayed at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.
The Museum of Flight's facsimile of the Model 76 Voyager is on loan to the
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac), where it can be seen on display
in the main terminal.
https://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/rutan-model-76-voyager-replica
SOPWITH TRIPLANE
REPRODUCTION
Manufacturer: Original
design by Sopwith Aviation Company, reproduction by Carl Swanson
Model: Triplane
Year: 1916
(1977 reproduction)
Registration: N38057
Dimensions: Wingspan: 26.50ft,
Length: 19ft, Height: 11ft
Maximum Speed: 117mph
Power Plant: One
Clerget, 110 or 130 h.p. rotary engine
The Sopwith Triplane was
closely related to its sibling, the Pup, but designed for superior roll and
turn rate and had a remarkable rate of climb. The type’s small-chord wings
offered a good field of vision compared to biplane fighters. Structurally, the
Triplane was strong enough to avoid the extensive rigging seen on many other
airplanes of the time. Its maneuverability was helped by the fact that all six
of the plane's wings incorporated an aileron. Known as the "Tripe" or
"Tripehound," it was a highly influential design that spawned
multiple imitations, including the famous Fokker Dr.1.
Production Triplanes were
operated by the British Royal Naval Air Service from early to late 1917. The
most famous Tripes were flown by the Canadian pilots of B or "Black"
Flight, No. 10 Naval Squadron, commanded by fighter ace Raymond Collishaw.
These aircraft carried names such as Black Maria, Black
Death, Black Sheep, Black Roger, and Black
Prince. Despite its success and influence, only about 150 Tripes were
built, partly due to the introduction of the Camel.
Early Sopwith Triplanes
were powered by a 110-horsepower Clerget rotary engine, later upgraded to a
130-hp version. Two airframes were equipped with a 150-hp or 180-hp
Hispano-Suiza engine, but this version was not mass-produced. Armament
consisted of a single synchronized .303-inch Vickers machine gun. Like the Pup,
this relatively light weaponry was considered its primary drawback, leading to
a few airframes being modified to carry two guns. This shortcoming was finally
addressed with development of the twin-Vickers Sopwith Camel.
The Museum's aircraft was
built by Carl Swanson of Darien, Wisconsin. It is a highly accurate
reproduction, including a Clerget 9B, 110-horsepower rotary engine. This plane
carries the Black Prince markings of Canadian ace
Sub-Lieutenant Mel Alexander, who flew with Collishaw's famous "Black
Flight" squadron.
https://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/sopwith-triplane-reproduction
STEARMAN C-3B SPORT
COMMERCIAL
Manufacturer: Stearman
Aircraft Company
Model: C-3B Sport
Commercial
Year: 1928
Registration: N7550
Dimensions:
Wingspan: 35.00ft, Length: 24ft, Height: 9ft
Cruise Speed: 108mph
Power Plant: One
Wright J-5 "Whirlwind," 220 h.p. engine
Range: 620miles
Known for rugged
dependability and no-nonsense design, Stearman C-2s and C-3s became popular workhorses
on the short-haul "feeder" lines of America's growing commercial
airmail system in the late 1920s. The majority of Stearman C-3s were the C-3B
"Sport Commercial" variety, with a Wright J-5 Whirlwind engine. Many
C-3Bs were used as sportplanes and advanced trainers well into the 1930s.
Nearing the end of their days, some C-3s became crop-dusting aircraft until
after World War II, when replaced with another Stearman biplane, surplus Kaydet
trainers.
The Museum's C-3B was
manufactured in Wichita, Kansas in 1928. It was one of four aircraft delivered
to U.S. Bureau of Commerce Airways Division for survey work. It later became a
cropduster. By the early 1960s, the aircraft had been abandoned in Nevada. It
was ferried to Twin Falls, Idaho around 1963 but suffered a ground loop
accident there. Later, the aircraft was transported to Iowa, where its owner,
Shelby Hagberg, sold it in 1966 to R. J. McWhorter of Prosser, Washington.
(McWhorter had earlier spotted the Stearman in Twin Falls and maintained correspondence
with Hagberg to make his interest known.)
McWhorter commenced a
restoration project from 1966 to 1972, including installation of an original
Wright J-5 Whirlwind engine. The project ultimately depicted the aircraft as a
Western Air Express airmail carrier of circa 1928. It sports a "C.A.M.
12" stencil on the fuselage, indicating an aircraft flying Contract Air
Mail Route 12, between Pueblo, Colorado and Cheyenne, Wyoming. The restored
aircraft incorporates a few concessions to modern flying, such as a tailwheel
rather than a skid, but is otherwise authentic to its late 1920s roots.
The aircraft and Mr.
McWhorter won numerous awards from the Experimental Aircraft Association and
other organizations. After about 200 post-restoration flight hours, the Museum
acquired this beautiful Stearman from Mr. McWhorter in 1986.