1905, 1909 = Airworthy copies of the Wright Flyer, one each year and so identified, likely sold for exhibition work.

1910 = 1pOmwM; 35hp Curtiss 4. POP: 1 vaguely Blériot copy.

1913 = 1pOB. One copy of the Curtiss pusher; no data.

1913 = 1pOmwM replica German Taube, with a "gull-wing," likely referring to its shape in a plan view, as opposed to the Stinson type wing.

1916 = 1pOB; 50hp Adams-Farwell rotary. POP: 1 exhibition plane for motion picture work.

  Babcock LC-7

LC-7 1919 = 2pOB; 60hp Kemp I-4. LC = Light Commercial. LC-11 Cadet 1928 = 1pOmwM; 55hp Clark; span: 30'0" length: 19'0" load: 500# v: 100. Verne Babcock, from his original concept in 1921. POP: 1 [C551E, C7997] c/ns 502,501. Became Taubman LC-11 All-American.

Light Parasol 19?? = No info found.

  Babcock-Vlchek X [NX20490]
  Babcock LC-13A racer [NR998W] (Frank Rezich coll)

LC-13, LC-13A aka Babcock-Vlchek X Airmaster, Taube, and Taubman Zephyr (in 1939 or 1940) (ATC 2-389) 1938 = 2pCmwM; 130hp Franklin 6AC or 120hp Martin 333 (LC-13A); span: 30'10" length: 20'5" v: 150/135/x range: 450. Side-by-side cockpit. POP: uncertain but [NR998W] was modified as OmwM racer. Production halted by the outbreak of WW2. SEE ALSO Bartlett, Taubman. Babcock split from Taubman and moved his own ops to Florida to license-build assault gliders for USAAF in WW2

Series 1 1927 SEE Swastika.

Teal 1925 = 1pOB; 90hp Curtiss OX-5; load: 700#.

Model D 1961 = 1pOhwM; 65-85hp Continental. Ed Jacobs. Home-builder's refinement of Corben Baby Ace C as modified by EAA; ff (as DuCharme/EAA Baby Ace): 11/15/56. Plans offered in 1968 for 1p Baby Ace ($28.50) and 2p Junior Ace, aka Model E ($36.50).

  Bach Air Yacht [5082] ( Frank H Nichols coll)

Air Yacht 1928 = POP: 1 [5082] c/n 1. Three more in the registrations are identified only as Air Yacht with no model designation: [3534] c/n 1 had a J-5 + two Kinners; [3997] c/n 1 had one Wright J-5 + two Siemens; [4184] shows nothing but a c/n 2.

3-CT-2 Air Yacht 1928 = 10pChwM; one Wright J-5 + two 100hp Ryan-Siemens. POP 1: [NC7065] c/n 1.

3-CT-4 Air Yacht 1928 = 10pChwM; one P&W Wasp + two 100hp Ryan-Siemens. POP: 2 [NC7657/7658] c/ns 3/4.

  Bach 3-CT-5 [NC7092] (Gordon Williams via Frank Rezich coll)

3-CT-5 Air Yacht 1929 (ATC 2-98) = 10pChwM; one 450hp P&W Wasp + two 130hp Comet. POP: 1 [NC7092] c/n 2.

  Bach 3-CT-6 [388E] Bad reg! (K O Eckland coll)
  Bach 3-CT-6 Single-engine mod [NC219H] (Clark Scott coll)

3-CT-6 Air Yacht 1929 (ATC 114) = 12pChwM; one 525hp P&W Hornet + two 130hp Comet; span: 58'5" length: 36'10" load: 3261# v: 154/126/60 range: 600. $39,500; POP: 5 for Pickwick Airways [219H, 302E, 388, NC539E, NC850E] c/ns 10,6,5,7,8. [219H] and [388] were rebuilt into a single-engine, the latter as a sesqui-wing banana-duster with an added smaller lower wing. Used in 1933 in Honduras by United Fruit Company, registered [XHTRA]. Interesting is that [388E], pictured above and shown in Summer 1967 AAHS Journal, is not in the registers—that number is worn by an Arrow Sport.

  Bach 3-CT-8 [C8069] (Gordon Williams via Frank Rezich coll)

3-CT-8 Air Yacht 1929 (ATC 172) = 10pChwM; one 525hp P&W Hornet + two 165hp Wright J-6; span: 58'5" length: 36'10" load: 3195# v: 157/133/60 range: 590. $39,500; POP: 4 [NC53M/54M, NC245K, NC8069] c/ns 16/17,15,11.

  Bach 3-CT-9 [NC809M] (Oliver Phillips via Frank Rezich coll)

3-CT-9 Air Yacht 1929 (ATC 271, 2-175) = 10pChwM; one 450hp P&W Wasp + two 225hp Wright J-6-7; span: 58'5" length: 36'10" load: 2990# v: 162/136/60 range: 525. $39,500; POP: at least 3 [NC511V, NC520M, NC809M] c/ns 21,18,19. (2-175) for one conversion to 7p Special [NC809M]. Set a new altitude record, and the first ever for tri-motors, on 7/26/29, carrying a 1000-kilo load (2220#) to 20,820' (p: Waldo Waterman), and two CTs came in first and second in multi-engine speed competition at the 1929 Nationals (p: William Brock, Waterman).

  Bach 3-CT-9K [NC12297] (Oliver Phillips via Frank Rezich coll)

3-CT-9K Air Yacht 1931 (ATC 2-376) = 10pChwM; one 420hp P&W Wasp B + two 210hp Kinner C-5. POP: 2 [NC12206, NC12297] c/ns 22,23.

3-CT-9S Air Yacht 1930 (ATC 299, 2-179) = Deluxe "executive" version of 3-CT-9 with cowled engines (PW Wasp + two Wright R-760), wheel pants, customized interior; load 2807# range: 600. $40,000+; POP: 1 [NC317V] c/n 20. (2-179) superseded by (299).

  Bach CS-1 [X2899] (Paul Matt coll)

CS-1 1927 = 3pCB; 120hp static Super-Rhône Z-1 (later 120hp Bristol Lucifer); span: 25'6" length: 20'4" load: 825# v: 107/90/35 range: 450. L Morton Bach. All-wood construction; wings from a war-surplus SE5a fighter. POP: 1 [X2899] c/n 1.

  Bach CS-4 [3431] (1927 Aero Digest)

CS-4 1927 = 4pCB; 150hp Hisso A; v: 130/x/30. POP: 1 [3431] c/n 2.

  Bach Polar Bear (Museum of Flight coll)

Polar Bear 1921 = 2pOB. Built by Morton Bach in his backyard with design help from Clarence Prest. Used for an attempted flight from Mexico to Siberia, which ended short in northwest Canada.

  Bach Super Transport Three-view (Bach)

Super Transport 1928 = 25pCswB; four 410hp P&W Wasp; span: 85'0" v (est): 152/120/x range (est): 800. Ambitious design project which never made it to production, but is included because of its design magnificence for the time. The double-deck fuselage had two lounges, a buffet table, 6'3" ceiling height. Dual, brake-equipped wheels had a 20'6" tread. Calculated to cruise on any three motors, and maintain level flight with only two, this would have been the King Kong of airliners had it gotten off the drawing board.

  Bach T-11-P [NC219H] (G Williams coll via Frank Rezich coll)

T-11-P 1933 (ATC 2-453) = 10pChwM; one 525hp P&W Hornet A; load: 2825#. POP: 1 converted from 3-CT-6 [NC219H].

WPB-1 1975 = 1pCmwM; 40hp Kiekhafer Aeromarine 440 pusher; span: 21'0" length: 11'0" load: 220# v: 106/x/55. A powered version of his EPB-1 sailplane. Tailless flying wing, fins and rudders at the wing tips, tandem landing gear. POP: 1, [N20WB].

  Baco Skylark two-place (K O Eckland coll)
  Baco Skylark two-place (Aviation via Joe Martin)

Skylark 1921 = 2pOB; 60hp Lawrance; span: 29'10" length: 23'0" load: 600# v: 90/x/33 range: 350; ff: 5/2/21. I-struts. $6,500.

Skylark 1921 = 4pOB; 100hp Anzani; span: 36'0" length: 25'0" load: 950# v: 90/x/38 range: 350. $7,000.

Model 1 1931 = 1pOM; 65hp Velie. [12086].

  Bahl Lark B Side-view plan (Al Rockwell coll)
  Tuxhorn Lark rebuild (Aviation via Joe Martin)

Lark Monoplane 1920 = 1pOhwM; 40hp Lawrance; span: 28'0" length: 19'0" v: 75/x/27. E G Bahl. Layered wood-strip monocoque fuselage with only four bulkheads. A Frankensteinian creation [NC5003?] reportedly from pieces of two Curtiss JN-4s, a Thomas-Morse S4C, and other wrecks, won an efficiency trophy at the 1921 Omaha Air Races. Sold in 1922 and moved to Richards Field, Kansas City, where it was badly damaged in a landing accident. Purchased by Blaine Tuxhorn in 1924, redesigned by L D Bonbrake and rebuilt with 60hp Wright-Gale L-4, and reregistered as Tuxhorn Lark, again in 1929 as Bonbrake Parasol. Said to not have flown very well in its original form, but design elements did appear later in Inland Sport. Ref: Letter to editor from Bonbrake, 12/15/24.

