American airplanes: Fa - Fu



REVISED: 11/18/08

Fahlin SEE Swanson-Fahlin


Fairchild

Walter L Fairchild, Mineola NY.

1910 = 1pOmwM; Elbridge 6—claimed 150hp(!) in a photo caption—with two chain-driven propellers. Blériot style with all-steel construction. Also seen with a Christie 6 radial in 1912. References suggest there was a possible relation to the Strom-Oleson Monoplane. Walter Fairchild was one of the monoplane pioneers at Hempstead Plains. POP: 1, perhaps more.


Fairchild, Fairchild-Hiller, Fairchild-Republic


Falck

William Falck, Warwick NY.

  Falck Chester Special [N12930] (WASM coll)
Chester Special 1947 = 1pOmwM; 85hp Continental C-85. Midget racer [N12930] (p: Falck), rebuild of 1937 Chester Jeep into one of the most ungainly-looking racers, although it was good enough to win the Goodyear consolation race at 142 mph.

Goon 1947 = 1pCmwM; 85hp Continental C-85. Midget racer, a rebuild of Art Chester Goon [NX93Y] (p: Harvey Mace).

  Falck Special [N60089] (K O Eckland coll)

Special 1948 = 1pCmwM; 85hp Continental C-85; span: 17'8" length: 17'0". Midget racer [N60089] Rivets; configured to T-tail in 1954. Originally designed to be flown from the prone position, the Goodyear race rules demanded conventional seating. Much modified, this racer with the most career wins of any at the time, including 24 firsts, was destroyed in a crash on 9/3/77, killing Falck.


Falcon SEE Welch OW-5M


Falconar

c.1955: (Chris) Falconar Aircraft Ltd, Edmonton Canada. 1975: Opertions sold to A&B Sales. 1985: Falconair Aviation Ltd. 1995: Falconair Avia, Edmonton.

121 Teal1967 = 2pChwMAm; no data.

AMF-S14 Miranda c.1967 = 2pChwM; various 50-115hp engines. Plans for Sport Pilot and home-builder markets.

Cub Major, Majorette 19?? = 1p/2p ChwM. All wood but for steel-tube cabin frame; folding wings for storage. Plans for Sport Pilot and home-builder markets.

F9A, F10A, F11A/E Sporty, F12A Cruiser 19?? = Essentially modified Jodel designs. 1-2p Clw/hwM with 30-200hp various engines and options. Marketed plans for home-builders.

Golden Hawk 19?? = 1p ChwM; pusher. Marketed plans for home-builders.

Master X 200? = 2pClwM rg; twin-prop; span: 30'0" v: x/135/45 range: 740. Gross wt: 1450#. Aft-mounted twin engine pods; T-tail. Marketed plans for home-builders.

SAL2/3 Mustang 19?? = 2/3-scale P-51; span: 24'9" v: 258/170/60 range: 575. Gross wt: 1985#. Marketed plans, with optional 2p version.


Faria

Lawrence Faria, Richmond OH.

Sport 1935 = 1pOB; 26hp Henderson. [12790].


Farina

Farina Aircraft Corp, 690 8 Ave, New York NY.

INFORMATION NEEDED
1930 = No data.

Farman-Standard

Farman-Standard Corp.

D-25A 1931 = Reworked New Standard D-25A, unknown to what extent. POP: 1 [NC150M] c/n 205.


Farnham

Lawrence Farnham, Fort Collins CO.

FC-1 Fly-Cycle 1954 = 1pOlwM; 75hp Continental A-75; span: 29'7" length: 19'0" v: 85/x/30 range: 150. A genuine flying motorbike; the pilot had no cockpit, but rode the plane sitting astride the fuselage with his feet resting on the wings. Control was by means of handlebars and a twist-grip trottle in the right grip. As a "working" plane, containers for crop-spraying could be carried in its wings. [N201A].


Farrington

(I D) Farrington Aircraft Corp, Paducah KY.

18-A c.1970 = Continuation and upgrade of Umbaugh H-18. 2pCAg; 180hp Lycoming O-360-A1D pusher with three-bladed rotor; rotor: 35'0" length: 19'11" load: 485# v: 110/92/27 range: 200 ceiling: 10,000'. Wingless, with three vertical fins; tricycle gear.


Fasig-Turner

Charles P Fasig & Charles Turner.

  Fasig-Turner (Aerial Age via Joe Martin)

1924 = 1pOB; 18.5hp Indian V-2; span: 18'0". Slab-sided fuselage. Built for entry in 1924 Dayton Air Races, but suffered motor vibration problems (p: Jerry Dack).


FASTec

Advanced Technology Products Inc, Worcester MA.

  FASTec Electra-plane (FASTec)

Electra-plane 2003 = 2pClwM technology demonstrator, modified airframe of a French-built DynAero Lafayette III, for development of solar-powered flight ultimately using a UQM Corp electric motor fed by lithium-ion batteries and fuel cell. Flight tests scheduled for early 2004. Acronym from Foundation for Advancing Science, Technology, and Education, its support organization.


Faust

Elmer Faust, Cody Aero Services, Cody WY.

  Faust 301 [N5091V] (Museum of Flight)

301 aka PA-12 1954 = 2pChwM; no data found. Rebuilt from the fuselage of a wrecked Piper PA-12 [N5091V]. History unknown—registration replaced by a Cessna 210L.


Federal

Federal Aircraft & Motor Corp, New York City NY

  Federal Tractor (Aerial Age via Joe Martin)
  Federal Tractor 3-view (Aerial Age via Joe Martin)

Army Tractor 1916 = 2pOB; 100hp pusher motor; no data found. Flying school announced in a mid-1916 advertisement mentions training available in this, as well as their All-Steel Flying Boat and the Semi-Armored Pusher, which likely were variants, if any were actually produced. No record was found of military acceptance of any of these, nor any s/ns assigned, even in cancelled contracts.


Federal

Federal Aircraft Works (aka Federal Ski Co) (pres: Francis J Ditter), 69 South 13th St, Minneapolis MN.

H-150 aka FAW Special 1928 = 3pOB; 150hp Hisso. Wire-braced tube fuselage, wood wings, fabric-covered; looked somewhat like a contemporary Travel Air. POP: 1 [X5440].


Federal

1928: Federal Aircraft Corp, San Bernardino CA, incorporated from Ryan Mechanics Monoplane Co. 1929: Operations suspended. 1937: Resumed business in Lindenhurst NY.

CM-2 aka General Pilot 1929 = 6pChwM; 450hp P&W Wasp. POP: 1 [7622].

CM-3 1928 = 3pChwM; 130hp Hallett; span: 39'10" (?>39'6") length: 25'9" load: 910# v: 105/95/35 (?>125/105/35 or 115/100/40) range: 420. William J Waterhouse. Strutted version of the Lone Eagle monoplane with three seats in tandem. $5,000-7,000; POP: 2 [X7667, X8096], the latter with 150hp Axelson or 125hp Kinner C-5 (length: 26'0").

  Federal XPT-1 [X1280]

XPT-1 1937 = 2pOB; 235hp Wright R-760; span: 33'5" length: 25'0" load: 715# v: 128/110/45 range: 550. All-metal construction. POP: 1, for unsuccessful military trainer trials [NX1280].


Federal

Federal Aircraft Ltd, Montreal Canada

AT-20 1943 = Canadian-built Avro Anson Mk II trainer for AAF; two 330hp Jacobs L-6BM; span: 56'6" length: 42'3" v: 178. POP: 50 [43-8181/8230].


Felio

Harold G Felio, Los Angeles CA.

  Felio SP-2 [X12211] (Leo Opdyke coll)

Ranger SP-2 1931 = 2pOhwM; 95hp Cirrus in 1934, but 1932 DoC register says Velie. Cantilever-wing creation with an oversize free cowling with offset vanes inside its rim, allegedly to direct air into the propeller blades for increased performance. [X12211].


Felix

Charles Felix, Hatfield PA.

A 1928 = 1pM; converted Harley-Davidson motorcycle engine. [505].


