BirdoftheWeek

Helio Courier and Helio Stallion, STOL Pioneer 8/19/2008

 
This is the first production model of the Helio Courier in 1954. Note the deployed slats and slotted-flaps plus the very large tail surfaces.

By: Norm Goyer

In my 61 years, and still counting, of active flying,  have flown many interesting airplanes, mostly on assignment for TV networks and flight reports for various magazines. The Helio is right at the top of my list of very interesting aircraft. The original prototype was co-designed by Otto Koppen, MIT Aeronautical Engineer, using a highly-modified Piper Vagabond as the base airframe. Koppen also designed the pre-war General Skyfarer, (a design which would make an easy-flying LSA), and the Ford Flivver, which many have seen on display at AirVenture. Koppen’s original concept for the modified Vagabond was as a safety plane. The very low landing speed would protect its passenger in case of a crash. Koppen believed that if he could keep the speed of the aircraft down below 35 mph, occupants could walk away from a crash. 

Helio designer Otto Koppen’s first design was the Ford Flivver.

In 1954 the Helio Aircraft Company was formed in Pittsburg, Kansas, to produce the production version of the Koppen’s Helio Courier. The aircraft has a steel tube welded passenger cabin cage that is capable of surviving 15 Gs. Minimum stall speed was reported at 28 mph hour; the ones I flew seemed to quit at just a tad below 35 mph. The top speed was in excess of 160 mph. Now, that is a speed range 35 to 165. The outstanding performance was achieved with a combination of a geared engine, enabling a huge prop to be swung at low rpm. The Helio also had automatically deploying Handley-Page slats on the leading edge of the wing that came slamming out at 55-60 mph. The first time they deployed, while I was flying the plane in South Carolina, I thought the wing was falling off. They really came slamming out. These slats are combined with high-lift slotted flaps which are 75% of the wing span,. The wings also have interceptor blades (similar to spoilers) that can be deployed at super-low-stall speeds, allowing the airplane to turn within its wingspan. How I wish I had that feature in a couple of box canyons I almost got stuck in. I swear I left tire marks on some rocks in Joshua Tree National Park while doing a survey of big horn sheep for BLM.

Koppen’s first safety plane design was the excellent General Skyfarer.

The Helio has huge vertical and horizontal surfaces for super control at slow speeds. Combine all of those advanced STOL features, with a 20-degree swiveling cross-wind landing gear that is mounted far ahead of the CG. This allows the pilot to drop the plane onto the ground at about 30 mph, stand on the brakes without any fear of flopping over, and you have an almost zero-foot landing roll. But all is not a cake-walk with the Helio, due to its the far forward gear is super frustrating to taxi in a straight line and it does not handle heavy cross winds beyond 25 mph. Of course with those wind speeds you could land it into the wind in a compact-car parking slot at the mall.

The most popular Helio used a 295 hp Lycoming geared engine with a huge two-bladed prop. The Air Force bought a handful for use in Vietnam and the CIA had their own Helio with a Pratt & Whitney PT-6 turbo-prop called the Stallion, and, yes, it was painted all black.

Seen here is the infamous CIA Vietnam Taxi. The Helio Stallion had a P & W 600 shp PT-6 turbo prop engine. This recently restored version was seen at Sun ‘n Fun a few years ago. 

     If you ever get a chance to fly a real Helio, not one with a wimped-out tricycle gear installed, take it; you will never forget the airplane. Cessna 180/185 and Maule pilots, eat your heart out.

Curtiss P-40 Warhawk/Tomahawk/Kittyhawk 8/12/2008
 
The most successful use of the P-40s was by the AVG (American Volunteer Group) recruited to fight for China as the “Flying Tigers.” Their rate of downed enemy to AVG losses was very low due to unusual and very effective engagement techniques

Norm Goyer

 Sad fact: The P-40, the most popular aircraft in the vast Curtiss fleet was obsolete by European standards before it ever flew. The P-40, or Curtiss model 81 and 87 was severely criticized in the Truman report as being inadequate. But the P-40 was the only aircraft available at the time, so there was no other choice. The P-40s had non-sealing fuel tanks, light firepower and lack of protective armor. These items were not the result of Curtiss design errors but had been designed into the airplane according to the United States Army Air Corps  specifications. These specs were obsolete and had also caused problems with other production aircraft besides the Curtiss.

