Buhl Airsedan

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Airsedan
Ontario Provincial Air Service (OPAS)
Servicio Aéreo Panini
Number built62+ (20 x CA-3, 14 x CA-5, 23 x CA-6, 5 x CA-8)
History
Manufactured1927-1937
Introduction date1927
First flight1927
Etienne Dormoy with Buhl CA-8
Unmarked CA-5 Airsedan prototype

The Buhl AirSedan was a family of American civil cabin

sesquiplane aircraft developed and manufactured by the Buhl Aircraft Company in the late 1920s. One example completed the first transcontinental non-stop roundtrip flight, made in 1929 by the CA-6 Spokane Sun-God,[2] and the first Pope to have flown did so in a Buhl Airsedan.[3]

Design and development

The Airsedan series were designed by

Breguet 26T airliner, but rare in the US.[4]

The fuselage framework, lower wing and empennage were welded chromium-molybdenum alloy steel tubes faired with wooden battens, with the lower wing integral with the fuselage structure.[5] The upper wings were built around spruce spars, with built up ribs made from spruce and plywood. The entire airframe was covered with doped aircraft-grade fabric.[5] To reduce control forces, projecting aerodynamic balance horns on rudder and elevators, while inset aerodynamic horns were used on the ailerons, which were fitted to the upper wing only.[5] To provide trim control, the rudder was ground adjustable while the elevators could be adjustable in flight.[5] Depending on the models, three different designs of lower wings were used - either constant chord with reversed N struts on the CA-5, a triangular wing with a vee strut on the CA-3, CA-6 and CA-8, or a constant chord wing with two rigged struts, on Canadian built CA-6Ms. All were conventional

sesquiplanes with fully enclosed cockpits
, fitted with dual controls in front of a passenger cabin. The number in the designation generally referred to the number of occupants as originally designed, with a larger number of seats corresponding to a larger airframe. The first variant built was the CA-5, while later variants had a much slimmer fuselage, a greatly improved windscreen design and a modified cockpit. The CA-5 had the undercarriage legs connected to the fuselage, and part way out from the fuselage, on the lower wing. The CA-3 had the undercarriage mounted solely to the fuselage, while the CA-6 and CA-8 had additional bracing struts from the top of the fuselage to the lower wing which allowed the undercarriage track to be widened. Buhl asserted that its undercarriage design reduced camber changes during landing, and the tendency to yaw due to bumpy ground. The CA-6 was certified to use Edo J-5300 floats.[6]

Canadian production

Canadian-built Buhl CA-6M Airsedan with enlarged lower wings.

After Buhl had ceased operations in 1932 due to declining sales as the

Pratt & Whitney Wasp
engine.

Operational history

The Angelino Junior after winning the 1929 Oakland-Cleveland race
The Angeleno (L) being refueled in flight from a Curtiss Carrier Pigeon
CA-6 Air Sedan Spokane Sun God after non-stop round trip crossing of the United States

A CA-5 Airsedan NC2915, dubbed Miss Doran, and flown by Auggie Pedlar with V. P. Knope navigating, was one of the entrants in the disastrous August 1927 Dole Air Race and like many competitors, was lost at sea.[1][5] Two other aviators lost their lives in a Swallow monoplane while searching for them.[5]

A CA-3C Sport Airsedan NC7448, named Angelino Jr was piloted by

Oakland-Cleveland Air Derby during the 1929 National Air Races.[1]

The Angeleno, CA-5A NR3763, also flown by Loren Mendell, along with R.B. Reinhart, set an endurance record of 246 hours, 43 minutes and 2 seconds on July 12, 1929, using

inflight refuelling.[8] They had just barely beaten the previous record when trash tossed from the aircraft jammed the tail and ended their run - and worse, their record would be bested within two weeks with a Curtiss Robin.[9]

Another Airsedan, a CA-6 Special NC9628 named Spokane Sun God made the first nonstop round-trip crossing the United States by air.[10][11] Nick Mamer and Art Walker flew from Spokane, Washington, to New York City and back beginning on August 15, 1929, taking 120 hours (five days) for the trip, using inflight refueling.[2] They covered 7,200 miles (11,600 km) and made eleven fuel transfers.[12][13][14][15][16] That was not Mamer's only connection to the Airsedans, as his airlines operated five examples in addition to the record breaking aircraft.