Fellabaum

J R Fellabaum, Toledo OH.

JRF-22 Starfire 1963 = Home-built. 2pClwM; 125hp Lycoming O-290D; span: 26'8" length: 18'0" load: 646# v: 140/120/55 ceiling: 12,000'. Design modified from Loving racer; side-by-side cockpit, conventional landing gear. POP: 1 [N560A].


Feng Ru SEE Yue


Fernic

1929: (George B) Fernic Aircraft Corp, 3493 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island NY; 1930: Westfield NJ.

  Fernic T-9 [NX120M] (Eric Blocher coll)

T-9 (FT-1X, FT-9) 1929 = ClwM; two 220hp Wright J-5; span: 59'0" length: 41'6" load: 5500# v: 135/120/50 range: 450; ff: 9/10/29. George Fernic, Paul Dronin. POP: 1 [NX120M] — variant [NX102M] also appears in some registers. Plywood-covered fuselage. Tricycle gear; tandem 22' canard wing mounted ahead of a cantilever main wing.

  Fernic T-10[X9179] (1000aircraftphotos.com)

T-10 Cruisaire (Westfield) 1930 = 1pOmwM; 75hp Michigan Rover; span: 25'0"; ff: 7/x/30. Tricycle gear, shoulder-wing lightplane had a 12'5" canard wing mounted in front of the cockpit. POP: 1 [X9179]. Crashed at a Chicago air show on 8/29/30, killing Fernic.


Ferris

H W Ferris, Detroit MI.

1934 = 1pOhwM; 55hp Ford A. [14511].


Fetterman

(Fred O) Fetterman Aircraft Corp, Brooklyn NY.

  Fetterman Chick-a-dee [NX22000] (Ben Solomowitz coll)

Chick-a-dee 1938 = 2pClwM; 50hp Franklin 4AC. Designed and built by school teacher Fetterman. Its large canopy blocked the rudder during flight testing and the plane went into a flat spin. Fetterman bailed out too low and was killed, but the pilotless plane crash-landed with damage only to its landing gear and prop [NX22000]. Fetterman, on 3/15/35, also had crashed in a Lockheed Vega 1 [ex-NR7426] and was cited by CAA as "unlicensed, and flying in violation."


Fiberdyne

Fiberdyne Associates Inc, West Chester PA.

XRG-165A Glaticopter 1968 = 1pCH; 75hp Continental A-65-8; load: 205# v: 75/65/0 range: 40 ceilling: 5000'. POP 1 [N6576D].


Fiedor

Ludwick Fiedor, Cleveland OH.

  Fiedor Bluewing [R10527] (Frank Rezich coll)
  Fiedor Bluewing [R10527]

Bluewing 1934 = 1pOB; 65hp Velie M-5. Fuselage carried slogan, "7-UP," but likely not as a sponsor. [R10527]. Later owned by R C Baker.


Field

Raymond Field, 208 N Erie St, Wichita KS.

Midwing 1930 = 1pOM; Cirrus [NR498N]. Designed by Field, but built at Swallow Co, his sponsor. It was to be Swallow's entry in the Cirrus Derby, but it suffered a fatal crash on 6/22/30 at the Braley School Race Meet.


Fife-Beachey

Ray Fife, Coronado CA.

Pusher 1951 = 1pOB; 90hp LeRhône rotary; span: 20'8" length: 18'2" load: 264#. Replica for exhibition work [N4161K].


Fike

William J Fike, Anchorage AK and Salt Lake City UT.

A, B, C 1932 = 1pOhwM; 17hp Indian; span: 27'2" length: 16'0". Rugged, all-wood construction; POP: 1; refitted with 35hp Long Harlequin kit motor as model B in 1935 [X13390] (span: 21'0" length: 12'9"), which was then converted into model C in 1936 (length: 16'0" v: 75/x/25).

D 1950 = 2pChwM; 65hp Continental A-65; span: 29'1" length: 18'8" load: 450 v: 100/x/35. Very J-3 Cublike in looks. [N79916].

E 1970 = 1pChwM; 85hp Continental C-85; span: 22'5" (chord: 6'8") length: 19'2" load: 460# v: 120/95/35 range: 450. An experiment in low-aspect-ratio wings. The all-wood geodetic wing could be removed in ten minutes for towing or storing in a car garage. Claimed to be remarkably stable for a short-span airplane. Prototype [N1408Z] had 65hp Continental. Home-builder plans marketed for $37.50.


Filper

Filper Research Corp, San Ramon and Livermore CA.

  Filper Beta 200 [N5000F] (Aviation Week via Ron Dupas)

Beta 200 1966 = 2pCH; 210hp Continental IO-360E; rotor: 20'5" length: 17'6" load: 700# v: c.150/x/0 range: 400. Beautifully sculptured helicopter with a tandem rigid rotors system. used a control wheel plus conventional collective control and rudder pedals. $20,000; POP: 5 [N5000F]. 4p Beta 300 with an Allison 250-BI5 gas turbine was projected in 1967, but apparently unbuilt.

  Filper Beta 400 [N5000F] (Aviation Week via Ron Dupas)

Beta 400 1967 = Beta 200 expanded to a 4pCH; 285hp Continental IO-520; length: 23'6" load: 1120#; ff: 7/13/67. POP: 1, which crashed fatally from rotor failure during a high-speed test run on 11/7/67.


Finklea

1923: Finklea Brothers, Leland MS.

FT-1 Trainer c.1930 = No data; 65hp Continental A-65. [18156] c/n 1.

Model 1933 1933 = Monoplane with no found data other than a Kinner K-5 engine. [11555] c/n 1060. Sold to a Robert W Adams of Shaw MS 5/25/33, who crashed fatally in it on 6/18/33.

The Finklea boys, Aubrey, Buck, Jimmy, and Ray, began buying up Curtiss JN-4s and Standard J-1s in 1923 and converting them into crop dusters. Later adding Eaglerocks, Stearmans, Travel Airs, and Wacos, by 1931 they had the world's largest fleet of dusters, said to number 50, and became legendary as the "Finklea Brothers Dawn Patrol" before being grounded by the CAA for unreported reasons. (— John M Jarratt 11/15/02)


Firestone

1940: G&A (Gliders & Aircraft) Div, Firestone Tire & Rubber Co, Willow Grove PA. 1946: Firestone Aircraft Div on acquisition of Pitcairn-Larsen Autogiros. 1947: Discontinued helicopter production.

  Firestone GA-45D [NX58457] (Eaton Chronicles)

GA-45, -45D 1946 = 2pCH; 125hp Franklin; rotor: 30'0" length: 27'7" (?>25'5") v: 115/90/0 range: 225. Essentially a Pitcairn design, a civil version of XR-9B. Prototype (as GA-45) had 135hp Lycoming O-290, and a 28' rotor [NX58457].

H-9 19?? = 2pCH; Lycoming O-290.

H-14 - Same as R-19/

  Firestone XR-9 [46-001] (USAAF)

R-9 1946 = USAF utility 2pCH, similar to GA-45 with O-290. POP: 1 as XR-9B [46-001].

R-14 - Lightweight CH project cancelled.


First Strike

First Strike Aviation Inc (pres: Bobby Baker), Pigott AR.

Bobcat 1984 = 1pClwM; 27hp Rotax 277; span: 27'8" length: 15'3" load: 249# v: 63/50/27; ff: 5/x/84.

Super Cat 198? = 1pClwM; 35hp Rotax 377; load: 295# v: 85/65/37. Designed for home-builders.


Fisher

Fisher Body Works, Cleveland OH.

-Caproni Ca.46 1918 = License-built Italian Caproni bomber, SEE Standard-Caproni for data. POP: 1 built and registered, but not accepted by the Army [AS42119]; disposition unknown. Fahey says 3 were built, but no s/ns were found.

-de Havilland DH-4 1918 = Contract-share DH-4 with Dayton-Wright; similar data. POP: 1,600 as trainers; 2,400 more cancelled by Armistice.

