Category: Civil Aviation

Inland Aviation

Webp.net-resizeimage (13)

Inland Aviation of Kansas was only around a few years, but they built some excellent aircraft such as the Inland Sport seen here.  One of its principal features was side-by-side seating.  You knew the modern age had arrived when whatever it was you invented for transporting people from one place to another gained the ability for two of those people to sit side-by-side.  Apparently, sitting next to your sweetie also keeps one’s hair in place — even when you’re going so fast blurry lines indicating speed are emanating from your windscreen.

Hell’s Angels and the Sikorsky S-29-A

sik s29sik s29 asik s-29

When the movie “Hell’s Angels” hit the screen, audiences got to see a host of authentic WW1 aircraft.  This isn’t one of them.  It is the post-war (and one-off) Sikorsky S-29 done up like a German Gotha bomber.  Eh, close enough.  This was not the aircraft’s first “acting” job. In its pre-Hollywood days, the S-29 had been fitted out as a bomber in the hopes of attracting the attention of the Air Corps. It did nothing of the sort.

In fact, the S-29 never had much luck finding its niche, this despite the aircraft’s solid performance. The first twin-engine aircraft able to maintain altitude on one motor, this power was also utilized to haul baby grand pianos. (I dunno, was that also a first?). The list goes on (first plane to operate as a flying radio station, etc.). But, it never met with success in its intended role of a passenger plane.  Sold off by Sikorsky, it continued to perform a variety of roles (flying cigar store – maybe another first?) before ending up in Hollywood.

Unfortunately, the aircraft came apart during the filming of Hell’s Angels, the pilot parachuting to safety.

The legendary “Planemobile”

scan0275 - Copyscan0275 - Copy - Copyscan0276 - Copy

The post-war brainchild of Daniel Zuck and partner Stanley Whitaker, the Planemobile was what Zuck envisioned as part of a future world with “an airplane in every garage”. This would lead to less congestion on the road and shorter commute times. There was an additional benefit: Given that this was the Cold War era, Zuck foresaw his Planemobile’s mobility as a means to disperse the population thus making it less likely they would be vaporized in a nuclear attack. That, is one of the most unique sales pitches in both aviation and automobile advertising history.

The really great news is that this historic aircraft is now restored and on display at the Mid Atlantic Air Museum in Reading, PA. I have visited that fine museum a few times and if you have not gone, go.

 J.A. Morrell’s “airship”

ja morrell airship - Copyja morrell airship

So, one minute you’re up in the air gaily waving to all your earthbound friends, the next, you’re peeing your pants. J.A. Morrell’s “airship” had a very brief flying career at Berkeley California on a day in May, 1908. According to one of the passengers, “we came down hard enough to realize we had reached solid earth again.” The good news: no one was killed, and, the passengers did have a good story to tell for the rest of their lives. Gee, it looked safe enough…

Taylor Aerocar

img383 - Copyimg383 - Copyimg384 - Copy

Everyone seems distracted by the F-102 cranking up in the background, but heck, who wouldn’t want to go for a spin in that Taylor Aerocar? I’m happy to say, this planeautomobile, N101D, is still extant, and in flying/driving condition. These days, the lack of air bags, bumpers, emission controls, etc. etc. etc. would doom the Aerocar from being deemed “safe” for highway travel. Well, who cares – I want one.

l…..cares – I wan