The Curtiss P-36 Hawk was the forerunner of the P-40. The Hawk did see some limited combat in some early stages of the war.

Before the United States entered the war after Pearl Harbor, a fleet of surplus P-40s were sold to China for use by the Flying Tigers. These P-40s did an outstanding job, due to the fighting skills of General Claire Chennault, who devised maneuvers that fit the P-40. Their success against superior numbers of enemy aircraft was outstanding. Basically it was the result of these tactics; fly high, dive through their formation with guns blasting, then run for home. Not very glamorous, but the high-diving speeds of the shark nosed P-40s proved deadly for many early Japanese fighters.

This restored P-40 was photographed at the “Fantasy of Flight Museum” in Central Florida. Pilots who have flown the Curtiss P-40 maintain that it is one of best flying warbirds of WWII, in spite of its limitations.

At the time the P-40 was introduced, aircraft were being used at lower levels, not at the much higher altitudes at which the Me.109s and English Spitfires were capable of operating. The P-40, which only had a single-stage, single-speed supercharger, simply could not handle high altitude operation. It was the wrong airplane for the type of air combat that was being waged. This same lack of high altitude performance also caused the first P-51 Mustangs to be considered out-of-favor by Britain. But the English were desperate for aircraft during the Battle of Britain so enterprising British mechanics took the Allison engines out of the early Mustangs and replaced them with Rolls Royce Merlins, which had the high-performance superchargers needed for high altitude operations. Packard Motor Car Company was given permission to start manufacturing Packard Merlins in the United States which were then installed in all subsequent Mustangs. This engine swap made a true high-altitude fighter out of a former ground-pounder. Later models of the P-40s also had the Merlin engine installed but it still lacked the aerodynamics for fast, high altitude applications.

This restored P-40 was photographed at the “Fantasy of Flight Museum” in Central Florida. Pilots who have flown the Curtiss P-40 maintain that it is one of best flying warbirds of WWII, in spite of its limitations.

            Nevertheless, the P-40 with the shark teeth on the cowling remains one of the most recognized aircraft of World War II. 

Grumman WWII Fighting Cats 8/5/2008

 
Grumman Hellcat

Norm Goyer

 When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in December of 1941 America was sadly lacking in air power. The few airplanes that we did have were quite obsolete, when compared to the Japanese Zero, German 109s, English Spitfires and Hurricanes. But the aircraft we did have were built the good old American way, stronger than anything else in the sky. In addition, our pilots were highly trained. This combination of rugged aircraft and savvy pilots allowed us to tread water until our aviation companies came up to speed, and that they did, very rapidly.

The Grumman F4F Wildcat was our Navy’s first all metal monoplane fighter. The stubby, pregnant-looking midwing replaced the Grumman F3F biplane fighters which had a very similar looking fuselage.
 
This replica Grumman F3F early biplane fighter is on display at the Kermit Weeks Fantasy of Flight Museum in Central Florida.

The Wildcat had a mismatch of power controls, electric controllable propeller, bicycle-type chain, manual retractable landing gear and hydraulic flaps.
 
The Grumman F4F Wildcat was one of very few aircraft deployed at the time of the Pearl Harbor attack in December of 1941. It was Grumman’s first monoplane fighter.

Navy pilots operating from carriers and island based airfields, took on the Zeros which were superior in number, speed and maneuverability, and managed to hold their own. Our Navy lost many Wildcats along with their brave pilots, but the Zeros took mega hits from the Grumman “Flying Tank”. Defense officials put the call out for more competitive fighters and Grumman responded with the F6F Hellcat which was a pussycat to fly compared to the labor-intensive Wildcat. Then Grumman produced the twin-engine F7F Tigercat, an aesthetically pleasing single place fighter.