Recent documentation found by John M Jarratt puts this Lark back at square one, and we start over. The airplane appearing as [NC5003] is a far cry from the one pictured in the 1/8/22 Denver Post, and its lengthy article about the Harding, Zook & Bahl operation indicate much of the data above describes another plane (that "wood-strip monocoque fuselage" certainly does not fit the picture), but which one is yet to be solved.

    Specs mentioned in the news item: 65hp 2-cylinder Rockwell (Hugh M Rockwell—SEE Rockwell Corp entry); load: 607# v: 90/x/25; $2,500 planned market price. Empty wt: 650#. The article also mentions prior production at Lincoln, and that a "considerable number had been sold in the US, Canada, and Mexico" and they will "turn out 100 Lark monoplanes within a year." (2/28/02)

Trying to sort out this mess, we proceed another step further (or is it backwards?). From research by John M Jarratt and Vincent J Berinati, it seems that prototypical Bahl Lark was parts of the fuselage of surplus Standard J-1 [NC2119] mated with the wing of a Thomas-Morse something. Later on its meandering path it was reregistered as [NC1940], which shows in regs as a Standard J-1 because of its fuselage's original c/n, but might have been Tuxhorn Lark at the time. (3/14/02)

Abstracts from NASM show that this ship had nothing to do with Bahl, Bonebrake, or Tuxhorn, but was a Nicholas-Beazley Standard J-1 remodeled with a monoplane wing and new tail by Joseph C Freeze, Kansas City KS. (— John M Jarratt 7/18/02)

Blitz A 1933 = 2pOM; 65hp LeBlond. [12896] c/n X-1; reg cancelled 2/10/33.

The Thing c.1950 = 2pChwM; 115hp Lycoming; span: 12'4" v: x/145/x. Empty wt: 540#. POP: 1 [N3M].

Model B "Bitty Bipe" c.1970 = 2pOB; 125hp Lycoming O-290G; span: 16'0" load 300# v: x/120/55. [N55E].

1911 = 1pOmwM; 15hp engine with 6' geared prop; v(est): 50. Copy of a French Demoiselle failed to get airborne in two attempts on 3/12/11.

Deuce 1970 = 2pOhwM; 125hp Lycoming O-290G; span: 30'4" length: 20'9" load: 602# v: 145/105/36 range: 300 ceiling: 17,000'; ff: 4/2/70. Parasol wing. EAA Outstanding New Design award 1971. Marketed plans for home-builders.

Double Deuce 1972 = 2pOB variation of Deuce with 125-220hp engine.

Pete (aka Special) 1948 = 1pClwM; 85hp Continental C-85; span: 20'4" length: 17'0". Midget racer, a modified and repowered Howard DGA-3 Pete, reregistered as [NX400B]; later known as Shannon-Buente Special. Too large and heavy to compete successfully with Goodyear racers, it was used instead for aerobatics in Cole Brothers Air Shows until c.1950. Bought by EAA in 1953, and redesigned as Pober Little Audrey with a replica fuselage and Luscombe shoulder-wings. The original fuselage and tail, plus some miscellaneous parts, went into a rebuild of the 1930 configuration by Repeat Aircraft, Riverside CA.

BCA-1-3 Amphibian 1968 = 2pChwMAm; 180hp Lycoming O-360; span: 32'6" length: 25'0" v: x/92/60; ff: 5/x/68. Gross wt: 2050#. POP: 1 [N4283C].

Aquarius 1970 = 1pCmwM; 85hp Continental C-85; span: 19'6" length: 16'9". Midget racer, qualified at Reno at 233 mph in 1975. POP: 1 [N3203].

MB-1 Delta Kitten 1960 = 1pClwM; 85hp Continental C-85; span: 18'0" length 13'3" load: 300# v: 145/130/65 range: 360 ceiling: 12,000'. Tailless, Lippisch-like delta. All-metal construction, tricycle gear. Winner EAA Design Trophy 1961. Those who flew the plane found it gentle and orthodox in response. Building cost $2,000. [N57A].

Boo Ray 1967 = 1pClwM; 85hp Continental C-85; span: 15'6" length: 16'8" v: 225. Midget racer, took fifth place in 1967 Nationals. POP: 1 [N2081].

B-2 1970 = 2pOhwM parasol; 140hp Lycoming O-290. POP: 1 [N6917].

A 1930 = Monoplane with 60hp Anzani built by Baker, Scott, and Julius La Grave; no specs found [727W] c/n 1. Destroyed in a crash and reg cancelled 12/19/32.

BA 1960 = 1pOB; 150hp Franklin 6A4-150; span: 21'0" length: 17'6" load: 300# v: 125/110/55. Wooden wings, steel tube fuselage. Designed and built by UAL pilot Leins. Building time two years, cost $2,100. [4951E].

  Baldwin Red Devil and modes du jour
  Baldwin Red Devil at Garber Facility, NASM

Red Devil 1910 = 1pOB; 50hp Hall-Scott pusher; span: 28'9" length: 28'3" v: 60. The name was derived from its red-doped covering. POP: 3 or 4, patterned after the Curtiss Pusher; one built for James C "Bud" Mars for his exhibition 1910-11 tours of the USA, Hawaii, and the Orient. Subsequent versions, built by Wittemann, had 60hp Hall-Scott or 75hp Rausie; span: 31'3" length: 32'0". Baldwin, holder of Dirigible Balloon Pilot license #1, is also credited with the invention of the first practical parachute, in 1885, although he never bothered to patent his idea.

ASP-XJ 1988 = Tailless delta. 1pClwM rg; 2950# GE CJ610-8A; span: 13'9". Did it fly?

S-T 1928 = 2pOB; Velie M-5, later Lambert. POP: 1 [826E] c/n 1, sold to Pennsylvania Air Lines as a student trainer 11/3/30; reg expired 12/5/32.

JW-1 Jetwing 1977 = Research aircraft. 1pCmwM rg; 2200# P&W JT15D-1; span: 21'9" length: 28'7" load: 820# v: 399/x/68; ff: 7/11/77 (p: Herman "Fish" Salmon). POP: 1 [NX27BB].

1931 = 2pOB; 60hp LeBlond. John M Jarratt found newspaper articles showing this plane as being a design and partial assembly of Robert L Hall of the Granville Brothers Co, then was completed by students at the Baltrun flight school and apparently flown (p: Tony Israelian) [13230], but was destroyed in a fire along with several other planes at the airport in 1932. Looking a bit like a compact Waco UPF, it apparently influenced the subsequent Hall Bulldog also constructed by this same group. (Fire info via email from grandson Joseph R Baltrun, 3/10/02.)

1917-18 = 1pOB; 50-60hp Anzani (uncertain). Wood and fabric design described as being influenced by Caudron G.3. Employing a two-control (rudder and elevator) system adapted from 1910 Voisin system, it had a small podlike fuselage with twin booms, fabric covered for lateral stability, and two-bay wings that were fairly standard biplane style but minus ailerons. Reportedly underwent Army evaluation, likely as a trainer, but was rejected and stored away in a barn. Discovered c.1961 and was undergoing restoration when it was destroyed in a shop fire.

Model C Copter 1967 = 2pOAg; 135hp Lycoming pusher. POP: 1 [N1186].

Model VW Copter 196? = 1pOAg; 64hp VW 1600cc pusher; rotor: 23'0" v: 100/60/0.

Model T of the Air 1963 = 1pOAg; 65hp Lycoming; rotor: 25'0" length: 7'4" load: 250# v: 90 range: 100. Plans and kits were planned for the home-builder market. POP: 1 [N9989Z].

1933 1933 = 2pOM; 65hp LeBlond. [13602] c/n 2001. No history found.

B-2 1970 = 2pOhwM parasol; 140hp Lycoming O-290. [N6917].

  Barker-Bowser B.1 [N9566C] (Brian Baker)

B.1 Midniter 1957 = Aerobatic special. 1pClwM; 65hp Continental C-65; span: 23'7" length: 16'0" load: 365# v: 115/100/65 range: 350; ff: 1/2/57. Strut-braced Luscombe wings; aerobatic. [N9566C] c/n B1.

It got its name because my dad was a night-owl. He owned a welding shop in Phoenix and worked late at night, working on his many planes until the sun came up. (— Shonn Barker 12/11/07)

  Barkley-Grow T8P-1 [CF-BLV] and [NC18388] (Morris A Koshchuk coll)
  Barkley-Grow T8P-1 Perú [OB-GGK] (Sergio de la Puente coll)

T8P-1 1937 (ATC 662) = 8pClwM; two 450hp P&W Wasp SB; span: 50'9" length: 36'2" load: 3100# v: 225/215/65 range: 750 ceiling: 20,000'; ff: 4/x/37 (p: Frank Cordova). A S Barkley. Looked somewhat like Lockheed 10/12. Fixed gear, geodesic ribless wing construction with two X-spars (US patent #2,122,709 to Barkley in 1938). $37,500; POP: 9; [prototype X18388=CFBVE=NC18388, NC18470, NX26400=CFBQM, NC26496=CFBTX, YRAHA=OBGGK, CFBLV, CFBMG, CFBMV, CFBMW], some on twin EDO floats.

BW-1 1931 = 2pOlwM; 165hp Continental A-70. A S Barkley. Tandem cockpits; metal wing; twin-boom, twin-tail empennage. POP: 1 [X11300], crashed on a test flight, but proved wing's integrity by sustaining little damage.

  Barling B-6 Rarity [X958N] (David Hatfield coll)

B-6 (A-1) 1930 (2-410) = 6pChwM; 165hp Continental A-70; v: 125. Walter Barling. Unusual, inverted-V wing struts. $4,995; POP: 1 [X958N].