After having served as a technology demonstrator for

Wright J-6 Whirlwind and exported to Argentina for use by Aeroposta Argentina in 1931. In 1934 it made a flight over Buenos Aires with Cardinal Monsignor Pacelli, shortly before he was elected as Pope Pius XII, becoming the first Pope to have made a flight in an aircraft.[3]

After a career spent seeking out forest fires in the northern

Curtiss HS-2L and Canadian Vickers Vedette. If this sounds laborious, aircraft replaced the canoes
which had been used previously.

After passing through a number of owners and undergoing unspecified modifications ostensibly for movie photography, CA-6 NC9629 was seized on 9 May 1933 while smuggling 170 US gal (660 L) of alcohol from Mexico during Prohibition near Fallbrook, California, by the American Immigration and Naturalization Service while the alcohol was being transferred to a waiting Marmon coupe.[17] Prohibition would end later that same year.

Lineas Aereas del Balsas imported one CA-6 which was based out of

Ciudad Altamirano to Coyuca de Catalán, a distance of about 1 km (0.62 mi), which he covered in a mere two minutes of flight time, and for which he charged 8 pesos per person.[19] This was sufficiently successful that he bought three additional Buhls, and eventually expanded into a major airline.[19]

During the 1929 Escobar Rebellion when the Mexican government faced a large scale mutiny led by General José Gonzalo Escobar against the office of President going to a civilian, one of these Buhls was operated by the Fuerza Aérea Mexicana as a light utility transport with standard military red-white-green triangle markings.[20] It is likely the sole example to have seen military service.

Variants

Packard DR-980 demonstrator CA-3E NC8451 in flight
CA-5A N1451 was operated by Mamer Flying Service
Buhl CA-8 Senior Airsedan with airliner seat parachute advertising
  • CA-3 Airsedan (1928) - 36 ft 0 in (10.97 m)
    wing span three-seater powered by a 225 hp (168 kW) Wright J-5 Whirlwind radial
  • CA-5 Airsedan (1927, ATC 12) - 42 ft 0 in (12.80 m) wing span five-seater powered by a 225 hp (168 kW) Wright J-5 Whirlwind[5]
    • CA-5A Airsedan (ATC 33) - Deluxe version powered with a 225 hp (168 kW) Wright J-5 Whirlwind[8]
  • CA-6 Standard Airsedan (1929, ATC 128, 2-51) - 40 ft 0 in (12.19 m) wing span six-seater powered by a 300 hp (220 kW) Wright J-6 Whirlwind[12]
    • CA-6 Special - 300 hp (220 kW) Wright J-6 Whirlwind Spokane Sun God endurance aircraft
    • CA-6A Airsedan - 420 hp (310 kW) Pratt & Whitney Wasp
    • CA-6B Airsedan (ATC 2-225) - 450 hp (340 kW) Pratt & Whitney Wasp
    • CA-6D Special - 2 converted from CA-3D as six seaters
    • CA-6J Airsedan (ATC 2-336) - 300 hp (220 kW) Pratt & Whitney Wasp five seater (1 converted from CA-6)
    • CA-6M Airsedan - 440 hp (330 kW) Pratt & Whitney Wasp powered Canadian-built CA-6 with local modifications. 4 built.[7][23]
    • CA-6W Airsedan (ATC 2-133) - 420 hp (310 kW) Pratt & Whitney Wasp four seater (1 converted from CA-6)
  • CA-8 Senior Airsedan (1929 ATC 2-46) - 48 ft 0 in (14.63 m) wing span eight-seater powered by a 450 hp (340 kW) Pratt & Whitney Wasp C

Operators

CA-6 CF-AAY operated by Cherry Red Airline
CA-6B NC8449 operated by Central Airlines
 Argentina
 Canada
 Mexico
 United States

