.- MYSTERY PLANE _ _
By George Hardie Aircraft designers have long sought to develop the truly safe airplane. Be ginning with the Guggenheim Safe Aircraft Contest in 1927-29, won by the Curtiss "Tanager", interest in the problem has continued to this day. Notable efforts have been the McDon nell "Doodlebug" in 1929; the STOL (short take-ofT and landing) types in the late 1930's and early 1940's - the Fieseler "Storch", Bellanca YO-50 and Ryan YO-51 and the Bollinger Koppen "Helioplane" in 1949. This month's Mystery Plane is another mysterious unknown. The photo was taken by Art Schmidt of Milwaukee, Wisconsin at Machesney Airport north of Rockford, Illinois in 1939. Evidently this was another attempt to improve performance and safety of operation. Nothing is known as to designer/builder, nor owner or purpose. Answers submitted will be published in THE VINTAGE AIRPLANE for July 1984. The Mystery Plane featured in the January, 1984 issue of THE VIN TAGE AIRPLANE still remains somewhat of a mystery. Ted Businger of Willow Springs, Missouri, who knew Roy Russell personally, recalls: "The photograph was taken at Cur tiss Field, Long Island at the time Roy and his parents were working for Cur tiss on the NC boats. Roy felt that it was a Curtiss experimental type, but failed to pursue the matter at that date. We speculated that it was a re build of the Curtiss S-3 "Scout" tri plane, on the basis of the repair sec
tion on the cowl were the center wing had been. The fuselage is very similar to the S-3 unit. "The wings have a great deal of similarity to those used on a IN-4. Roy felt sure they were built espe cially for this plane. The rudder is a total departure from Curtiss standard design for this era. Roy stated the en gine was a Curtiss V-2 and was the only one he ever saw. On this basis he surmised that the ship was rebuilt from the triplane solely as a means for testing and refining the engine." John Clark of Pasadena, California confirms this as follows : "The Mystery Plane in the January, 1984 issue is a modification of the 1916-17 Curtiss S-3 "Scout" pursuit of which only four were built and de livered in 1917. The original airplane was powered with a Curtiss OXX-2 of 100 hp and was an equal-span tri plane. The photo appears to show the S-3 modified as follows: Rudder of original span but increased chord; landing gear of larger 'vee' on each
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Single place biplane capable of un limited aerobatics. 23 sheets of clear, easy to follow plans, includes nearly 100 isometrical drawings, photos and exploded views. Complete parts and materials list. Full size wing drawings. Plans plus 88 page Builder's Manual - $60.00. Info Pack - $4.00. Super Acro Sport Wing Drawing - $15.00. Send check or money order to: ACRO SPORT, INC., Box 462, Hales Corners, WI 53130. 414/ 425-4860. ACRO SPORT -
ACRO II - The new 2-place aerobatic trainer and sport biplane. 20 pages of easy to follow, detailed plans. Com plete with isometric drawings, photos, exploded views. Plans - $85.00. Info Pac - $4.00. Send check or money order to: ACRO SPORT, INC., P.O. Box 462, Hales Cor ners, WI 53130. 414/425-4860.
side by moving the rear legs aft to ter minate in line with the wing trailing edge instead of the tripe's leading edge; and the triplane wings aban doned in favor of what appears to be shortened-span (single bay) Standard J-1 biplane wings and rigging, includ ing ailerons." Paul Rizzo of East Meadow, New York thought it might be a biplane designed and built by Dan Brimm, an engineer for the Ireland Aircraft Co. at one time. The study of the photo seems to support the evaluation by Messrs. Businger and Clark, how ever. Any further comment will be welcome . •
POBER PIXIE - VW powered parasol - unlimited in low-cost pleasure flying. Big, roomy cockpit for the over six foot pilot. VW power insures hard to beat 3% gph at cruise setting. 15 large instruction sheets. Plans - $45.00. Info Pack - $4.00. Send check or money order to: ACRO SPORT, INC., Box 462, Hales Corners, WI 53130. 414/ 425-4860. FL V-IN, Wilbur Wright Memorial Birthday Fly-In, April 13-15, 1984 at Wright Brothers National Memorial, First Flight Airstrip, Kill Devil Hill , North Carolina. Awards, banquet, fly for fun . Sponsored by the National Park Ser vice and EAA Chapter 339. Contact Steve Thomas 804/ 463-0617.
J-3 Replica % scale LM-2, single place, wood construction, detachable wings, empty 345, 30 HP Cuyuna, cruise 65, 160 page construction manual $95.00 from Light Minia ture Aircraft, 13815 NW 19th Ave., Opa-Locka, FL 33054, 305/681-4068. Kits from Wicks Aircraft Supply. 1929 HEATH SUPER Parasol, 40 hp Continental or 27 hp Henderson, Ceconite covering, excellent condition. Completely rebuilt cost over $12,000.00, make offer. Mr. Dorcas, 419/241-4261. VINTAGE AIRPLANE 19