Tigercat - photo taken by Kogo

Finally too late for combat or deployment, Grumman designers hit the jackpot with the beautiful, small, deadly F8F Bearcat. The Bearcat never saw active service in any conflict, but they became the aircraft to beat at the air races. Over 60 years later, this powerful, fast Grumman has often dominated the Unlimited Class at Reno National Air Races. The F8F based “Rare Bear” is known world wide for its speed and durability.

The final propeller fighter of WWII built by Grumman was the beautiful F8F Bearcat. It never saw combat but has been one of shining stars of Reno racing.  

 We, in the United States, should take our  hats off to the designers at Grumman and the hundreds of workers who worked around the clock producing these great Navy fighters so that our country could remain free.

This Super Viking is typical of the Super Vikings available. Note the very large vertical stabilizer and the low-to-the-ground profile. No other airplane has the special feel of a Bellanca.

Norm Goyer

A few years ago, I once again flew one of my favorite aircraft, the Bellanca Super Viking. This particular one had Experimental placards as it was a test bed for a new three-bladed composite prop with special airfoils for super efficiency. If my memory serves me correctly, it was designed by a group of retired Hamilton-Standard engineers. Their previous collaboration produced the outstanding FADEC engine control computer system similar to that of the Cadillac North Star engine technology. This computer-controlled engine management unit was so successful that Continental purchased the rights, so they could manufacturer it, and install it on their new line of engines. The two-place Liberty certified trainer has one of these engines.

I first became aware of the Bellanca Cruiser, grandfather of the Viking, back in the very early 1950s at a Northampton, Massachusetts, airport.
 
The grandfather of the Super Viking is the Bellanca 14-19 with a Ken-Royce radial engine. One of these very rare aircraft occasionally shows up at Sun ‘n Fun in Lakeland, Florida.

The airport operator at that time was Danny Matus, a WWII Thunderbolt pilot. He purchased the aircraft for his father, Adolph. The Cruiser was a retractable tail-dragger, had a 150 hp Lycoming engine, three vertical stabilizers and could cruise at 150 mph; not bad, 150 on a 150 size engine. I managed to mooch a demonstration flight with the Bellanca dealer before he headed home in a matching Cruiser. At the time, I owned and was flying a Ryan PT-22 and a Fairchild PT-26. The little Bellanca flew circles around my surplus WWII trainers. It was very quiet, and it was fast. But the most memorable feature of that airplane was the control harmony. It almost flew itself. The elevators and ailerons were matched to the rudder and the three vertical stabilizers gave the plane unerring directional stability. I was very impressed.

The Cruiser was modified over the years with larger engines and a more luxurious cabin. 

Next in line was the 150 hp Cruisair. There were several versions of this aircraft before the big jump to the Viking series. Note the triple vertical stabilizers.

The landing gear was changed to a tricycle gear and a much larger dorsal fin was added to compensate for the two extra vertical stabilizers that were removed. The name was changed to the Viking and later, the Super Viking, but the one feature that remained was the all wood handcrafted wing, which many claim was stronger than one made from aluminum. The Super Viking used either a 300 Lycoming or a 300 hp Continental; some even were turbo-charged. The prop was either a two-bladed or a three-bladed depending on the engine chosen. The plane could cruise at 160 knots at 10,000 feet on 13.5 gph. Up until a few years ago you could order a brand new Super Viking to be custom built for you. I am not aware of the current status.

The wooden wing, if hangared and stored in a dry climate, is not a problem. Moisture is the enemy of any aircraft type wood. An airplane with a wood wing has a special feel all its own.

The wood wing required many skilled wood workers to assure quality workmanship. Here eight Bellanca employees are working on a Cruisair wing.