-Standard SJ-1 1918 = Contract production, POP: 400 aircraft.


Fisher

Edward Fisher, Kansas City MO.

FL-1 1931 = 1pOhwM; 60hp LeBlond. Shoulder-wing. [512Y].


Fisher

Fisher Div, General Motors Corp, Cleveland OH..

P-75 Eagle - AAF escort fighter. Two coaxial contrarotating props were connected to engines by dual driveshafts running under the cockpit—the novel Allison doubled-up single V-3420 (W-3420) was considered for power but never used. The design proved unsatisfactory and, after three planes crashed, the program was cancelled in Nov 1944 with principal interest favoring P-51 Mustang.

  Fisher XP-75 and P-75A (USAF Museum)

XP-75 (P-75-GM) 1943 = 1pClwM rg; two 2600hp Allison V-3420-19; ff: 11/17/43. POP: 2 prototypes [43-46950/46951] and 6 service testers [44-32161/32166].

  Fisher P-75A [44-44550] (USAAF)

P-75A (P-75-GC) 1943 = Two 2885hp Allison V-3420-23; span: 49'4" length: 40'5" v: 404-433/250-270/87 range: 2600-3800 ceiling: 36,400' (variances for different mods and equipment). Production version with bubble canopy; ff: 9/15/44. POP: 5 out of a contract for 2,500 [44-44549/44553]; the last unit was scavenged for parts to keep the others flying.


Fisher

(Gene) Fisher Flying Products, Edgely ND.

  Fisher FP-202 Koala (K O Eckland)
  Fishers general (Fisher)

A series of recent ultralights in the form of 15 traditional, rigid-wing aircraft designs marketed in kit form. Monoplanes included low-wing Avenger and FP-303, high-wing Horizon, Dakota Hawk, Horizon; biplanes Celebrity, Tiger Moth (80%-scale de Havilland), Youngster. Estimated construction times for basic kit advertised as 500-600 hours, or 125-150 hours for "Quick-Built" kits. Prices, engines, and specs varied with aircraft—typical for Tiger Moth: 75-100hp Norton AE-100R; span: 23'0" length: 19'0" load: 590# v: 110/90/35 range: 200; for Cublike FP-202: 28hp Rotax 447; span: 29'10" length: 17'0" load: 250# v: 60/55/26 range: 135.


Fishercraft

Ed Fisher, Painesville OH.

Zippy Sport 1982 = 1pChwM; 30hp Cuyuna 430 RR; span: 26'4" length: 17'10" load: 255# v: 118/80/38 range:200; ff: 10/9/82. Marketed home-builder plans.


Fisk, Fisk-Standard

SEE ALSO Catron & Fisk

Edward M Fisk, Venice CA. 1917: (J W) Catron & Fisk.

1911 = 1pOhwM; 45hp ??. Fisk's first creation of 11 different types, predominantly 2p and 3p OBs, before joining with J W Catron.

1919 = 1-2pOB; 90hp Curtiss OX-5; span: 18'0" v: 110. Sport model with plywood- covered, octagonal-shaped fuselage; I-struts. Also as 2p with 29'0" wings as utility model; v: 90. Became the first of the Catron & Fisk line.

-Standard aka -International 1925 = 6pOB; 260hp Salmson; span: 45'0" length: 27'0". Likely began as a surplus Standard, but a NASM abstract that credits make as "Fiske" also notes: "Manufacturer: Fiske & Catron Mfg Co, remodeler: Lafayette Airplane Works." [5678] c/n LAW-811 verifies connection to Lafayette. Of little help is further data: "Bought 10/27 from Bach Aircraft Co," apparently by Clarence B Kerr, who in turn wrote to CAA on 5/34/28: "Reconstructed for me personally." Another note, undated: "Fiske & Catron replaced Liberty motor with Salmson air-cooled, moved pilots from rear to engine secton, built in cabin, no strength members altered ... engine has about 20 hrs and was used to power a 12-passenger airship by Bach A/C Corp." Registered in 1931-32 as Fisk-Standard and Fisk-International, but its wing number never officially belonged to Catron & Fisk or International. ID issued 6/9/28 and 7/7/29, then cancelled 10/26/32 by CAA when notified the plane had been scrapped.


Fitzsimmons

Frank Fitzsimmons, Hempstead NY.

INFORMATION NEEDED
Monoplane 1911 = 1pOhwM pusher.

Flagg

1926: Claude C Flagg, Kansas City MO. 1927: Flaggship Aircraft Co, Kansas City, Keokuk IA. 1928: Renamed LaSalle Aircraft Co, Joliet IL. 1930: Flagg School of Flying, Marshall MO. 1932: East Los Angeles CA; contracted by Garland Lincoln to build and modify aircraft for motion picture work. c.1933: Flaggships Inc, San Diego CA. c.1937: Light Aircraft Developers.

F-13 Bug aka Flagg-Raymond (San Diego) 1933 = 1pOB; 65hp Velie. POP: 1 aerobatic ship [13625]. (Bruce Raymond as purchaser in 1935). Refitted after WW2 with 145hp and 185hp Warner; was active in the '80s.

  Flagg F-15 [R89Y] (Sep 1937 Popular Science)
  Flagg F-15 with retractable gear [NX89Y] (Frank Rezich coll)

F-15 San Diego Flaggship 1937 = 1pOlwM; 90hp Pobjoy Niagara; span: 14'6" length: 13'7" v: 235/x/70. A private venture by Consolidated Aircraft Co employees Tony LeVier, Herb Jewell, Joe McCannon, Lionel Machado, and Walt McClain, plus Claude Flagg. Crashed on its maiden flight (p: LeVier). Redesigned and rebuilt as 1pO/ClwM with retractable gear and a new 13'0" wing for 1938 competitions, but more problems and a nose-over prompted withdrawal. POP: 1 [R/NX89Y]. Finally modified into a sportplane and was last seen at Watsonville CA c.1940. SEE Light.

My records also list [as builders] a Joe Storgess and Young McClure (don't know if that's his first name or it has to do with his age). The plane was painted black and bright yellow. In 1938, after Cleveland, the plane was returned to San Diego and dismantled, the engine and some components being used on later Flagg designs. (— Ron Billman 9/9/02)

Flaggship aka FAC Special (Keokuk) 1927 = 3pOB; 90hp Curtiss OX-5; span: 29'0" length: 21'0" load: 690# v: 97/x/40. Claude Flagg. POP: 1, designed and built as a private endeavor while working for American Eagle Co [R/NX4594]. Ed Porterfield expressed interest in the design, but Lindbergh's Paris flight caused a sudden rush of orders for factory planes and the project was sidelined, resurfacing later as Flyabout. SEE LaSalle Coupe.

Student Pal (Marshall) 1930 = 1pOhwM; 45hp Szekely SR-3. Parasol time-builder constructed by Flagg's flight students during training as part of his course.

I have Student Pal as [900N] c/n T-1, Marshall Flying School "Research" experimental high-wing monoplane, aka Marshall Flyer, built Jan 1930. To C C Flagg Feb 1930. Sold Dec 1930 and Heath-Henderson engine installed. Reg cancelled Feb 1933. (— John M Jarratt 8/16/04)


Flagg-Snyder

(Claude) Flagg-(Barney) Snyder, San Diego CA.

Racer 1930 = 1pOlwM; 90hp Cirrus; span: 20'9" length: 18'0". Cirrus derby racer, damaged in a hangar fire, and did not compete [R12040]. Purchased by Floyd Butz and rebuilt with 95hp Menasco as Butz F-1 [NR948N].


Flaglor

F K "Chuck" Flaglor, Des Plaines IL.

High Tow 1957 = 2pOB; 220hp Continental R-760; load 210#. Hybrid with Waco fuselage and Fleet wings and tail. Specially made for glider towing.

Low-Tow 19?? = 1pOB; 85hp Continental C-85. Construction time: one year, cost $1,800. POP: 1 [N4945E].