  Barling Bomber (XNBL-1)

Bomber SEE Engineering Division NBL-1.

NB-3 SEE Nicholas-Beazley NB-3.

New Standard D-31 1941 (ATC 2-276) = 5pOB; 125hp Kinner B-5; span: 31'6" length: 24'8" load: 524#. ff: 5/25/41. Somewhat modernized version of Standard D-31, built by students at Barnard tech school, was stored during WW2, flown again from 1947-52, when it was retired [NX29090] c/n 100. Located in 1962, and restored.

BGX-1 1933 = 1pOhwM; 40hp Salmson AD-9. [12763] c/n 1; reported as in storage 1940, reg cancelled 4/1/48.

J-3M c.1972 = 1pO gyrocopter; 65hp Continental C-65; rotor: 23'0" length: 11'4" load: 250# v: 85/70/x range: 120 ceiling: 6,000'. Flat-sided, fabric-covered fuselage. Take-off run: 200', landing run: 0-20'. POP: 1.

J-4B c.1973 = 1pO gyrocopter, redesigned J-3M with fiberglass pod fuselage, fixed fin, and 85hp Continental C-85; rotor: 23'0" length: 12'2" load: 310# v: 115/90/x range: 250 ceiling: 14,000'. Take-off run: 200', landing run: 0-20'. POP: 1 [N7817].

S-1 1928 = 2pO-ChwM; various motor options. $1,275 less motor and instruments; plans were advertised for only $10. POP: unk [513K c/n S-35879, 936N c/n C-15, et al], the first (with 80hp LeRhône) registered to a builder in Detroit MI, the latter (with 20hp Brownback Tiger) in Grand Forks NE—with a noticeable decrease in horsepower and c/ns. [513K] probably was a Sportster.

Sportster 1929 = 2pOB; 80hp LeRhône rotary. $1,600; do-it-yourself blueprints for $5. POP: at least one of each Snyder design is substantiated by photographs, none of which shows a plane in actual flight, so airworthiness is anyone's guess. Prototype in register as Snyder Sportster [898H] c/n 12; others unspecified might be S-1.

Wren 1928 = 1pOhwM; 20-40hp various. Kit-form construction project for home-builders; $150 less motor, plans $2.50.

  Barnhart (Aerial Age via Joe Martin)

1916 = 2pOB; span: (upper) 34'0" (lower) 26'0" length: 22'0"; ff: 5/15/16 (p: Ledyard Blake). Almost a sesquiplane, it was first used in exhibition flights by Ed Oliver and Eddie Mussich, then passed through several ownerships as a flight trainer until its trail faded in 1920.

  Barnhart Twin 15 (Aerial Age via Joe Martin)

Twin 15 aka Wampus Kat 1921 = 5pO/CB; two 90hp Curtiss OX-5; span: 50'0" length: 30'10" load: 1404# v: 8/3/43 (p: G G Budwig). Folding wings; twin tails; pilot in an open cockpit over the 4p cabin. POP: 1, construction by C R Little Aircraft Works at Pasadena's Sierra Airport. Demolished in its hangar by a freak windstorm.

  Barrsix [N83W] (Jim Barr)

6 aka Barrsix 2003 = 6pChwM; 400hp AVCO-Lycoming IO-720-A1BD; span: 35'10" length: 29'11" load: 2303# v: 248/206/47; ff: 11/17/03. Composite construction, design studies began in 1989, originally with conventional gear. POP: 1 [N83W] c/n001; projected for kit sales at $89,900. Design and production rights and assets offered for sale in 2006 as Barr was satisfied that he had accomplished his goal of creating a fast and safe, comparatively economical, six-place plane.

Gyracar 1982 = 1pCAg; 86hp VW pusher; rotor dia: 24'0" v: 100/80/0 range 150.

1931 = OlwM; 90 (or 60?)hp LeBlond. [978Y] c/n 2LW60. Gunston's Aircraft Manufacturers book lists a Barrett Aircraft Corp, no location, in 1982 as a "lightplane builder." Any relation to this one?

Santa Monica source reports address is invalid as an aircraft manufactory around that time. (— John M Jarratt 10/6/01)

BM-1 1926 = 3pOB; 90hp Curtiss OX-5; span: 30'0" length: 25'7". POP: 1 [4833] c/n 1. Reported to CAA as "out of commission" 3/x/30.

Grasshopper 1977 = 1pOhwM; 65hp Continental. Exceptional STOL performance. POP: 1 [N33RB].

Sport 1933 = 2pOM; Velie M-5. [11571] c/n CD-51; reg expired 5/1/39.

LC-13A Zephyr aka Blue Zephyr 1946 (ATC 2-389) = 2pCmwM; 150hp Franklin 6A4-150-B3; span: 30'9" length: 21'0" load: 685# v: 150/135/42 range: 500 ceiling: 18,000'. Streamlined, single-strut version of Taubman-Babcock LC-13 from design rights. $3,995; POP: 1 [NX18165].

KA-32 1931 = 1pOM; 41hp Church. [12883].

100 1929 = 3pOB; Curtiss OXX-2; span: 35'0" length: 21'10". [7631], converted from Central Monoplane [2861].

Sylkie One aka Model B-1 1975 = 2pClwM rg; 150hp Lycoming O-320; span: 24'10" length: 29'7" load: 600# v: 200/180/35 range: 600. POP: 1 [N711WB].

  Bat P-1 [X895E] (G S Williams via Frank Rezich coll)

P-1 1929 = 1pOhwM; 25hp 3-cyl Bat Special or 28hp Lawrance; span: 28'0" length: 17'11" load: 280# v: 90/70/28 range: 280. Trainer designed as a cheap time-builder. $1,095; POP: 2, one in 1930 with 35hp Szekely SR-3 for $1,995 [X895E, 8086].

P-2 1929 = 2pOhwM; 50-65hp Szekely SR-5; span: 35'0" length: 20'0" load: 504# v: 140/120/40 range: 600. $2,945; POP: 1.

  Bates I (1936 Popular Aviation)

Biplane I, II 1908 = 1pOB; 20hp (?>10hp) Bates pusher; span: 42'0". Boxkite type construction had interwingtip ailerons, front elevator, and a tricycle landing gear modified from, of all things, a baby buggy, as well as "McAdamite patent castings for quick stowage." 1909 II was an improved 2p version with 40hp Bates pusher, a "secret steering features," and brakes.

  Bates Possible replica

Monoplane 1911 = 1pOmwM; 30hp Bates. Damaged in taxi tests on 7/3/11; rebuilt 1912 with 3-cyl Poyer by Heath Co, but there was no recorded flight data found.

  Batson Air Yacht (Robert F Pauley coll)

Air Yacht 1913 = Six-wing creation with three 120hp Emerson 6 motors; span: 40'0" length: 74'0" load (est): 4000# v (est): 100/45/x. Ultimate goal was a transatlantic Savannah-Liverpool excursion. Although successfuly launched on the Herb River, and floating remarkably well, that this huge contrivance could ever become airborne takes some stretching of the imagination!

Dragonfly 1913 = In theory a smaller version of the former, but reports indicate that it might have been almost a duplicate. Despite receiving reported "river damage" during early trials, eye-witness reports tell of this machine flying on 3/29/13, for about a half-hour at a height of about 15'. However, Batson's legal problems with his backers forced bankruptcy, and company assets were auctioned off in 1915—the two planes, three Emerson engines, and office and shop equipment all went for $850!

  Batwing X-1 [NX15543] (William T Larkins)

X-1 1937 = 2pCmwM; 40hp Pobjoy pusher. W F McGinty. Tailless design; tricycle gear. Barely gained altitude on its first flight and the project was abandoned [NX15543].

1936 = 1pOhwM. This one is often seen in movie clips with the other fantastic aerial inventions; it is the winged, pedal-powered framework that wobbles down a sloping, wooden track only to bounce off the end, and crumple into a heap. No report as to whether Bauer or Hueber did all the furious pedaling, but it was a sincere attempt at human-powered flight, even though its range could be measured in feet.

B-65, -90 1938 = 2pCB; 65hp Velie [NX18151]. Later became B-90 with 90hp Lambert .

  Baumann B-100 [NX18160]

B-100 1940 = 4pCB rg; 100hp Allied Monsoon; ff: 1/3/40. Likely the only other American negative-stagger and retractable-gear cabin biplane than Beechcraft. POP: 1 [NX18160]. SEE The Mercury Story.

B-120, BT-120 Mercury 1940 = Repowered with Ken-Royce 120-7G; ff: 4/28/40. SEE The Mercury Story.

  Baumann B-250 (B C Reed via Aviation Heritage)
  Baumann B-290 [X90616] (B C Reed coll)

B-250, -290 Brigadier 1947 = 5pCmwM rg; two 125hp Continental pushers; span: 41'0" length: 27'5" load: 1350# v: 170/150/60 range: 750. Jack Baumann. POP: 2 [NC30025, X/N90616]; ff: 6/20/47. In 1950, Piper Corp was interested in building a 5p twin-engine metal cabin plane and wanted to merge with Baumann Aircraft and have them move to Lock Haven to help with its design. However, Piper didn't want to build a pusher, and Jack Baumann wanted to produce his pusher, not help Piper design a tractor. So, Piper bought the Brigadier and its drawings from Baumann and, although the Piper Apache differed in configuration, its detail design was based on the Brigadier.
    The second airplane built was the B-290 with 145hp Continental pushers, planned for production. Flown one day by an inexperienced pilot, it crashed with major structural damage. A third airframe was built for Willard Custer and made into the Custer Channel Wing prototype—essentially a Brigadier with redesigned center section for the channels and a shorter landing gear to accommodate them. Baumann did paper studies between 1985-1990 for two new versions, the Deluxe Brigadier with 180hp Lycoming O-360s and Super Brigadier with 245hp Continental O-470Bs, but neither was pursued any further. Time and finances were against the B-290, nearly ready for an ATC, when it was decided to abandon the project. It was donated instead to the EAA Museum.