Wood has a solid feeling; wood does not spam-can your ears; wood can flex without metal fatigue setting in.  Wood is a viable aircraft building material. Well maintained-and-hangared Super Vikings can be purchased, if you are lucky enough to find one, for thousands less than comparably performing aircraft. The most negative aspect of the Super Viking, other than the special care needed for storage, is the rather small cabin; luxurious, but it is small. To fly a Super Viking once will make you a fan forever.

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This replica Fokker Triplane DR1 was seen at Kermit Weeks Fantasy of Flight in Central Florida in 2004. Note the short propeller indicating that the plane has a radial engine rather than a rotary, as did the original.

Norm Goyer

 During World War I Anthony Fokker and Reinhold Platz were ordered to design and build a triplane to compete with the Sopwith Triplane that was ripping up the skies of the Western Front.

The legendary Anthony Fokker (in suit) watches as technicians install and aim the machine guns on this Fokker Triplane prior to delivery. Note the rudder and lack of vertical stabilizer

The Sopwith could outmaneuver the early German fighters including the excellent Albatros by out climbing and out-turning them. If the truth be known, the Sopwith Triplane was an excellent design, but never as well known as the Fokker.

The Fokker Triplane was hurriedly built to counteract the effects of the Sopwith Triplane which was far superior to any German fighter in 1916.
 

The new German triplane, the DR-I Fokker Triplane, had three short-span wings built in one piece that were actually cantilever. However, German test pilots reported a vibration in the aircraft and blamed the lack of struts. In reality it was control-surface flutter that caused the vibration. But, Fokker wanting to meet the deadlines of his contract, didn’t contest the committee, and inserted interplane wing struts that went from the bottom wing, through the center wing and up to and attached to the top wing. An airplane is fairly worthless if the pilots won’t fly it, in fear of the wings breaking off. In actuality, the plane did not need the struts. To this day, the quite small Fokker Triplane is the most recognized aircraft of World War I, partially due to the cartoon character “Snoopy” in his Sopwith Camel fighting off the Red Baron in his Triplane. The Fokker Triplane is also one of the very few aircraft flying that has no vertical stabilizer, and relies only on the rudder for directional stability.

A few years ago I had a quarter scale RC Fokker Triplane and during a touch and go I hit a little too hard, and broke off the tailskid which allowed the rudder to hit the ground and it also parted company with the airplane. Before I noticed it, the plane had climbed to 25 feet and then I realized I had no rudder or vertical stabilizer of any kind. I mentally wrote off the plane, but it kept on flying just fine. I landed using elevator, engine and ailerons without any further damage. It was then obvious how the German pilots could do flat turns and other evasive maneuvers, that other aircraft could not perform, giving them a good edge in dog-fighting combat.

German WWI pilot Werner Voss claimed 48 victories over Allied aircraft. Most were the victims of Voss and his Fokker Triplane. Note the very long propeller and rotary engine.

Anthony Fokker and his design team also produced another outstanding aircraft of World War I, their Fokker D-VII.

I took this photograph at Kermit Weeks Museum in Florida in 2004. It shows a replica Fokker D-VIII. This aircraft has an authentic WWI rotary engine. Note the very long propeller. This plane was one of the very first to have a cantilever wing covered with wood and fabric.

This aircraft was so technically advanced that it became part of the spoils of war reparations. They were all seized and given to various countries to use any way they liked. These Mercedes six-cylinder in-line engine powered biplanes were in service for many years after the war. Unfortunately, deadly wars accelerate the design of aircraft like no other occurrence. 

 Canadair CL-215, Water Bomber Supreme 7/15/2008

The Canadair CL-215 was designed specifically as a fire-fighting water-bomber. It has been in production since 1967.

By: Norm Goyer

The Canadair CL-215 from Canada is a very well designed and manufactured twin-engine amphibian. The aircraft was designed with the specific purpose of dropping water on forest fires in the quickest turn-around possible. Canada prizes its huge acreage of pristine forests as natural assets to be preserved for the people of Canada. Each year raging fires threaten the world’s forests with destruction. The CL-215 had the lofty goal of protecting these forests even before leaving the drawing boards. The CL-215 delivered on its promise.