Scooter 1967 = 1pOhwM; 40hp Volkswagen; span: 28'0" length: 15'8" load: 260# v: 90/80/x range: 175. Engine mounted in front of the wing, and the pilot placed in a cockpit below, protected by a deep windshield. Design won several EAA awards in 1967. Plans marketed to home-builders.


Flamingo

5/1/28: Metal Aircraft Corp, Lunken Airport, Cincinnati OH, on acquisition of Halpin Co. 9/x/29: Sold (with Mason & Dixon Air Line) to Robert Schryver, Columbus OH.

All-Metal Tranship 1929 = 6-7pChwM; 525hp P&W Wasp; span: 50'0" length: 32'6" load: 2640# v: 135/115/48 range: 900. $21,000. Optional 525hp Wright Cyclone.

  Flamingo with a full wingload (Scott Ladrigan coll)

G-1 1928 (ATC 2-19) = Continuation of Halpin Flamingo. 5pChwM; 450hp P&W Wasp C. POP: 1 [C7690].

  Flamingo G-2 [NC588] (Frank Rezich coll)

G-2 1929 (2-63) = 6p G-1. POP: 1 [NC588].

G-2-H 1929 (ATC 192, 2-67, 2-75) = 6-8pChwM; 525hp Hornet A; span: 50'0" length: 32'6" load: 2313# v: 140/115/62 range: 810. $23,800; POP: see next. (2-67) was 6p modification for [NC9304], (2-75) for 8p.

  Flamingo G-2-W [NC656E] (Frank Rezich coll)

G-2-W 1929 (ATC 192, 2-62) = 8pChwM; 410hp P&W Wasp; load: 2430# v: 135/115/60 range: 850. $21,000; POP total G-2: 21. (2-62) for conversions of G-2 models to 450hp P&W Wasp SC.

G-MT-6 1928 = 5pChwM; 410hp P&W Wasp and 525hp Hornet; span: 50'0" length: 32'8". Ralph R Graichen. POP: 2 prototypes of G-2-H and -W.

Flea Triplane SEE American Flea


Fleet


Fleetcraft

1929: Fleet Airplane Corp (fdr: John B Moore), Lincoln NB. 1930: Fleetcraft Airplane Corp.

A 1930 = 2pOB; 60hp LeBlond 5D or Lambert; span: (upper) 27'6" (lower) 24'0" load: 503#; $2,995. Arrow Sport look-alike (Moore was an engineer with Arrow Aircraft Corp). Side-by-side cockpit; ailerons in the lower wing. POP: 11 [X663W] c/n 2, et al. Also with 90hp LeBlond 5F.

Cadet aka Fleetwing Cadet 1929 = 2pOB; 65hp Velie. POP: 1 [X23M] c/n.


Fleet Southern SEE Southern Aircraft


Fleetwings, Kaiser-Fleetwings

  Home c.1930 Ex-Keystone plant (Tom Beamer coll)

c.1930: Fleetwings Inc (pres: Frank or Cecil de Ganahl), Radcliffe St, Bristol PA. 1934: Plant acquired by Hall Aluminum Aircraft Co. 1941: (Henry J) Kaiser-Fleetwings Inc (pres: E E Trefethen Jr).

1931 = 4pChwM; Wright R-760. POP: 1 [X859W] c/n F-101. Built primarily to demonstrate stainless steel spot welding techniques, it reportedly did not fly well.

23 SEE BT-12.

  Fleetwings 33 [NX29033] (1940 Air News)

33 1941 = 2pOlwM; 130hp Franklin 6AC; span: 28'6" length: 22'2" load: 568# v: 150/130/52 range: 520. Robert W Ayer. Alclad construction; tandem cockpits. Smaller version of stainless steel AAF XBT-12. POP: 1 [NX29033].

A-39 1942 - Mock-up only, as XA-39.

  Fleetwings XBQ-1 [42-79561] (Tom Beamer coll)
  Fleetwings XBQ-2A [42-79562] (George H Stuebing coll)

BQ-1, -2 (Model 37) 1943 = 0-1pCmwM guided missile with provision for a pilot; two 225hp inline (-1) and 280hp radial (-2) engines; range: 1720. POP: 1 each as XBQ-1 [42-79561] with fixed tricycle gear and XBQ-2A [42-79562] with jettisonable gear, bomb load: 2000#.

  Fleetwings XBT-12 Wright Field prototype [39-719] (USAAF)
  Fleetwings BT-12 (W T Larkins coll)

BT-12 (Model 23) 1939 = Army trainer. 2pClwM; 450hp P&W R-985; span: 40'0" length: 29'2" load: 1240# v: 195/175/58 range: 560. First all-stainless steel military airplane. POP: 1 XBT-12 prototype [39-719], 24 BT-12 [42-3684/3707]. [42-3708/3883] assigned, but production cancelled.

  Fleetwings XBTK-1 (Tom Beamer coll)
  Fleetwings XBTK-1 (magazine clip via Tom Beamer)

BTK 1945 = USN single-seat torpedo bomber project. 1pClwM rg; 2100hp P&W R-2800-34W; span: 48'8 length: 38'11" load: 2769# v: 373/158/80. POP: 5 prototypes as XBTK-1 [44313/44314, 90484/90486], the last one non-flying, used for static testing.

  Fleetwings F-4 [NC16793] (K O Eckland)

F-4 (F-401) Sea Bird 1936 (ATC 2-540) = 4pChwMAm; 225hp Jacobs L-5; load: 1110# v: 130/115/55 range: 400. Cecil de Ganahl. POP: 1 [X/NC16793=CFBGZ], sold to a Canadian mining company. Reverted to US registration in 1940, and was active into the 1970s. Shows up in one register as "F-4-Q2"—the handiwork of someone with a left-field sense of humor?

  Fleetwings F-5
  Fleetwings F-5 [NC16918] (George H Stuebing coll)

F-5 Sea Bird 1936 (ATC 680) = 4pChwMAm; 285hp Jacobs L-5 or 300hp L-6; span: 40'6" length: 31'6" load: 1130# v: 150/139/58 range: 430-550. Cecil de Ganahl, James Reddig. Stainless steel hull. $18,500-22,500; POP: 5 [NC16918, NC19191/19194]; [NC19193] reregistered in 1940 as [NC5].

PQ-12 (Model 36) - Ercoupelike aerial target, manned capability. 1pClwM; 190hp Lycoming O-435.

XPQ-12 1941 = POP: 1 [41-39057].
  Fleetwings YPQ-12 [41-39049] (Tom Beamer coll)

YPQ-12 1941 = POP: 8 [41-39049/39056].
XPQ-12A 1941 = POP: 1 prototype [41-39098].
PQ-12A 1941 = POP: 30 [41-39058/39087].
  Fleetwings Twirleybird [NX41804] (Tom Beamer coll)

Twirleybird 1944 - 2p or 4pCH, no data. Designed by the engineering staff of the Franklin Institute at the request of Henry J Kaiser to provide ship-based anti-sub protection for his Liberty ships, it was flight tested on a lake in the Bristol park in 1944, but development ended shortly after the end of WWII [NX41804].

Fleming

J W T and William G Fleming, Memphis TN.

1929 = 2pOB based somewhat on Curtiss Jenny. "Jake" Fleming was designer and builder, brother William provided funds. News clipping ("First 'Made-in-Memphis' Ship" 3/24/29) mentions 180hp Le Rhône, but accompanying photo of fuselage frame shows a mount more suited to a top-supported engine—if this is the Southern Crane (qv) as historian John Jarratt feels, subsequent registration of [X817N] shows Anzani.


Fletcher

Fletcher & Sartain Co, 120 N Mill St, Santa Paula CA.

Sport aka Andercraft 1933 = Unknown type with Continental engine, no data found. [12280] c/n 1. Quite possibly related to, or built in conjuction with, Aero Sport S-1.