1920 = CH. Interesting helicopter project had two sets of coaxial rotors on outriggers. Each unit was to have two rotary engines below it. A two-foot-long model, built and tested using compressed-air engines fed by a hose, hovered at about two feet, but had to be steadied by hand. No full-size machine was built.

B-5 1927 = 5pCB; 180hp Hisso E; span: 40'0" length: 27'0". This was in original form a Cessna BW [5035] that Beach reworked into a biplane. POP: 1 [1743]. Registration notes a letter of 10/17/27: "After the plane was cracked up, it was rebuilt by Beach, test-flown, and sold [8/1/30] to a Burnett Rodabaugh in Alaska," which leaves us wondering if "the plane" wrecked was the Cessna or if the B-5—which was built 5/1/27 and licensed 12/12/27—crashed and was itself rebuilt. Whichever, its path in Alaska fades out.

Gyroscopic Biplane 1908 = 1pOB; two 8' tractor props belt-driven by a 50hp 5-cyl Whitehead located under the fuselage between the wheels; span: 40'0". Pointy-nosed, V-shaped, boatlike fuselage. Allegedly employed a gyro device (the one invented by Augustus Herring?) to "hold it on an even keel so that all you have to do is steer," according to a brief magazine review and an ad in Nov 1911 Aeronautics (in which Whitehead's name was conspicuously missing). No data other than it did not fly, but there is a Gyroscopic Monoplane mentioned, which could be an error in reporting or a second machine.

1909 = 1pOmwM; 50hp 4-cyl Willard; span: 39'3" length: 36'0". Gross wt: 750#. Triangular-fuselage, taper-wing redesign of Blériot XI. Control stick on pilot's left waped the wingtip for turning, one on his right controlled vertical movement. Beach was Aeronautical Editor of Scientific American.

  Beachey Little Looper (Aviation Heritage)

Little Looper 1914 = 1pOB; 85hp Gnôme rotary pusher; span: 21'0" length: 18'4" v: 85. Lincoln Beachey, Warren Eaton, Art Mix, based on a Curtiss D clipped-wing design. Exhibition craft, in which Beachey toured 126 cities, made an estimated 1,000 loops, and reportedly earned about $250,000 that year—that in 1914 dollars!

  Beachey-Curtiss Looper
  Beachey-Curtiss Replacement wing and pilot seat (National Archives)

-Curtiss Looper (Curtiss Co) 1912 = 1pOB; 75hp Curtiss OX-2 pusher; span: 24'3". Lincoln Beachey, Glenn Curtiss. Special headless version stressed for aerobatics. Destroyed in a crash in Oct 1913, but Beachey's life was spared by his use of a safety belt and harness, then a novel contraption.

  Beachey-Curtiss Tractor (Paul Matt coll)

-Curtiss Tractor (Curtiss Co) 1912 = 1pOB; 90hp Curtiss OX; span: 24'0" length: 17'3". Glenn Curtiss. First of the "modern" Curtiss biplanes, with fabric-covered fuselage (although it was flown uncovered for a while), three-point gear with tailskid, and double-surfaced wings (but still using trailing interplane ailerons). Used by Beachey for exhibition work. Design was used for the prototype Curtiss Military Tractor.

  Beachey-Eaton (San Francisco Examiner)

1915 = 1pOmwM; 80hp Gnôme rotary; span: 26'0" length: 20'0" v: 104/x/45. Warren Eaton. Beachey's custom-built show plane, with tricycle gear and wire-operated foot brake, in which he crashed in San Francisco Bay when the wings collapsed during a performance on 3/14/15, at the Pan-Pacific Exposition. Trapped in the wreckage, Beachey drowned.

1914 = 1pOB; 50hp Gnôme rotary. Max Stupar.

V-8 Special 1978 = 2pClwM rg; 125hp modified Buick auto engine; span: 24'0" length: 18'6" load: 456# v: 200/148/64; ff: 9/22/78. [N824CB]

   Century SMB-4 [X559E] (Frank Rezich coll)

Centurian SMB-4 aka CBM-4, CMB-4 1929 = 3pO/ChwM; 90hp LeBlond 7D; span: 32'6" length: 25'0" load: 825# v: 130 (cowled) 118 (bare)/110/38 range: 600. Pilot in open cockpit at the trailing edge of a shoulder-wing. $4,975 with cowling; POP: 1 [X559E] c/n 7-C, registered as Century Centurion CBM-4.

Sporty 1959 = 1pClwM; 56hp Continental A-65; load: 365# v: 130/110/65 range: 250. T W Beal. Braced wooden wings, steel-tube fuselage with fabric covering. Taildragger, fixed gear.

Model B 1927 = 1pOB; 28hp Wright-Morehouse; span: 19'11" length: 16'6" v: x/70/35. [3451]; also with 28hp Lawrance.

1911 = 2pOB; 32hp Ford. Modified Wright B with streamlined, covered fuselage nacelle; 60hp Frontier V-8, repowered with 50hp Gyro rotary in 1913. Extensively used in exhibitions in USA and England 1912-14, later for instruction. POP: reportedly 3. In England 1916, Beatty also built a Jennylike 1pOB trainer with 35hp Anzani Y, later his own-design 4-cyl 60hp engine.

1934 = 2pOM; 40hp Ford. [14302].

BS-4 1932 = 2pOM; 32hp Ford. [13248].

FW-1 1964 = 1-2pClwM; 65-100hp Continental; span: 24'2" length: 19'4" v (cruise, 100hp): 98. POP: 2 [N6006, N73834].

FW-2 197? = 1pCB; 85hp Continental; span: 14'4" length: 15'0". Empty wt: 535#.

B-1, B-5 1936 = 2pChwM; 90hp Lambert; span: 37'6" (?>38'2") length: 23'9" (?>24'5") load: 355# v: 120/105/28 range: 500 ceiling: 16,000'. Lawrence Brown. Had a Fairchildish look to it. Steel-tube and fabric fuselage, wood and fabric wings. Optional EDO floats attachments. Both flaps and Handley-Page leading-edge slots provided slow-flight and spin-proof characteristics for this attractive "Everyman's Plane of the '40s," but with a depressed economy, those everymen failed to get in line. $3,995; POP: 1 [NX18980]. Difference between B-1 and -5 is unknown.

  Beco-Brown L-5 [NX18980] (1938 Flying Aces)

L-5 1938 = B-5 with design improvements and experiments with butane as fuel.

  Bede BD-1 [N624BD] (Tom Mosher coll)

BD-1 1963 = 2pClwM; 108hp Lycoming O-35-C1; span: 23'0" length: 18'6" load: 543# v: 155/135/52 range: 600 ceiling: 18,000'; ff: 7/11/63. All-metal with aluminum honeycomb construction; single alumnium-tube spar; tricycle gear; removable wings for trailing. Interchangeable wings, stabilizers, and control surfaces. POP: 1 [N624BD], led to American Aviation Yankee.

BD-2 - Experiments in boundary-layer control (BLC) technology—164,000 pinholes in the wings' upper surfaces activated by suction from a 14" blower—which nearly doubled the lift.

     Bede XBD-2 [N327BD] (Ron Dupas coll)

XBD-2 1961 = 4pClwM; two 145hp Continental O-300-A pusher; span: 37'5" length: 23'7" v: 204/179/42 (with BLC) 64 (without BLC) ceiling: 21,000'; ff: 7/26/61. Take-off and landing runs in under 500'. Engines were belt-coupled to a single, shrouded prop in the tail. POP: 1 [N327BD]. Unbuilt projects BD-3 and -7 were also based on this design.

  Bede BD-2 [N837BD] (Jos Heyman coll)

BD-2 1967 = 1pCmwM; 225hp modified Continental IO-360C; span: 63'4" length: 26'6" load: 3900# v: 206/115-195/x range: 28,000'. POP: 1 [937BD]. This heavily rebuilt Schweizer 2-32 sailplane was intended for a globe-circling, non-refueled flight that never made it that far, but in Nov 1969 Jim Bede made a record flight of more than 70 hours, covering almost 9,000 miles. He took off with 451 gallons of fuel and had 121 gallons left when he was forced to land after an electrical failure.

  Bede BD-4 Prototype [N624BD]

BD-4 1968 = 2-4pChwM; 108-200hp Lycomings; span: 25'6" (?>20'8") length: 21'6" (?>20'2") load: (2p) 570# (4p) 840# v: (2p) 165/148/62 (4p) x/170/61 range: 300; ff: 8/1/68. Strutless, folding wings with tube spars and modular rib components; fiberglass construction with steel-tube fuselage; tricycle or conventional gear. Home-builder plans offered for $30 ($100 in 1982), and complete kits for $2,850 (2p) to $5,100 (4p), less engine.

BD-5 Micro - 1pClwM rg; 70hp Hirth 720; span: 21'6" length: 13'4" load: 310# v: 215/x/55 range: 450 ceiling: 20,000' (data typical). $7,000 in 1974. This revolutionary little single-seater with rear-mounted engine and pusher prop was intended for home- builders, and more than 5,000 sets of drawings and kits were sold.