The Canadair first took flight on October 23, 1967, over forty years ago, and is still being manufactured today. It is one of the world’s most successful amphibian flying boats. Canadian officials knew what they wanted, and the specifications for the aircraft spelled them out in detail. The plane must be capable of scooping up between 800 and 1500 gallons of water from a one-mile-long lake or body of water without coming to a halt. Takeoff distance to clear a 50-foot obstacle must be no more than 3,000 feet. To enable a quick response, the plane must be capable maintaining a cruise speed of 140-150 knots and a stall speed of 60 to 70 knots. The pilots in the cockpit must have excellent visibility to aid in safe maneuvering in mountainous terrain. The airframe must be stressed to plus or minus 3gs. In addition, the design should also include future modifications to make the aircraft appealing to other corporate and government users. The CL-215 met all specifications.

Note the Pratt & Whitney twin turbo-prop engines on this CL-215T caught at the moment of a demonstration water-drop.

In actual practice, the aircraft was able to scoop up 1200 gallons of water carried in two removable fuselage tanks. The gross weight was a respectable 41,500 pounds. The twin-engines, recip on earlier versions and turbo prop on current aircraft, are mounted high on a cantilever wing well out of the water spray. The horizontal stabilizer and elevators are mounted cruciform style halfway up the vertical stabilizer. The hull (fuselage) has a single step using the latest high speed planing hull techniques. The tricycle landing gear is very rugged knowing that the plane will be flown from varied types of landing areas. The CL-215 is currently being used in many countries for fire protection and other transportation duties befitting such a versatile amphibious aircraft.
 

Until 1986, Canadairs used Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radial engines because of their almost instant power when it was needed.

I live in Apple Valley, California, a few miles away from the ex-George Air Force Base, home of the converted DC-10 firefighting airliner. Huge fires often rage in the neighboring Big Bear and Cajon Pass areas. During an all-out fire attack, we see many firefighting planes and helicopters flying low over our home, including a DC-10 and Canadairs. Last year, even the Canadian converted Martin Mars four engine World War II flying boat visited our area. Wild fires devastate homes and property, but the forests that are consumed will take decades to replace. We thank the firefighters and pilots of these aircraft for helping to protect us and our environment.

Grumman Amphibians 7-8-2008

This Grumman Widgeon was photographed at the 2004 Sun ‘n Fun Air Show. The Widgeon was the smallest amphibian produced by Grumman.

Norm Goyer

I photographed this modified Grumman Widgeon on display at a recent Sun ‘n Fun Air Show, in Lakeland, Florida. This particular Widgeon is similar to the one seen on a popular Hawaiian TV series, “Hey Boss, here comes de plane”. The original Widgeon had two six- cylinder inverted in-line Ranger engines. Over the years, the Widgeon has been the subject of many modifications, by their proud owners. Grumman’s first amphibian was the Duck, a huge biplane with a single float built as part of the lower fuselage.

The Grumman Duck was Grumman’s first amphibian and saw heavy service during World War II.
 

This aircraft was the star of the movie “Murphy’s War.” The retractable landing gear was similar to the one used on the Duck and the Navy F4F Wildcat. In 1937 Grumman designed and manufactured their first twin-engine aircraft, the Grumman Goose. This was also their first commercial aircraft to be used by small airlines. Those of us who live in Southern California are very familiar with the Gooses or should we say Geese, as used for many years by Catalina Airways.

The Grumman Goose was Grumman’s first twin-engine airplane and the first one to be put into commercial air carrier service. Catalina Airlines used many of the Goose amphibians to fly passengers from Southern California shore cities to Catalina Island.
 

The US Navy and Coast Guard also used the Goose during World War II with great success. The Goose became the grandfather of the postwar civilian Grumman Mallard and the military SA-16 Albatross, which was used for air sea rescue until only a few years ago. Grumman amphibians are in great demand by collectors and classic aircraft restorers. There recently has been resurgence in designs for new amphibians, with Russia leading the way, with very advanced turbine-powered versions. The most active amphibian currently in use is the Canadair CL-215 twin engine water-bomber which has proven to be very successful.