Fletcher

1941: (Wendell, Frank, Maurice) Fletcher Aviation Corp, 190 W Colorado St, Pasadena CA. 1960: Flair Aviation Div, AJ Industries (aka Sargent-Fletcher Co). 1964: mfr rights to FU-24 (Utility) acquired by Air Parts of New Zealand, then Pacific Aerospace Corp; US rep: Utility Aircraft Corp Woodland CA. 19??: Frontier Aerospace, Long Beach CA (unknown connection).

BG-1 SEE FBT-2.

  Fletcher CQ-1A [41-38984]

CQ-1 1943 = AAF aerial target controller. 1pClwM; tricycle gear. Project cancelled after 1 built as YCQ-1A [41-38984]. One of only three "CQ" designations, with Stinson CQ-2 and Beech CQ-3.

  Fletcher FBT-2 [NX28368] (Eaton Chronicles)

FBT-2, BG-1 1941 = 2pClwM; 285hp Wright R-760-E2; span: 30'0" length: 23'3" load: 760# v: 175/158/60 range: 540 ceiling: 19,000'. Wendell Fletcher. Bonded plywood construction; symmetrical, interchangeable wings and tail panels. POP: 1 prototype for unsuccessful military trials as a trainer; 1 modified as the YCQ-1 target control ship, and 10 as XBG-1 motorless glide bomb in 1942 [42-46892/-46901], nicknamed "Glomb." Prototype, refitted with 450hp P&W R-985 for a top speed of more than 200 mph, earned two orders for 50 each as AAF PQ-11, but contracts were cancelled when Culver PQ models were chosen instead.

  Fletcher FD-25 [N91316] (Ron Dupas)

FD-25, -25A, -25B 1951 = 1pClwM; 225hp Continental E-225; span: 30'0" length: 20'11" load: 1272# v: 187/162/45 range: 630; ff: 4/14/51 (p: John Thorp). John Thorp. POP: 1 each [N90802] for military evaluation as a counter-insurgency fighter; redesigned as 2p FD-25A [N90609], which crashed during initial testing; redesigned in 1953 as 1p FD-25B [N91316]. Built under license in Japan by Toyo Co.

  Fletcher FL-23 [N122A] (Pacific Aerospace Corp)

FL-23 1950 = 2pChwM; 185hp Continental O-470; span: 33'4" length: 28'4" load: 650# (normal) to 1650# (military). POP: 1 [N122A]. Proposed military liaison craft crashed during trials after losing its tail, and the contract went instead to Cessna 305.

  Fletcher FU-24 Prototype [N6505C] and contemporary [ZK-OHO] (Pacific Aerospace Corp)

FU-24 aka Utility 1954 (TC 4A12) = 6pClwM; 260hp Continental IO-470D or -470N; span: 42'0" length: 31'10" load: 1495# (?>1610#) v: 141/127/48 (?>130/111/42) range: 371 (?>410) ceiling: 17,000' (>:14,800'). 1p Utility agricultural sprayer with 225hp Continental O-470. Design mods by E J Sargent. Tri-gear. $22,500; POP: ?, [prototype N6505C, N6506C/6507C, et al]. With popular production by PAC in New Zealand as utility and ag planes, the design has endured for more than 40 years and influenced several of PAC's other models.

Model 1 c.1947 = 4pChwM. POP: 1 [NX1427x].

Navion 1953 = 4pClwM rg; 225hp Continental O-470; specs similar to Ryan Navion. POP: 1.

PQ-11 - Aerial target with pilot capabilities for ferrying; 450hp P&W R-985. SEE FBT-2.


Flettner

Anton Flettner, NY.

1926 and c.1938 = Experiments with the Magnus Effect (qv Glossary), wherein rotating cylinders replaced wings to theoretically provide lift. The later version, renamed Plymouth (qv), had a 300hp Wright J-6 for flight (which it did not attain) and a 90hp ACE to rotate the rotors. POP: 1 [921V]. Continued interest in the Magnus Theory also surfaced in the early 1980s when Lloyd Bergeson gave up on flying machines and applied the idea to boats, replacing sails. SEE ALSO Ames 1910, Union.


Flexible

INFORMATION NEEDED
Flexible Aeroplane Co.

1909 = No data.


Flightsail

Flight Dynamics (pres: Thomas H Purcell Jr), Raliegh NC.

VII 1970 = 2pChwMAm rg*; 90hp Continental C-60 pusher; span: 39'0" length: 25'0" load: 500# v: 95/85/40 range: 200-300 ceiling: 12,000'. Pylon-mounted motor; twin tails; * manual retraction. Marketed plans for home-builders.


Flightworks

Flightworks Corp, Austin TX.

Capella 199? = 1pChwM; 49hp Rotax 503; span: 16'0" length: 17'4" load: 275# v: 92/82/38 range: 200. Kits available. [N5159B].

Capella XS 199? = 2pChwM; 64hp Rotax 582; span: 28'6" length: 18'5" load: 610# v: 107/95/37 range: 476.


Fliteways

Fliteways Inc (Ben White), Milwaukee WI.

  Fliteways Special [NX18219] (WASM coll)

Special aka White-Fliteways Special 1947 = 1p ClwM; 85hp Continental C-85; span: 19'0" length: 14'6". Ben White. Midget racer [NX18219] (p: Charles Bing). Destroyed in testing 1948.


Floyd-Bean

Bob Bean & Tom Floyd, Inglewood CA.

Special 1938 = 1pCmwM rg; 125hp Menasco; span: 19'9" (?>21'6") length: 13'11" (?>14'10"). Not completed in time for the Nationals, then was damaged by a gear collapse on a test flight [NX97Y] (p: Bob Bean).


F L S Z

Flight Level Six-Zero Inc, Colorado Springs CO.

Der Kricket DK-1 1978 = 1pOB; 50-65hp VW; span: 16'0" length: 19'0" load: 230# v: 105/85/52 range: 200; ff: 9/19/78 [N601CS, N603DM]. Marketed kits.

Vagrant II 198? = 2pClwM; VW 1835cc; span: 21'0" length: 16'6" load: 450-500# v: 140/130/50.


Fly-Cycle SEE Farnham


Flying Auto

INFORMATION NEEDED
Flying Auto Co.

1909 = No data.


Flying Mercury

Hibbing MN.

1930 = 1pOlwM; 25hp Heath B-4; span: 26'0" length: 17'0" v: 75/x/30. J G Marinac. Built from magazine plans by two brothers who scratch-built everything but the engine, including the propeller. Brief flight tests showed tail heaviness, and the plane was stored until discovered in a barn c.1965 and rebuilt for static display by EAA.


Fly Wurm

Paul Maiwurm, Mission Beach (San Diego) CA.

  Paul Maiwurm seated in his creation

1929 = 1p barrelplane; 80hp LeRhône rotary. Curious tilt-wing experiment used a rotating barrel to create a theoretical "cyclonic vortex" at 200 rpm for thrust. The barrel and top-mounted wing would be tilted for take-off, and the angle of incidence reduced for level flight at altitude. Lateral control was from fairings moving individually or in unison as ailerons and elevators, even as flaps. US patent #1,743,467 issued in 1929. It failed to fly on its highly-advertised test flight, vibrated fitfully, and finally collapsed on itself. The remains were pushed off a pier into Mission Bay by a thoroughly disgusted Maiwurm [X660E]. Apparently regaining composure, in 1934 Maiwurm designed a 2p flying fuselage with four tubelike, tilting nacelles having screwlike propellers driven by jets from an unspecified "rocket motor," but it was never built.


Fokker, Atlantic, Fokker-Hall, General Aviation


Folkerts

1928: Clayton Folkerts, Moline IL, Robertson MO; 1936: Waterloo IA.

#1 1917 = 1pOhwM; 7hp Indian motorcycle engine. Folkerts' first attempt was a creation made of a bamboo-framed fuselage and wings, which broke in two during initial taxi tests. Rebuilt and structurally strengthened, it managed to fly marginally in short, low hops.

#2 1919 = 1pOB; 13hp 2-cyl Spacke marine motor; span: 21'6" length: 16'0". Again, marginal flight characteristics, mostly ending in gentle nose-overs.