Kits came in 7 boxes and were to be powered by a 2-cyl 2-stroke air-cooled engine, which lead to the downfall of the company when they could never get a reliable 2-stroke engine to work. Box #1 through #5 contained fuselage, wings, tail feathers, landing gear, etc. Box #6 was supposed to contain the power train, and box #7 the engine. However, no one ever received box #6 or #7, and those who wanted to complete their BD-5 went out and found other engines and parts. Of all the kits sold, only 150 or so ever made it to flying status. Many accidents and fatalities resulted from poor construction, poorly developed engine installations, and a host of other problems. Factory support ended when the company went bankrupt. (— Jos Heyman 8/31/06)

BD-5A 1971 = 40hp Kiekhaefer Aeromarine 2-cyl two-stroke; span: 14'4" length: 13'4" load: 290# v: 195/187/65 range: 795; ff: 9/12/71. Prototype with butterfly tail. POP: 1 [N500BD].

  Bede BD-5B [N1734A] (anon)

BD-5B 1972 = 70hp Hirth 2-cyl two-stroke; span: 21'6" length: 13'4" load: 290# v: 232/229/55 range: 575 ceiling: 23,000'.

BD-5C 197? = Improved, fully aerobatic version with shorter span.

BD-5D 197? = Factory-built version of BD-5B. The certified production model, many kits sold but no record found of any actually being built to flying status.

BD-5G c.1975 = 70hp Xenoah 3-cyl two-stroke; span: 17'0" length: 13'4" load: 440# v: 230/210/x range: 981.

  Bede 5J [N152BD] (Larry DiRicco)

BD-5J 1973 = Jet version. 200# Microturbo TRS-18 turbojet; span: 17'0" length: 12'5" load 485# v: 332/294/71 range: 520 ceiling: 30,000'.

BD-5S 1975 = Sailplane version with increased span, did not fare well.

BD-5T 19?? = Turboprop version fitted with a Solar T-62 APU.

  Bede BD-7 [N7BD]? (Jos Heyman coll)

BD-7 - 2-4p Lycoming IO-360 version of BD-5 reportedly never went beyond mock-up stage; however, FAA records show one registered to Bede Aircraft Inc as such in Kansas in 1976 [N7BD] c/n 7-0001, but license marked as "revoked" (no date). Certificate issue date of 3/13/75 was a pre-registration, so it is entirely possible the ship was not fully completed.

BD-8 19?? = 1pClwM.

An aerobatic aircraft designed to incorporate many of the features of the Pitts biplane, but at the same time have the efficiency of a monoplane. Only 2 were built, which flew successfully. (— Jos Heyman 8/31/06)

BD-9 19?? = Specifically designed for a company that wanted to offer this as an ultra-light. Instead of having the usual ultra-light open airframe, it was a more streamlined and efficient configuration. INFO NEEDED.

BD-10 c.1992 = 2pCmwM rg; GE CJ-610 or J85. Sleek twin-tail turbojet as a kit for the home-builders. POP: 1 prototype that logged hundreds of hours of testing by Ed Gillespie and Skip Holm without incident [N2BD]. After Bede closed its doors, the design was first acquired by Peregrine Flight Intl of Minden NV (qv), then Fox Aircraft Co at the same location — both of which lost their principals in crashes during testing—then Monitor Jet of Canada and, finally in 1997, Vortex Aircraft Co (qv).

BD-11 19?? = Likely the motorcycle with folding outriggers that was observed at Jim Bede's jet factory. Also called a "Ducted Fan Car."

BD-12 1995 = Prototype was seriously tail-heavy and, in order to move the center of gravity back to a reasonable position for a test flight, 170# of lead was added to the nose. It finally flew in the autumn of 1995, but was almost destroyed on its first flight because of marginal stability.

BD-13 - Designation probably not used.

BD-14 - A four-seater design not put into ptoduction.

BD-15 - No data found.

BD-16 - A 1998 proposal for a 6p version of the BD-4. Not built.

BD-17 19?? = 1pClwM rg; 120hp Jabiru or similar; span: 21'5". Metal high-performance aircraft with claimed unmatched range, speed and utility.

BD-18 19?? = 2pClwM; various 120-180hp engines; span: 25'6". Prototypical proposal for the home-builder market.

1928 = 3pO-ChwM; 150hp Hisso A; span: 40'0"; ff: 10/18/28 (p: George King). Parasol wing, wood-clad (possible laminates) welded metal frame; judging from a contrasty press clipping, the pilot was in an open cockpit aft of the wing. Designed by violinmaker Beebe, sponsored and built by businessmen Earl R Cooper, Morris R Mellinger, and Harold Roach. [X40E] c/n 1. Plans for commercial production were brought to a halt by its crash near Mona Lake on 5/19/29, killing pilot King and Mellinger. Beebe continued in aviation to an unknown extent with George King's brother, Forrest, into the '30s, but apparently built no more planes before moving to San Diego in 1940.

1937 = 1pOhwM; 35hp Ford. [20492].

  Honey Bee [N90859] (Frank Rezich coll)

Honey Bee 1952 (TC 4A11) = 1pChwM; 65hp Continental A-65; span: 28'0" length: 16'9" load: 250# v: 134/116/45 (?>140/120/x) (?>120/110/x) range: 240 ceiling: 15,000'. William Chana, Ken Coward. V-tailed successor to the Wee Bee, but with considerably more pilot comfort; ff: 7/x/52. POP: 1 prototype [N90859], but at least two were known to be built from advertised plans.

Queen Bee 1960 = V-tailed 4pClwM rg with 150hp Lycoming; span: 32'0" length: 21'10" load: 960# v: 160/155/55 range: 650 ceiling: 15,000. POP: 1 [N8474H]; destroyed in San Diego Aerospace Museum fire of 2/22/78.

Wee Bee 1948 = 1pOlwM; 30hp Kiekhaefer; span: 18'0" length: 14'2" load: 200# v: 82/72/45 range: 50. William Chana, Ken Coward. Early all-metal ultralight with tricycle gear. Pilot flew in a prone position riding atop the fuselage. POP: 1 [NX90840]; destroyed in San Diego Museum fire.

BR aka Booth Racer and Thurston Racer 1922 = USN racer. 1pOlwM; 390hp Wright H-3; span: 28'1" length: 21'5" v: 188. POP: 1 each as BR-1 and -2 [A6429/6430].

GB-1 Special 1973 = 1pOhwM; 70hp VW 1641cc; span: 25'0" length: 16'4" load: 300# v: 156/120/51 range: 600; ff: 7/25/73. [N711GB].

1925 = 3pOB; 90hp Curtiss OX-5; span: 30'0" length: 23'6". [1023]. Sold to C C Weaver, Vandalia OH 6/11/28—perhaps "became" a Waco 7, records are confusing and incomplete. Crashed 10/28/28, remains sold in late 1929 less motor to Ed McKinney, Xenia OH, who rebuilt it (details sketchy). Plane sold 11/11/30 to H E Sine, Springfield OH, less motor, then to Martin Aircraft & Engine Corp, Delaware OH, 6/13/31, who installed 110hp Hall-Scott A-7A. Wrecked 6/8/35, license cancelled.

Both V J Berinati and J M Jarratt conclude that Beidenmeister was builder of the Red Ball airplanes, again close copies of the Waco 7.

  Belcher B.T.1 (Museum of Flight)

B.T.1 Airliner California 1924 = 4pChwM. Covering was an unique laminate composed of a corrugated wood core, bonded both sides with a basket-weave of wood veneer strips for a final thickness of 0.2"; cantilever wing. Three years in the making, plane reputedly flew well in test flights but crashed for unknown reasons in a demonstration at Rogers Airport on 7/27/24, killing Belcher, his wife and son, and company pilot Burgess Creath, ending the endeavor. A visionary, Belcher had planned scheduled daily commercial airline service between San Francisco and Los Angeles. (Data from belcherfoundation.org 10/31/2006)

  Bel Geddes Air Liner #4 vision (clip: Popular Science)

Air Liner #4 1929 = One of famed industrial designer Bel Geddes' ambitious early projects, a 600pChwMFb for transatlantic passenger traffic. 20 engines mounted on an additional wing; span: 577'0" v (est): 90. A fascinating blend of Jules Verne, John Northrop, and Walt Disney, it would feature nine decks, 200-seat dining room, enclosed promenade deck, and a solarium. (What? No bowling alley?). Price estimate: $9,000,000. Not built, understandably, but it did make it to the cover of Popular Science, also understandably.

B 1931 = 1pOB; 22hp Cleone, later 27hp Anzani. [11055] c/n B-2.

LM 1935 = 2pOM; 75hp Rover. [15034]. Reported to have been destroyed by fire before it ever flew.

Sport 1931 = 1pOB; 40hp Salmson. Most likely a kit-built Lincoln Sport or similar [987M].

M-2 1928 = 2pOhwM; 80hp LeRhône rotary. A converted surplus Thomas-Morse Scout as a monoplane. [X43E] c/n 1-X; reg cancelled 2/x/33. There is similarity in location, model, and c/n with Askew M-3, but unknown to what extent.

  Bendix 51 [NX34106] (Eric Blocher coll)

51 1945 = 4pClwM; 100hp Franklin 6AC pusher; load: 1000# v: 168/157/53. Twin-boom, twin-tail. POP: 1 [NX34106] with tricycle gear.