Survivors and aircraft on display

First CA-3 built, NC5860 in 2012
  • NC5860: The first CA-3C was built in June 1928, and was raced in the 1928 National Air Tour with Buhl markings. It underwent a major restoration that was completed in 2011.[32]
  • NC5861: The prototype CA-3, having been converted to a CA-3C, was bought back by the Buhl family in 2007 and restored to flying condition in 2012.[33]
  • NC8451: A Packard DR-980 diesel powered CA-3 currently owned by the Golden Wings Museum in Blaine, Minnesota, after having been restored from derelict condition as found in Argentina. This was the aircraft in which the first flight made by a Pope, Pius XII.[3] Although painted as it was when it was a CA-3E, it is fitted with the Wright J-6 engine which it had when it was a CA-3D.
  • CF-OAR and CF-OAT: The unrestored remains from two OPAS Buhl CA-6Ms are on display as found, at the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.[7]

Specifications (CA-6 ATC# 128)

Buhl CA-6 Airsedan 3-view drawing
Buhl CA-5 Airsedan 3-view drawing

Data from Juptner, 1964, p.82

General characteristics

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 140 mph (230 km/h, 120 kn)
  • Cruise speed: 120 mph (190 km/h, 100 kn)
  • Minimum control speed: 45 mph (72 km/h, 39 kn)
  • Range: 720 mi (1,160 km, 630 nmi)
  • Service ceiling: 17,000 ft (5,200 m)
  • Rate of climb: 900 ft/min (4.6 m/s) in first minute

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists

References

Citations

  1. ^ a b c Eckland, K. O. (13 October 2008). "Buhl, Buhl-Verville". Aerofiles.com. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  2. ^ a b Meister Jr., Richard L. (February 2000). "The Flight of the Buhl Airsedan Spokane Sun-God". Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d Various (1 December 2015). "1929 Buhl Sport Airsedan". www.goldenwingsmuseum.com. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  4. ^ a b Bleneau, Les berlines Buhl (Première partie), p.2-3
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Juptner, 1962, p.44-45
  6. ^ Anderson, 1990, p.20
  7. ^ a b c d Various (2011–2018). "Government Of Ontario Buhl Air Sedan". www.bushplane.com. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  8. ^ a b Juptner, 1962, p.96-97
  9. ^ Parks, 2015, p.25
  10. ^ "Spokane Sun-God flight all set". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). August 15, 1929. p. 1.
  11. ^ "Sun-God ready to soar". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). August 15, 1929. p. 1.
  12. ^ a b Juptner, 1964, p.81-84
  13. ^ "Sun God is ordered to land". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). August 20, 1929. p. 1.
  14. ^ "10,000 citizens cheer daring Sun-God aviators' return to Spokane". Spokesman-Review. (Seattle, Washington). August 21, 1929. p. 1.
  15. ^ "Sun God aviators appear in parade". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). August 21, 1929. p. 1.
  16. ^ "Fliers span continent twice on non-stop hop". Reading Eagle. (Pennsylvania). Associated Press. August 21, 1929. p. 1.
  17. ^ Bleneau, Les berlines Buhl (Seconde et dernière partie), p.3
  18. ^ Davies, 1984, p.40
  19. ^ a b c d Davies, 1984, pp.31-32
  20. ^ a b Hagedorn, 2006, p.37
  21. ^ Juptner, 1962, p.123-124
  22. ^ Juptner, 1964, p.179-181
  23. ^ a b Pentland, Civil Aircraft Register - Canada (CF-), p.5
  24. ^ Juptner, 1962, p.241-242
  25. ^ Juptner, 1962, p.243-244
  26. ^ Pentland, Civil Aircraft Register - Canada (CF-), p.3
  27. ^ a b Pentland, Civil Aircraft Register - Canada (CF-), p.1
  28. ^ Pentland, Civil Aircraft Register - Canada (G-C) p.1
  29. ^ a b Pentland, Civil Aircraft Register - Mexico, p.1
  30. ^ Pentland, Civil Aircraft Register - US, p.4
  31. ^ Pentland, Civil Aircraft Register - US, p.18
  32. ^ Hyatt, Gary (7 February 2018). "BUHL SPORT AIR SEDAN NC5860". dmairfield.org. Naples, Florida: Delta Mike Airfield.
  33. ^ "A Rare chance to see a Rare Buhl". Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  34. ^ Lednicer, David (15 September 2010). "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". m-selig.ae.illinois.edu. Retrieved 16 April 2019.

Bibliography

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Buhl Airsedan.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Buhl_Airsedan&oldid=1261857144"