#3, #4 1923 = 1pOhwM; 25hp Ford T and 28hp Lawrance. Parasol-wing design; both motors produced discouraging results. However, with an extensive redesign as OmwM, and with geodetic framing, #4 finally got Folkerts airborne in Sept 1924, and he officially became a pilot, self-taught in the truest sense of the word.

#5 1925 = 1pOhwM; 28hp Henderson; span: 20'0". Embodied similar construction techniques as #4, but it failed to get off the ground. Still, it was ostensibly a first sketch of the Monocoupe design.

High-Wing 1928 = 1pOhwM; 20hp Henderson; span: 24'0" v: 70/65/35. POP: 1 [8902]. Flew successfully until 1932, when Iowa state law put a damper on flying unlicensed aircraft, then was stored in a barn. Restored c.1965 and donated to EAA Museum.

  Folkerts Mono-Special [NR500W] (K O Eckland coll)

Mono-Special (Mono Aircraft Co, Moline) 1930 = 1pOmwM; 90hp Cirrus Mk II; span: 18'5" (?>24'0") length: 16'9" (?>19'0") load: 457# v: 160/150/55 range: 350. Built by Mono—but not as SK-1, as often thought—with a motor provided by Folkerts. POP: 1 racer for Cirrus Derby, withdrawn after a landing accident at Douglas AZ (p: Roy Quinby) [NR500W]. Competed in 1930 Nationals after repair (p: Quinby). Became SK-1.

  Folkerts SK-1 [NR500W] (Frank Rezich coll)
  Folkerts SK-1 [NR500W]

SK-1 1933 = 1pClwM; 90hp Cirrus Mk III; span: 16'4" length: 22'0". SK = "Speed King." POP: 1 racer modified from Mono-Special Matilda (p: Russ Hosler, Marcellus King, Roy Liggett, Harold Neumann) [R500W]. Sold to Clem Whittenbeck (qv) in 1933, its racing career continued under various owners until its destruction in a crash in May 1938 at San Francisco, killing pilot Gus Gotch.

  Folkerts SK-2 [R283Y] (Frank Rezich coll)

SK-2 1936 = 1pCmwM rg (manual); 150hp Menasco C-4S; span: 16'0" length: 19'6" load: 300# v: 250/x/67 range: 300. POP: 1 racer for 1936-37 competitions as Toots (p: Harold Neumann) and Miss Detroit (p: Roger Don Rae) [R283Y]. Modified in 1938 with 185hp Menasco, and the name changed to Foo (p: Gus Gotch); destroyed in a crash at Oakland CA.

  Folkerts SK-3 [R14899] (Frank Rezich coll)

SK-3 1937 = 1pCmwM rg; 290hp Menasco C-6; span: 16'8" length: 21'0" load: 545# v: 300/x/75 range: 350. POP: 1 racer Jupiter/Pride of Lemont for 1937 competitions (p: Rudy Kling) [R14899]. Thompson and Greve trophies; destroyed in a crash at the 1938 Miami FL races.

  Folkerts SK-4 [NX288Y] (Frank Rezich coll)

SK-4 1938 = 1pCmwM rg; 290hp Menasco C-6S; span: 16'8" length: 21'0" (?>25'6") load: 545# v: 325/x/75 range: 350. POP: 1 racer, but wing flutter problems kept it sidelined in 1938 [NX/R288Y] (p: Roger Don Rae); crashed at the 1939 Nationals, killing pilot Delbert Bush and marking the end of Folkerts' racers.


Follis

Fred E Follis, Nashville TN.

Sport 1935 = 1pOhwM; 46hp Lawrance. It looked like an Aeronca C-3, but it wasn't. [11578].


Forbes

David Forbes, Atherton CA.

DAS-IM aka Wolfram Special 1967 = 1pOB; span: 17'0" length: 16'0" v: 200. Racer based on Smith DAS. [N111DF].

F-3 Cobra 1975 = 1pCB; 170hp Lycoming O-290; span: 19'6" length: 16'0" load: 425# v: 207/167/58 range: 400; ff: 9/4/75. Racer with gullform upper wings, inverted-gull lower wings.

Tonopah Low c.1981 = 1pOB; 125hp Lycoming O-290-G; span: 15'0" length: 16'0" v: 185/160/100. Raced by Earl Allen.


Ford, Ford-Stout


Ford

Ford Airplane Co, Tulsa OK.

1931 = Monoplane; 165hp Wright J-6-5D. POP: 1 [11925] c/n X-1; cancelled as dismantled 2/12/34.


Ford-Leigh

(Alfred G) Leigh Safety Wing Inc & Brunner-Winkle Co.

Safety Wing 1929 = 2pOB; 115hp Kirkham (OX-5 modification); span: 32'0" length: 24'3". POP: 1 [7878]. Repowered Brunner-Winkle Bird A with a small, solid, full-length slat added to the top wing's leading edge, and a partially-faired landing gear. Developed for entry in the 1929 Guggenheim Safe Aircraft Competition.


Ford-Van Auken

Edsel Ford & Charles Van Auken, 1302 Woodward Ave, Detroit MI.

  Ford-Van Auken Newspaper clip (Eric Blocher coll)

1909 = 1pOmwM; 28hp Ford T. POP: 1. A youthful effort by Edsel and Charles, constructed in a barn at this address. Somewhat resembling a Blèriot with tricycle gear, and with conventional ailerons controlled by the pilot's shoulder yoke, it did fly, if only at an altitude of a few feet.


Forman

Albert V Forman, Medford OR.

c.1936 = Home-built. 1pOhwM. No data, but its [12726] is registered as a Hartley-Heath CH, c/n 1.


Forney

1955: Fornaire Aircraft Co, Fort Collins CO, on acquisition of Ercoupe rights. 1960: Acquired by city of Carlsbad NM. 1963: Rights and tooling sold to Alon Inc, McPherson KS.

  Forney F-1 (Forney brochure)

F-1 Aircoupe 1956, 1960 = Continuation of ERCO Ercoupe 415-G, but with 90hp Continental C-90-12F; load: 500#; ff: 2/18/56. After sales failed to meet expectations, rights were purchased by the city government of Carlsbad in Aug 1960, which in turn leased rights to Air Products Co to produce the "New Aircoupe" (ff: 12/16/60). $7,500; POP: about 30 from combined companies before operations ended in 1962 and was sold to Alon.


Fortier

Amilcar E Fortier, New Orleans LA.

INFORMATION NEEDED
1907 = No data.

Foss

Al Foss, Rosemead CA.

  Foss Special [N68732] (WASM coll)

Special 1948 = 1pClwM; 85hp Continental C-85; span: 21'6" length: 15'0". Midget racer Ginny, modified and re-registered from Sorenson Special Little Mike. [N68732]. Wing shortened to 17'6" for later competitions and reregistered as [N35C].


Foster

Joe Foster & Floyd Simpson, Anderson SC.

Grey Eagle 1932 = 2pOM; 65hp Velie. [11541] c/n 376; reg expired 4/1/38. Apparently built by Simpson (qv: Simpson entry for possible relativity) and sold to Foster on 2/2/35.


Foster

H C Foster, Vanport PA.

  Foster (May 1937 Popular Aviation)

1937 = Home-built. 1pOBF with no data. Mentioned in Popular Aviation as looking much like a small version of a JN-4 Jenny on floats and, cryptically, that "the authorities put their big feet down on this little plane and grounded it, but that has nothing to do with its excellence." With four pairs of struts, it is, indeed, a stout-looking li'l critter.

Aerodyne 196? = 1pOhwM; 65hp Lycoming O-145; v: x/90/56. Gross wt: 850#, parasol wing. [N827Z]. Donated to EAA Air Museum in 1969.

Airspeed 1973 = 1pCmwM; 65hp Lycoming O-145; load: 256# v: x/115/55; ff: 9/2/73. [N827Z], apparently a reg transfer from the previous.


Foster

Sidney Foster, no location.