  Bendix 51A [NX40051] (Eric Blocher coll)

   51A 1945 = 4pCmwMAm; 100hp Franklin 6AC; v: 149/138/55. Amphibian version. POP: 1 [NX40051].

  Bendix 52

  Bendix 55 [NX34110] (Eric Blocher coll)
  Bendix 55 Project drawing (Bendix)

55 1945 = Tricycle gear version of 52. POP: 1 [NX34110]. Flight tested at Windsor, Canada, to avoid US newsmen, the four Bendix prototypes were built for market testing, but when no interest was stirred up by 1946 the project was dropped and the planes donated to schools.

I have the original 24-page report on the Bendix model 55 prepared by LaVerne Biasell. According to this report the plane was to have a 100hp Franklin 4A4-100-B10. Max speed: 145, cruise: 136, stall (ailerons drooped): 47. Initial rate of climb: 900 fpm; ceiling: 19000'; range: 650 miles; gross wt: 1620#, empty wt: 1050#; span: 33'0". Further in the report it was estimated to take 164 hours to build each plane at a start-up cost of $1.3 million. (— Eric Blocher 1/11/01)

B-S-1 1936 = 1pO-ChwM; 36hp Aeronca E-113. George G Spratt. Predecessor of the Controlwing (model initials were for Bendix-Spratt) [15752].

Controlwing 1937 = 1pOhwM; 30hp Aeronca E-107 pusher. George Spratt, Elliot Daland. Variable-wing, experimental ultralight. When Bendix decided they shouldn't be building planes in competition with their customers, the program was cancelled and the plane was sold for $50.

American Paulin System Inc
Bendix Brake Co
Bendix Cowdry Brake Tester Inc
Bendix Service Corp
Bragg-Kliesrath Corp
Delco Aviation Corp
Eclipse Aviation Co
Eclipse Machine Co
Eclipse Textile Services Inc
General Instrument Corp
International Germandt Motors Ltd
J P Marsh & Co
Pioneer Instrument Co
Scintilla Magneto Co
Stinson Brake Control Mechanism
Stromberg Motor Devices Co
Stromberg Research Corp
Tiffany Manufacturing Co

J Whirlaway 1948 = 4pCH; 450hp P&W R-985; two stacked 48'0" coaxial, twin-blade rotors; length: 21'3" load: 1800# v: 112/85/0 range: 270. Large enclosed pod; tricycle gear. POP: 1 prototype [NX74101]. Became Helicopters Model J and, later. Gyrodyne GCA2.

  Bendix K [NC41817]

K 1948 = 1pOH; 100hp Continental O-200; rotor: 25'0" length: 12'6" load: 210# v: 80/60/0 range: 37. Two stacked rotors over a small, podlike nacelle with tricycle gear. POP: 2; prototype had 85hp Continental [NX41817].

Fliverette c.1920 = Undocumented ultralight [50M].

Special 1956 = 1pClwM rg; 115hp Lycoming. No data on this home-built.

1928 = Home-built monoplane with 22hp motorcycle engine and no other data.

Seraph 1928 = 2pOB; 80hp LeRhône rotary; span: (lower) 24'0" length: 18'6" v: 102/x/35-40; ff: 9/30/28 (p: Lee Briggs). Shorter top wing. [3815].

Airliner c.1928 = 5pO/CB; 400hp Liberty 12.

John M Jarratt located an abstract that indicates this is the Kansas City Cabin [2235] (qv).

  Bennett BTC-1 [NC18960] (Frank Rezich coll)

BTC-1 1937 (ATC 2-552) = 8pClwM rg; two 285hp Jacobs L-5; span: 48'2" length: 30'6" load: 2392# v: 206/196/54 range: 1176. Vance Breese, Art Mankey (likely Hawley Bowlus). POP: 1 [NC18960]. Duraloid plastic-bonded plywood construction. Plane was built on the Bowlus Ranch near San Fernando CA, then shipped to Texas. Became Globe BTC-1 when the company, owned by Texas oilman Bennett, was reorganized. Repowered with 350hp Jacobs.

Hawley Bowlus' widow affirms that the airplane was built on the ranch, long since seized as eminent domain by the state of California. Bowlus, in addition to being foreman on the team that built Spirit of St Louis at Ryan, was a master at forming plywood. Virtually every aircraft he designed or had a hand in designing used a formed plywood structure. This, and the facts that the "big barn" at the Glendale ranch was set up to do plywood molding and that all of the exterior skins of the Bennett were molded plywood, would indicate that Bowlus was a major player in the design, development, and assembly of the machine. Even so, he doesn't get much credit for it. We have traced BTC-1 to the Pottstown (Limerick) PA airport in 1947-48 and have the listed owner at that time, but lost the track at that point. Mrs Bowlus believes that she has a record of the aircraft as being destroyed by fire, but is not 100 percent sure. (— Fred Maupin 4/19/00)

1910 = 1pOB; Bennett-Christofferson motor. Crashed during testing. SEE Christofferson.

1910 or 1911 ("Benoist Headless") = 2pOB; 50hp Roberts pusher. Tom Benoist-modified Curtiss headless design. POP: 1. In assembling parts of a relative jigsaw puzzle, it appears that Tony Januus had a hand in the design, as well as possible construction, of this ship, which likely was also the one used for the first human parachute drop (tethered), at St Louis on 3/1/12, when Army Capt Bert Berry landed safely at Jefferson Barracks (qv: Chronology).

1912 = 2pOBFb; 100hp Hall-Scott pusher and a chain-driven propeller; span: 45'0" v: 65. $4,250. Design, modified from the previous headless, also featured a small motor in the hull for surface power. POP: 1.

  1912 Benoist Covered fuselage (Walter E Lees via coll Ralph Cooper)

1912 = 1pOB tractor. Tom Benoist, Tony Jannus. POP: 3. Reportedly crude in construction, first ones with framework fuselage, Jannus used one for exhibition flying. Design likely was prototype for Model 12.

  Benoist C (Smithsonian)

C 1915 = Larger, 6p twin-engine version of Model 14 with two 100hp Roberts pushers.

E 1915 = 2pOBFb; 75hp Roberts pusher. Similar to Model 14.

Headless 1911 = 2pOB; 75hp Roberts pusher; span: 30'0" length: 22'6" v: 68/x/31 range: 180; ff: 12/27/11 (p: Tony Jannus, who qualified for his pilot's license with that flight). Tom Benoist, Tony Jannus. Wingtip ailerons. $3,950 for land version, $4,150 with floats.

  Benoist 12 Single-float (Walter E Lees via Ralph Cooper coll)
  Benoist 12 with ailerons (Leo J Opdyke coll)
  Benoist 12 #32 Korn-modified

12, Land Tractor, Type XII 1913 = 2pOB and OBF; 75hp Roberts; span: 55'5" length: 23'7". Advertised as an "exhibition machine." First with interplane ailerons, then refitted with trailing-edge ailerons. $2,500+; POP: 5.

In 1913, Edward Korn, owner of the #32, made changes to the plane by removing the ailerons fixed to the outer wing struts and replacing them with normal ailerons hinged to the upper wings. That plane crashed 8/13/13 and was rebuilt in 1917-18 with a new tail and different landing gear. The center photo was probably taken between the time the ailerons were changed and the time of its crash in 1913 as it still has the original tail and landing gear. It was restored to the original Factory #32 by NASM in 1982. (— Ron Billman 8/9/02)

  Benoist 14 (Walter E Lees coll via Ralph Cooper)

14 1913 = 2pOBFb; 75hp Roberts 6 pusher (later 80hp Sturtevant); span: 45'0" length: 26'0" v: 68/64/31 range: 175. Company's first boat-hull design. $4,250. The first US scheduled air service was inaugurated 1/1/14, as the St Petersburg-Tampa Airboat Line (p: Tony Jannus). Its first passenger, St Petersburg's ex-Mayor A C Phell, paid his auction price of $400 for the privilege of an historic 23-minute flight! Service ended on 3/30/14 at the end of the three-month contract period after losing money in the venture, but it proved the feasibility of commercial air service by safely carrying 184 passengers on 97 trips. Before its purchase by Jannus, the plane first got its feet wet, so to say, at Duluth MN, where it flew sightseeing trips around coastal Lake Superior as The Lark of Duluth during the summer of 1913. Its owner, banker Julius Barnes, found the business unprofitable at best and was likely much relieved when Jannus showed up.

15 (St Louis Aircraft Co) c.1913 = 4pOBFb; two 100hp pushers, possibly Roberts; span: 65'0". POP: 1 for transatlantic attempt that was cancelled because of gathering war clouds.

  Benoist 17 (Aviation via Joe Martin)

17 aka E-17 1916 = Tourer. 2pOB; 100hp Roberts 6; span: 45'0" length: 24'0" v: 65/x/40 range: 260. Steel-clad fuselage and twin-tail group. POP: 1. Benoist tried to interest backers in his more ambitious 8p twin-engine K-17 cross-country transporter shortly before his death but with no luck.

Tractor Hydro 1912 = 2pOBF; 75hp Roberts. Single float, interwing ailerons. Used by Tony Jannus for a notable flight from Omaha to New Orleans, down the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, from 11/6/12-12/16/12. Stopping at towns along the way for 42 passenger hops and exhibitions, his flight set a new world distance record of 1,973 miles. Flight time: 31h:43m in the same plane and motor — an exceptional feat in those days!

B-2 19?? = No data found.

B-3 aka Bensen-General Electric B-3 19?? = No data found.

B-4 Sky Scooter 19?? = No data found.