This flying shot shows the graceful lines of one of the most beautiful aircraft ever designed.

Norm Goyer

Walter Beech’s D-17 first flew on November 4, 1932. It was designed during the great depression, and many thought was a great waste of time and energy.

Walter Beech poses with one of his first D-17 Staggerwings with fixed landing gear.

Beech designed the negative-stagger biplane for one purpose, fast transportation for businessmen. The first versions had fixed landing gear with large fairings. Later models incorporated retractable gear with complete gear-door coverings. These later versions also had an elongated fuselage for better handling. In 1936, Blanche Noyes and Louise Thaden won the Bendix Trophy Race in their Beechcraft D-17R. Jackie Cochran set a woman’s speed record of 203.9 mph during the 1937 National Air Races while flying a specially-prepared D-17W Staggerwing. China purchased several D-17s to be used as ambulance planes in their battle against Japan. The US Army also purchased 270 UC-43, (lightly modified D-17s,) for executive-type transportation and courier work. The US Navy also had GB-1 and GB-2s, their version of the Staggerwing.


This early photograph shows workers assembling the D-17, note the fixed landing gear on the early aircraft.

 The final version of the 785, D-17 Staggerwing was sold in 1948 for $29,000. Beech used a variety of large radial engines with the powerful nine-cylinder Pratt & Whitney 450 hp being the most in demand. Beech replaced the D-17 with the new Bonanza costing about one third the price, but able to almost stay with the Staggerwing in speed.


This beautifully restored Beechcraft D-17 was photographed at AirVenture 2005. AirVenture 2008 is very soon, don't miss it.

The Staggerwing has been nominated again and again as one of the most beautiful aircraft ever designed.

Howard DGA-15 6/24/08


Copyright by Sparky Barnes Sargen

This beautiful five passenger aircraft is a fitting tribute to the life of Benny Howard, a true icon in the field of aircraft racing and design. Almost everyone knows that DGA stands for Damned Good Airplane and they were. Howard’s first commercial success came at 20 years old, with the design of an aircraft he called the DGA-2. Howard designed and built it to be strong enough to carry 15 cases of bootleg liquor for a local Texas entrepreneur.  At age 26 Howard moved on to air racing, not for the glory, but to capture some needed prize money. The DGA-3 “Pete” was built from scrounged parts, and a 90 hp Wright-Gypsy Engine. Benny won third place at 162.8 mph and his racing career was off and running.

Howard with small white racing plane

Howard then joined forces with another aircraft designer, Gordon Israel, to build a pair of aircraft; the DGA-4s, “Mike” and “Ike” differed only in landing gear configuration and were sponsored by Chevrolet.

Another competitive tiny, very successful racing plane, the Monocoupe Clipped Wing Special, designed by Don Luscombe, caught the eye of Howard and Israel.  The attraction was obvious; the plane could be raced on the weekend and flown for hire during the week.

Monocoupe Special Baby Ruth

Soon to emerge was a much larger, but very similar DGA-6, “Mister Mulligan.” This is the forerunner of this week’s feature aircraft the Howard DGA-15, which soon became  a commercial and military success.

Mister Mulligan, white high wing monoplane

“Mister Mulligan” had four seats but the larger DGA-15 held five passengers. Both the Army and Navy used these aircraft for various duties, including the Navy as a navigational trainer which had a second set of controls in the rear seating area so they could teach two cadets simultaneously. In the early 1960s, I flew a Howard hauling sport parachutists from a grass field in the Northeast. It was a damn good airplane. The DGA-15 was powered by radial engines of 300 to 450 hp.