Blood, Sweat and Tears c.1965 = 1pOlwM; 125hp Lycoming; span: 30'0" length: 21'0" load: 360# v: x/120/45 range: 240. Wooden wing, steel-tube fuselage and tail. The ship was 22 years under construction... evidently 22 tough years. [N48F].


Found

1996: Found Aircraft Development Inc, Parry Sound, Ontario, Canada.

  Found 3-view (unknown magazine clip)

19?? = Specs and data needed on this low-winger.

  Found FBA-1A [CF-GMO] (clip: Flying)

FBA-1A Canada 1949 = 2pChwM; 145hp Gipsy Major; span: 30'0" length: 25'0".

  Found Bush Hawk [C-GDWS] (Rich Hulina / Found)

FBA-2C1 Bush Hawk-XP Canada 1997 (TC A7EA) = Conventional-gear or twin-float/skis, all-metal bushplane. Specs with floats in parentheses: 5pChwM; 300hp Lycoming IO-540-L1C5; span: 36'0" length: 26'6" (28'8") load: 1600# (1450#) v: x/173/60 (x/150/62) range: 1013 (817) ceiling: 18,000' (15,000'). Certified in both Canada and USA.


Fowler, Fowler-Gage

1912: (Robert G) Fowler Corp, San Francisco CA. 1915: L-W-F Co (fdr: R G Fowler, with Edward Lowe Jr & Charles Willard), Long Island NY.

  Fowler Wright Flier (Dan Shumaker coll)

1911 = 1pOB; aka Cole Flier for sponsor Cole Auto Co. Fowler, a former auto racer, was first to fly the continent from west-to-east, taking 112 days in 1911 to get from Los Angeles to Jacksonville FL in his Wright Flier — he had only three hours' flying experience under his belt when he departed! Read the full story.

  Fowler-Gage 1988 NASM restoration with OX-5 (Dan Shumaker coll)

-Gage 1912 = 1pOB; 60hp Hall-Scott A-2 or 80hp A-3 (also Curtiss OX — note below); span: (upper) 41'0" to 42'8" (lower) 30'0" v: 60. R G Fowler, Jay Gage. Plywood-sided plane was built before the company (as L-W-F) began producing some 275 contract Curtiss JN-4s for the war effort. POP: about 4 flown in exhibitions by Fowler and several members of the Wright exhibition team. The NASM restoration from the original, donated by Fowler in 1950, was transferred to Hiller Museum (CA) in 1988 for display.

The Fowler-Gage was restored by National Air & Space Museum in 1987-88. Ideally a 60 or 80hp Hall-Scott would have installed, but none was available at the time. Fowler reported that he had installed a Curtiss OX in the airplane when he set it up for a public display in 1939; however, it was not flown with this engine. Though not the most desirable solution to the missing engine dilemma, the Museum chose to mount an OX-5 from its collection until such time as a Hall-Scott became available. (— Dan Shumaker 6/15/05)


Fowler

1928: Harland D Fowler, New Brunswick NJ. 1930: Fowler Airplane Wings Inc.

1928 = 2pOhwM; 90hp Curtiss OX-5. Curtiss JN-4C modified as a clipped-wing monoplane for early experiments in variable wing areas with Fowler's design, a trailing flap assembly. With this wing the fully-loaded Jenny got off the ground in nine seconds, landed to a full stop in ten seconds, and gave a 94-mph speed, compared to the plane's original 74 mph. In 1929 a Pitcairn PA-3 fuselage was used (v: 99/80/58 with a normal wing configuration, 79/70/45 extended wing); 11 seconds to become airborne, climbed at 250 fpm.


Fowler

A C Fowler, Hurricane WV.

Sport 1932 = 1pM; 35hp Szekely SR-3. [13123].


Fowler

Donald Fowler and Francis Gallant, Boston MA.

1933 = Home-built. 1pOB; possibly Anzani; no other data.


Fox

Alfred C Fox, Beaverton OR.

Sportplane, TP 1930 = 1pOhwM; 20hp Henderson. Home-built looking much like Aeronca C-2. POP: 1 [10689], appears in 1931-36 registers.


Frame

Augustus J Frame, Columbus OH. 1928: Columbus Aircraft Corp (pres: A J Frame), 767 N 4th St, Columbus.

Special, later Columbus Skylark 1928 = 4pCM; 125hp Siemens-Halske, later 170hp Curtiss Challenger; span: 37'6" length: 26'6". Empty wt: 1220#. Fred Herman (Wright Field). POP: 1 [X5644]. Records state: "Accident: Lyle MN, 12/19/30. Lic. cancelled 1/23/31."


Francis

Royal N "Roy" Francis, Santa Clara area CA.

1913 = 2pOBF; 65hp Hall-Scott V-8; span: 50'0" v: 60/45/30. Used for sightseeing flights, to carry the first passenger across San Francisco Bay, and apparently was part of the 1913 Great Lakes Tour, as well. Francis reportedly later built several other flying boats, and was one of the exhibition pilots appearing at the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition. SEE Paterson-Francis.

  1910 Francis (WW1 Aero)

1910 = 1pOB; pusher motor (likely Hall-Scott, which were made in nearby Berkeley). Constructed by Jay Gage in Glendale CA.

  1911 Francis (WW1 Aero)

1911 = 2pOB, a two-motored 3p tractor-type designed and flown by Francis, but construction was by (Charles) Paterson Aeroplane Co, San Francisco. This ostensibly would be the first twin made in the USA. SEE Purcell.


Francis-Angell

Jerry Francis & Harold Angell, Lansing MI.

  Francis-Angell [NX84Y] (WASM coll)

1947 = 1pCmwM; 85hp Continental C-85; span: 19'0" length: 16'0". Midget racer Whistler (p: Bob Chinoski, William Taylor) [NX84Y], modified from Hansen Special (Heath) Baby Bullet III. Second modification: span: 17'10" length: 15'10".


Franklin

1930: Franklin Aircraft Corp (first as Joy Mfg Co), Franklin PA (fdrs: W E Barrow, Joseph P Bauer, L G Felderman; ex-Monarch Aircraft Co). 1933: Ended operations.

Sport 1930 = 2pOB; 55hp Velie M-5; span: 26'0" length: 19'6"; ff: 1/27/30. Joseph Bauer, Vener Eichholtz, L G Felderman. POP: 1 prototype [322V] c/n 1, scrapped after testing.

Sport 65 (Model A) 1930 (ATC 2-246) = Modified Sport with 65hp M-5; load: 484# v: 100/85/30 range: 350. POP: 8; [prototype 341V, NC687W, NC764W, NC10137, NC10286/10287, NC10418/10419] c/ns (respectively) 2/3, 10, 4/8. [NC10419] rebuilt after a crash and reregistered as [N10147].

Sport 70 (Model B) 1930 = 2pOB; 70hp LeBlond 5DE. POP: 1 Laird-type racer [NC10497] c/n 9. Engine cylinder cracked during run-up tests and the plane never flew. Rebuilt in 1932 as Bauer 170 [X13122], but also was never flown.

  Franklin 90 [NC11601] (Vincent J Berinati)

Sport 90 1931 (ATC 430) = 2pOB; 90hp Lambert R-266; length: 19'10" load: 570# (?>540#) v: 120/105/30 (?>115/95/38) range: 430 (?>375). Prototype and pattern aircraft was Roza Sport [819N]. $3,350; POP: 6 [NC10765, NC10779, NC10792, NC11601, NC13139, NC13271] c/ns (respectively) 101, 103, 102, 104, 105/106.


Franklin

Deward Franklin, Boulder City NV.

  Franklin (1937 Popular Aviation)

INFORMATION NEEDED
c.1936 = Home-built. 2pOlwM. No other data.

Frederick-Ames

Frederick-Ames Research Corp, Anaheim CA.

EOS/SFA 1978 = 1pClwM rg; 75hp Revmaster or 74hp VW 1834cc; span: 26'0" length: 16'7" load: 330# v: 200/190/57. Fred Smith. [N10AE] c/n 001.


Freedom Master

Fredom Master Corp, Merritt Island FL.