B-5 19?? = No data found.

B-6 19?? = No data found.

B-7M Gyro-Copter 1955 = 1pOAg; 42hp Nelson H-59; rotor: 20'0" v: 75/55/19 range: 125 ceiling: 12,000'; ff: 12/6/55. Powered version of B-7 Gyro-Glider; M for "Motorized."

B-8 Gyro-Copter 1956 = 1pAg. Powered conversion of B-8 Gyro-Glider. Designed for home construction from kits or plans, of which several thousand were reportedly sold.

B-8B Gyro-Boat 1956 = Unpowered flying dinghy for towing by motorboat; rotor: 20'0"; ff: 4/2/56.

B-8H Hovering Gyro-Copter 19?? = No data.

  Bensen B-8M Art: side view

B-8M Gyro-Copter 1957 = 1pOAg; 72hp McCulloch 4318; rotor: 20'6" length: 11'4" load: 252# v: 85/65/7 (minimum flying v: 15) range: 80-90 ceiling: 16,500' (?>12,500'); ff: 7/8/57. $995 for kit, less engine. Fully roadable; take-off under power in 50'. Fitted with floats as Hydro-Copter and with a hopper as B-8MA Agri-Copter.

B-8V 19?? = B-8M with a 1600cc Volkswagen engine.

B-8 Super Bug 1971 = Advanced version of the standard B-8M with a twin-engine installation to spin up the rotor.

B-10 Prop-Copter c.1960 = Tandem-rotor flying platform. 1pOH; two 72hp McCulloch. POP: 1 [N56U].

B-11 Gyro-Copter c.1964 = All-metal upgrade of B-8H with 72hp McCulloch.

Reported in Aviation Week 5/11/64, Bensen gyrocopters and gyrogliders were to be marketed in kit form by Montgomery Ward; kits to be manufactured by Bensen and sold under Montgomery Ward's 'Riverside' trade name. (— Ron Dupas 4/6/01)

  Bensen B-12 (Aviation Week via Ron Dupas)

B-12 Sky-Way 1961 = Manned, somewhat precariously, research vehicle for possible ag operations. Aluminum framework with 10 McCulloch M75 two-cycle engines and 7'0" rotors; ff: 11/2/61. Hovered at 20', flew sideways and backwards with success.

B-13 1963 = 1pOAg; 70hp Mercury outboard motor; ff: 3/4/63. Marketed kit version.

B-16 1974 = B-8M on tri-skis with twin Kiekhafer snowmobile motors.

Mid-Jet 1954 = 1pOH; rotor: 13'0" load: 410#. Tip-mounted ramjets on twin-blade rotor.

X-25 1968 = USAF. 1pAg based on B-8M. POP: 2; [68-10770] as X-25A and [68-10771] as X-25B — the latter was converted to power from a gyro-glider and was first to fly, 1/23/68 (p: Igor Bensen); -25A didn't fly until 6/5/68.

Jon B Special c.1967 = 2pChwM; 50hp Continental.

HB 4-1 1938 = 2pOM; 50hp Rathel. [N18975].

Sport #1 1961 = 1pOmwM; 65hp Continental A-65; span: 18'4" length: 17'10" load: 240# v: 115/105/50. Wooden wings, steel tube fuselage. [N4964E].

  Berckmans Speed Scout

Speed Scout, B-2, B-3 1917 = 1pOB; 100hp Gnôme rotary; span: 26'0" length: 18'8" load: 370# v: 115/85/54 (?>96/x/47) range: 275 (?>240) ceiling: 22,000'. Maurice Berckmans. Monocoque laminated-plywood fuselage. A project for military consideration, which never materialized when "several deficiencies" were found in McCook Field evaluations. POP: 1. Repowered with Liberty 6 as B-2, that design was also rejected because of its heaviness, as well as Berckmans' asking price of $175,000 for three planes. However, his design for B-3, with Liberty 12, did receive an order for four planes, but, as luck had it, the Armistice came along and killed the project. General Vehicle's name was used only as they were the US suppliers of Gnôme motors; the endeavors were privately funded. Army s/ns assigned for B-2 [40054/40056]—the first of which was transferred instead to Curtiss 18-T—and B-4 [40111/40114], but were cancelled.

1971 = No data.

  Berk GB-1 and the builder's engine [10494] (1932 Popular Aviation)

GB-1 c.1930 = 2pOB based on Storms plans, first powered by a 1923 Star auto engine, then by one of Berk's design and construction of about 40hp, but this had poor idling and inefficient cooling. Later registers show a Continental A-40; v: 65; side-by-side cockpit with dual controls [10494]. Berk, totally ignorant of things aeronautical at the time, built the plane and taught himself to fly in it with short hops on an open pasture. He later bought a wrecked Lincoln-Page LP-3 with OX-5 and was rebuilding it as a 44'0" span monoplane, but the trail ends there.

Baby Pursuit 1930 = Unknown type; 90hp Lambert R-266. [R918N] c/n 1. Created for racing but had a short life — built 8/9/30, crashed 8/16/30 and reg cancelled 9/13/30.

Silver Cloud 1929 = 1pOlwM; 30hp 4-cyl auto engine; v: 70/x/35. Sold as a home-builder project with plans for $15. Ads boasted ease of construction for "The Simplest Airplane in the World."

Pittsfield historical archives provided no info on this company, but said the address was the home of Wilfred R Reed, an employee of General Electric, who died in 1980. That seems to indicate he designed and sold aircraft plans from his home. At least one Silver Cloud was built and flown at Fisk Airport in Springfield MA. (— John M Jarratt 5/2/05)

1931 - No info found; might have only been a sales agency.

H-25 1936 = 1pOM; 25hp Ford. [N18399].

H-45 1938 = 2pCM; 45hp Berry. [N20487].

BF-2 1959 = 1pOB; 125hp Lycoming O-290D; span: 16'10" length: 15'0" load: 330# v: 155/130/55. Wooden wings, tubular steel fuselage; spring steel landing gear. [N1275V].

BF-3 1962 = 1pOB; 125hp Lycoming O-290G; span 14'4" length: 14'5" load: 315# v: 155/130/55 range: 450. Similar to BF-2. [N1289V].

BF-4 196? = 1pOB; 180hp Lycoming O-360; span: 14'0" length: 15'0" load: 340# v: x/140/60 range: 350. POP: 1 [N62F].

1932 = 2pOM; 75hp Besasie, [12996].

  Besler [X4259] blowing off steam for take-off (poor quality clip from film)
  Besler A much better shot of steam cumulus
  Besler The Beslers and the installation (enhanced clips from film)

1933 = Travel Air 2000 with 150hp 2-cylinder Besler V-2 steam engine (a converted switch-locomotive powerplant), totaled 650# with its accessories, liquids, and boiler! William Besler; ff: 4/12/33. Then the only airplane to fly under steam power [X4259], it flew about 30 minutes on 10 gallons of water; inexpensive fuel oil use for heating. Operation was so quiet that a crowd of spectators and newsmen on the ground could hear Beseler shout to them from 800'. Reversible prop rotation allowed the plane to back up. Advantages of the "Besler System" claimed at the time included elimination of audible noise and destructive vibration, greater efficiency at low engine speeds and also at high altitudes where lower air temperatures assisted condensation, reduced likelihood of engine failure, reduced maintenance and fuel costs—fuel oil was used in place of petrol, reduced fire hazard since the fuel was less volatile and operating temperatures were lower. and a lack of need for radio shielding. After flight tests, Besler dropped the project for unknown reasons, perhaps satisfied in merely proving his point. He also had a successful car so equipped.

  Beville Special [N42M] (WASM coll)

Special 1949 = 1pClwM; 85hp Continental C-85; span: 16'0" length: 17'0". Midget racer Li'l Spook (p: Steve Beville) [N42M].

c.1958 = 1pOB; 40hp Salmson AD-9; span: 19'0" length: 17'6" v: x/80/40. Building cost $500.

  Biemond CB-1 [N41999] (Ron Dupas)

CB-1 Teal 1967 (TC A15WE) = 3pChwMAm; two 85hp Continental C-85; v: x/108/58. POP: 1 [N41999].

A Special 1959 = 1pClwM; 75hp Continental A-75. Braced wings with large end-plates. [N4721].

  Billman B.11 [N39B] (1000aircraftphotos.com)

B.11 Little Pink Cloud 1955 = 1pCmwM; 55hp Lycoming O-145-A2; span: 24'3" length: 17'6" load: 250# v: 115/98/50 range: 300; ff: 8/29/55. Built from a Piper J-2 fuselage and Aeronca K wings. [N39B].

B.11C 1958 = Modified with 80hp Continental A80-8; length: 17'8" load: 302# v: 127/x/55; ff: 1/19/58.

  Bird A [NC832W]

A (Brunner-Winkle) 1928 (ATC 101, 2-33) = 3pOB; 90hp Curtiss OX-5; span: 34'0" length: 22'3" load: 800# v: 105/80/37 range: 450-600. Michael Gregor. $3,295; $2,300 less motor; POP: 80 (18 more unregistered). Prototype had 80hp Anzani [X7878] c/n 1000. (2-33) covered first 9 production models.

  Bird AT [NC15K] (George Leighton coll)

AT (Brunner-Winkle) 1929 (ATC 2-527) = 3pOB; 115hp Milwaukee Tank (OX-5); length: 22'3". POP: 2 [NC15K, NC83K] converted from Model A.