This week’s copyright photo, was taken by good friend and colleague, Sparky Barnes Sargent, of a restored Howard owned and flown by multiple Howard owner, Art Lund, at the Hayward Howard Gathering, Telemark Resort, Cable, Wisconsin. For more info on Howard aircraft, we suggest you log onto: http://howardaircraft.org

Stinson 6/17/08

This beautifully restored Stinson Gullwing/SR-10/V-77 was photographed at the Arizona Copperstate Fly In a few years ago. You can also visit either Sun ‘n Fun in Lakeland, Florida, or AirVenture, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where you can usually find various Stinsons displayed by their proud owners. The Stinson SR (Stinson Reliant) series from SR-1 to SR-6, are referred to as the straight-wing Stinsons. The SR-7 to SR-10s are the famous Gullwing versions. While earlier versions have two wing struts on each wing, the Gullwing only has one. The SR-10 was modified as the V-77 or AT-19 and 500 of them were produced for military use. The “V” refers to the Vultee company who had purchased Stinson during the time the V-77s were constructed; most of which were sent to England’s Royal Navy Fleet Arm. Many of the V-77s were returned from overseas and were sold in this country as surplus. They were brought back to civilian status by a Stinson plant in Wayne, Michigan. These can be spotted because they have smooth cowlings. The SR-7, 8 and 9 series had bump cowlings. Almost 1400 of the SR series were built by Stinson/Vultee from 1933 to 1941. I have flown the SR-10 many times, and although it was not very fast, at a top of about 130 mph, it was a very smooth, quiet ride with superb handling. Most of the SRs and V-77s had a 300 hp Lycoming radial engine for power but some of the later military V-77s used the more powerful Pratt & Whitney 450 hp nine-cylinder engine.

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Ryan SC 6/10/2008

A few years after the end of WWII, many companies built “sedans.” In car terminology, sedans had four doors and carried four to six passengers. Though Aeronca, Luscombe, Taylorcraft and Piper all had four-place versions of their two-passenger aircraft; none proved successful. But before the war, the rage had been “coupes.” Kinner, Aeronca and Ryan produced two passenger low-wing side-by-side aircraft. The most beautiful of all the models was the Ryan SC. It was meant to offer the comforts of a closed cabin to its three occupants. It was offered as an addition to the company’s STA tandem, open-cockpit sport aircraft which just happened to be very aerobatic. In the mid 1930s, Tex Rankin won the National Aerobatic title with his Ryan ST. The military purchased a small number of the all metal trainer but found that the inline Menasco four-banger was not suitable for military-style primary training. The airframe was completely redesigned into the Ryan PT -22, (which was a huge mistake.) This airplane had serious handling problems and continues to be involved in fatal accidents, even when flown by very experienced pilots. (I owned a PT-22 and almost became one of its victims, which is a story for another time.) The Ryan SC was powered with a Warner Super Scarab 145 hp radial engine. Only 13 of the Sport Coupes were built with four still flying. In 1942 the military took one of the 13, named it the L-10. The SC had a wingspan of 37 feet and could attain 150 mph.

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Navy N3N-3 6/3/2008

About 1,000 N3Ns were manufactured by the Naval Air Factory, owned and operated by the US Navy, from 1935 to the early 1940s. This large biplane is often mistaken for the Boeing/Stearman PT-17/N2S. Many of these aircraft were painted bright yellow for easy visibility in the air and as a warning that a student pilot was aboard. It was the N3N that was nicknamed the Yellow Peril by Naval Aviation Cadets and not the PT-17/N2S. For a few years after the war a small number of N3N-3s were fitted with a single large float with two small wing tip floats. These aircraft were used for indoctrination rides at the Naval Academy. Eventually all N3Ns were sold as surplus. The N3N-3 was powered with a 235 hp seven cylinder Wright Whirlwind radial engine, also built by the Navy under license. It had a takeoff weight of almost 2800 pounds and a top speed of 126 mph. There are still 20 listed as airworthy. I have flown the N3N and it is not as maneuverable as the Stearman or the Waco UPF-7, another contemporary biplane trainer. The controls seemed a bit sluggish to me, but there was no doubt that this was a very rugged aircraft that could take the ham-handed abuse of Naval Cadets.
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Lockheed Vega 5/27/2008