FM-2 Air Shark I 1985 = 4pCmwMAm; 200hp Lycoming IO-360-CIC; span: 32'8" length: 22'9" load: 1300# v: 205/170/63 range: 2000; ff: 4/5/85. [N202FM].


Free Spirit

Free Spirit Aircraft Co Inc, Huntington Beach CA.

RC 412D, RC 412-II 1986 = 2pClwM rg; 170hp Lycoming IO-320; span: 27'0" length: 20'6" load: 925# v: 265/224/55 range: 1690; ff: 7/x/86 [412D]. Richard Cabrina. Also [N412RC] as 412-II.


Freewing

1987: (Hugh) Schmittle Aircraft (with Odile Legeay), Annapolis MD. 1993: Freewing Aerial Robotics. 1994: Partnership with Matra Défense (France).

MK-5 1993 = 2pChwM; 65hp Rotax 582, later 100hp Mid-West Aero AE100R; span: 33'4" load: 380# v: 80/70/30 range: 130; ff: 3/22/93. Based on pivoting-wing principles originated by George A Spratt (SEE Spratt Controlwing) and perpetuated by son George G Spratt. Single wing with three-axis control system using elevons. POP: 1 [N10RF]. Initial support came from Univ of Maryland, plus $500,000 in grants, but company refocused on developing the free-wing technology in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).


Freeze

Joseph C Freeze (or Freese?), Kansas City KS.

  Freeze Monoplane Modified J-1 [NC5003]

Monoplane c.1920 = 2pOhwM conversion of Nicholas-Beazley Standard J-1 [NC2119], using its fuselage but with a Thomas-Morse wing and new tail. POP: 1 as [NC5003] c/n ?. Later 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.


Frenard

Fred N Arnoldi, Columbus OH.

  Frenard Duck [N69966]

Duck 1949 = 1pOhwMam; 50hp Continental pusher. Fred Arnoldi (former Curtiss engineer). Canard configuration. Hull was all plywood, tail was fabric over plywood structure; swept wings of fabric-covered torque-box construction. Not a true amphibian, but a quick removable tri-gear plus addition of floats allowed water operations. Cost of construction, $2,500. Built by Curtiss-Wright employees as protoype for a planned 4p version that never made it to the marketplace [N69966].


Freiberger

Ronald Freiberger, no location.

Ron's Model 1 1972 = 2pOlwM; 160hp Lycoming O-320-BIB; span: 24'6" length: 19'0" load: 665# v: 140/110/60. POP: 1 [N10RF], built for aerobatics.


Frier

John Frier, 5833 Julian St, SDt Louis MO.

Headless triplane 1911 = 1pOB; unknown engine; span: 32'0" length: 25'0". Advertised for sale for $200, less motor, in Nov 1911 Aeronautics.


Friesley

Friesley (Harold Friesleben) Aircraft Corp, Gridley CA. 1922: Ended operations in bankruptcy.

  Friesley Falcon being prepared for shipment to China (Paul Chesebrough)

Falcon 1921 = 12pCB; two 400hp Liberty 12; span: 65'3" length: 40'0" load: 3000# v: 120/90/55. Bond Spencer; ff: 4/17/21 (p: Spencer). Twin-tail empennage, dual-wheel undercarriage. Among the first commercial flights in US, from Gridley to San Francisco and Marysville. Sold to the Chinese government for $3,000 on 5/24/22, and there its path faded.


Frisbie SEE Curtiss-Frisbie


Froberg

Froberg Aeroplane Co, Richmond CA.

INFORMATION NEEDED
c.1912 = OBF; 60hp Sturtevant. No other data.

Fuller-Hammond

1934: Skycraft Industries (fdrs: George B Fuller & Wilbur A Hammond), 350 Washington Blvd, Venice CA.

  Fuller-Hammond FH-1 [NX14917] (1936 Popular Aviation)

FH-1 1935 = 2pClwM; two 45hp Szekely SR-3; span: 34'6" length: 20'6" load: 623# v: 117/100/40. This rare light twin only flew five hours [NX14917]. Reported in 2002 as undergoinmg restoration in Thomasville NC.


Fuller-Thompson

INFORMATION NEEDED
c.1927 = OB; 90hp Curtiss OX-5. Possible war surplus conversion. [1617].

Fulton

1940: (Robert E) Fulton Aircraft, Danbury CT. 1942: Fulton Aircraft Div, Flight Training Research Assn Inc, Continental Corp (military training devices). 1947: Continental Inc. 1952: Ended operations.

  Fulton FA-2 [N74104] (1951 MI Yearbook)

FA-2 Airphibian 1947 = 2pChwM; 150hp Continental E-165; v: (plane) 120/110/55 (auto): 50 range: (plane) 350 (auto): 750; ff: 11/7/46. R E Fulton Jr. Roadable hybrid, with the auto part detachable from its tail group and wings in a park-and-drive arrangement. The propeller was stored on a hub on the side of the fuselage unit, and conversion from plane to auto was claimed less than five minutes. Used Goodyear GA-2 wings. ATC issued in 1950, as the first flying car certified by CAA. POP: 3 prototypes [NX60374, NX61037, N74104]. Despite the project's success, reliable financial backing was not found.


Funk

R R Funk, Cincinnati OH.

INFORMATION NEEDED

Experimental c.1930 = 2pOhwM; LeBlond. [X818N].

Funk, Akron-Funk

1937: Akron Aircraft Co Inc (fdrs: Joseph & Howard Funk, with a business consortium), 277 Brown St, Akron OH. 1942: Funk Aircraft Co, Coffeyville KS. 1948: Ended operations.

  Funk B First prototype with Szekely [X14100] (Dan Shumaker coll)
  Funk B First prototype with Funk E [X14100] (Frank Rezich coll)
  Funk B Second prototype [NX90] (Dan Shumaker coll)

B 1939 (ATC 715, 2-547) = 2pChwM; 63hp Funk E (modified Ford B); span: 35'0" length: 20'0" load: 480# v: 112/100/40 range: 350. Pratt Jones. Prototype was built in 1937, making its appearance at the Miami Air Races, and first had 45hp Szekely [X14100]. (2-547) was for the second plane in 1937 [NX90=NC9000], ostensibly Funk's first production aircraft. $1,950; POP: see next.

B-75L 1939 (ATC 715) = 75hp Lycoming O-145; length: 21'0" load: 550# v: 115/103/40 range: 350. $2,160 in 1940; POP: see next; 1 to AAF as UC-92.

  Funk B-85C [N1655N] (Dan Shumaker)

B-85C, -85L aka Customaire 1939 (ATC 715) = 2pChwM; 85hp Continental C-85; length: 21'2" load: 480# v: 117/105/40 range: 365. B-85L with 85hp Lycoming. POP total B models: 365.

  Funk C Restoration with 115hp Lycoming O-235 [NC22694] (Carl Moore via Peter D Talbot coll)

C 1939 (ATC 2-564) = 2pChwM; 75hp Continental A-75; span: 35'0" length: 20'0".

F-2B 1946 (ATC 715) = Post-war version of B-85C; span: 35'0" length: 20'2" v: 117/105/40 range: 365. $3,695 with starter, generator, battery, lights and radio. Coffeyville operation shows 232 aircraft as its portion of the total Funk production, which sounds unrealistic and might include aircraft from previous records.

UC-92 1942 = AAF use of B-85L. POP: 1 [42-79549].


Funk

1950: Don D Funk Aviation Co, Broken Arrow OK. 1960: Salina KS. 1970: Rights sold to Cosmic Aircraft Corp, Norman OK.

F-23 1964 = 1pClwM; 240hp Continental W-670; v: 110/x/60. Ag plane based on surplus PT-19 fuselage. Hopper load: 200 gal. POP: 1 [N55076]; other production unknown, reported as many as 12. ALSO SEE Cosmic (OK).


"A good landing is any one you can walk away from. A very good landing is when you can still get the door open. A great landing is when you can use the airplane another time." — Anonymous