  Bird BK [912V] (Frank Rezich coll)
  Bird BK [N1116M post-war reg] (Ralph Nortell)

B, BK (Brunner-Winkle) 1929 (ATC 239) = 3pOB; 100hp Kinner K-5; span: 34'0" length: 23'0" load: 785# v: 110/92/35 range: 500. $4,095, $3,895 in 1930; POP: 84. Prototype designation was B.

  Bird BW [702Y] (Frank Rezich coll)

BW (Brunner-Winkle) 1930 (ATC 382) = 3pOB; 110hp Warner Scarab; span: 34'0" length: 23'0" load: 785# v: 117/98/36 range: 500. $4,250; POP: 5 [NC702Y, NC723N/725N, NC892W], plus 2 were converted from Model BK.

C 1930 (ATC 387) = 3pOB; 165hp Wright J-5; span: 34'0" length: 22'8" load: 825# v: 125/105/38 range: 500. $5,870; POP: 1 [NC876W].

  Bird CC [789N] (Frank Rezich coll)

CC 1931 (ATC 2-441) = C with 185hp Curtiss R-600 Challenger; length: 22'9" load: 832# v: 126/109/38 range: 490. $4,195; POP: 1 for Curtiss-Wright Flying School [X/NC789N].

  Bird CJ [854W] (Rudy Arnold via Frank Rezich coll)

CJ 1931 (ATC 419) = CC with 170hp Jacobs LA-1, and similar data. $4,995; POP: 6 [NC851W, NC854W, NC990M, NC999M, NC2103, NC13225].

  Bird CK [818W] (Frank Rezich coll)
  Bird CK [NC726N] (Sam Dodge coll)

CK 1930 (ATC 388) = C with 125hp Kinner B-5; length: 22'8" load: 985# v: 118/100/38 range: 530. $4,395; POP: 45 (5 more unregistered). Optional EDO floats (load: 1005#).

  Bird E [NC855W] (1931 factory brochure)

E 1931 (ATC 2-362) = 4-5pCB; 125hp Kinner B-5. $4,895; POP: 1, later modified to 1p [NC/NR855W].

F 1932 = 1-2pOB; 225hp Packard DR-980 diesel. POP: 1 [X790N], thought to have gone to Speed Bird Corp in 1933, and was refitted with 90hp Lambert R-266. POP total all Birds, including one Royal Bird: reported as 224, but about 240 are accounted for, including 23 unregistered models and excluding several conversions.

RK (Perth-Amboy) 1932 (ATC 2-502) = 2pOB; 160hp Kinner R-5. POP: 2 CK modified for export by Kinner Co [NC767N=PPTAU, NC976M]. No planes were actually built by Perth-Amboy.

1926 = 3pO-CB; 90hp Curtiss OX-5; v: 110/95/x range: 475. Lt N A Goddard. Two passengers in a cabin, pilot on top, out in the open. There is no recorded relationship between this and the subsequent Brunner-Winkle Bird.

Air Bus 1 1927 = 9pCM; 150hp Hisso A; span: 44'0" length: 27'0". POP: 1 [3225]; crashed 3/4/28, killing Bird and four others.

Innovator 1967 = Four-engine conversion of Consolidated PBY-5A with two P&W R-1830-94M1 inboard and two Lycoming IGSO-480 turbosupercharged outboard; gross wt: 34,000# range: 2500-3500. Conversion originally made to give the PBY, owned by Bird Corp, maker of medical and aircraft environmental systems, better engine-out performance on overwater flights.

  Bird Symmetry (sportsmanpilot.com)

Symmetry 2003 = 2pCmwM; 200hp Lycoming IO-360; span: 25'0" v: 265/230/78; ff: 4/19/03. Designed, built, and test-flown by SCALED (Rutan) engineer Bird, the composite-fiber personal project—14-years in the making—received accolades as perhaps the "closest to perfection" for any flying machine, lacking as it did rivets, seams, and anything else that might offer wind resistance. EAA Grand Champion (home-built class) 2004. One-piece wing with a fiberglass main spar and skins. Originally conceived as a low-wing with retracting gear.

Imperial 1929 (ATC 2-161) = 3pOB; 165hp Wright J-6; span: 31'4" length: 23'6" (?>24'2") load: 830# v: 125/105/30 range: 300. Robert McCrum; built by workers formerly with American Eagle. $2,995; POP: 10; prototype [C882H] c/n 100 was former Kansas City A. Also offered with 90hp Curtiss OX-5 (length: 23'10" v: 90/80/30 range: 325) for $2,495, Continental and Comet. Plans were under way for a 4pChwM when the Depression hit, closing down operations.

RA-1 1936 = 2pChwM; 65hp Velie, and 85hp Detroit Air Cat. [14867].

Sportair Coupe 1931 = Unknown type; Ford A. [547N].

  Black Diamond (WASM coll)

aka Diamond 1910 = 1pOB; 50hp Roberts pusher; span: 40'0" (later 34'0") ff: 11/9/10 (p: B P Lanteri). Based generally on a contemporary Curtiss design by Maupin & Lanteri, a barge captain and shipyard owner respectively. Flown professionally by Weldon B Cooke, who used it for many successful Bay Area exhibition flights; won $7,000 in prize money for endurance and altitude at the 1911 Dominguez Air Meet in Los Angeles. Retired following the 1912 Dominguez Meet, dismantled and stored until 1930, when it was donated by Maupin to Yuba College Aeronautical School. There it was used for vocational training until 1933, then given to the Oakland Airport Museum for display until 1948, at which time it was crated and sent to NASM to sit in storage for 50 years until transfer to Hiller Museum in 1998, where it underwent reconstruction.

1929 = 2pOB; Curtiss C-6; ff: 6/14/29 (p: Melvin Aavang). Arthur Lenz. Built by George Kungle, John S Stewart, and Albert Worth. All worked for Ta-Ho-Ma company and their plane was most likely infleunced by that design. [9469] c/n 1.

M 1931 = 1pOhwM; 60hp Anzani; span: 30'0" length: 17'0" load: 360# v: 70/65/30 range: 250. Parasol wing. Restored 1962 with 90hp Franklin [N13270].

1935 = 1pOM; 28hp Lawrance [12791].

  Blair Oregon Lark [12797]

Oregon Lark 1935 = 2pChwM; 65hp Velie. Side-by-side seating; folding wings. Prolific Oregon aviator/designer B B Smith was possibly involved in the design. [12797].

1913 = 1pOB; 60hp Hall-Scott A-2 pusher. Curtiss copy used for exhibition work.

c.1908 = No data.

Pusher 196? = 1pCmwM; 35hp water-cooled Mercury outboard pusher engine.

  Blaney (Paul Matt coll via Avn Heritage)

Monoplane 1911 = 1pOhwM; Kirkham(?). POP: 1. Very high cantilever wing with a suspended, open boxlike frame as the pilot's compartment; chain-driven prop was mounted midway between those two components for a low-c/g effect. Designed by Blaney, final mechanical engineering was by Chance Vought, whose analysis, "Two years behind the times," was proved by its unwillingness to leave the ground—after three attempts it was discarded.

Sport Racer 1988 = 2pCmwM rg; Javelin Ford 230V6A; span: 22'0" load: 610# v: x/x/60; ff: 4/23/88. [N87SR].

Sport 1927 = 1pOhwM; 40-60hp Lawrance L-4, later replaced by 35hp Anzani. Fred Arnoldi as builder, possibly involved in design elements as the plane is also seen as Arnoldi Sport. POP: 1 [1329] c/n 6.

John M Jarratt found info that strongly suggests this as a prototype or pattern for similar 20th Century Sport, which also involved Arnoldi. (9/14/01)

BD-1 1932 = 2pOB; 80hp LeRhône rotary; span: 26'0" length: 19'0". Sold, and refitted with 100hp Siemens-Halske, scrapped in the late 1930s [897H].

This registration, not mentioned in other registers, was also applied in 1936 to an (Allison) Alco Sport. If anyone wishes to solve this enigma, they have my full permission. (— K O Eckland)

BD-2 1937 = 2pOB; 115hp Hess Warrior; v: x/115/x; ff: 9/x/37 (p: M Blatnik). POP: 1 [897H] (no explanation for how the license became transferred from BD-1, perhaps as a carry-over when BD-1 was scrapped). There is claim of another LeRhône-powered plane built between these two, but data are vague at best.

  Blatnik BD-4 (Robert A Brown)

BD-4 1985 = 2pOB; 180hp Lycoming. No other data found.

I met Mike because he had been the inspector for Aircraft Mfg Co when the Texas Bullet was built. He also had worked as an inspector for Luscombe, Goodyear (FG Corsairs), and Bell Helicopter. After retiring from Bell, he moved to Tyler TX, where he built the BD-4. I believe his BD-2 and -3 were built before WW2. (— Robert A Brown 1/16/02)

Glory Be c.1970 = 2pOB; no data found.

Special 1952 = 1pClwM; 85hp Continental C-85; span: 18'4" length: 15'7". Midget racer [N1350V] Belle of Bethany, rebuilt from Lazor-Rautenstrauch.

1912 = No data.

Desert Rat 1921 = 2pOB; modified Standard J-1 with a 90hp Curtiss OX-5, according to John W Underwood. Possible redesign by John Montijo, who flew it on survey missions.

1927 = OB; 90hp Curtiss OX-5; span: 28'0" length: 17'0". Crashed 1/7/28 and never rebuilt. [X1920].

Cadet 1929 = 1p unknown type with a three-cylinder Szekely; it was advertised, but no data were supplied. The company lasted one year and produced one airplane.