Fleetwings

Fleetwings, later Kaiser-Fleetwings, was an American aircraft company of the 1930s and 1940s.

History

Fleetwings started in 1926 (under a different name) as a business based on a patented mechanical timing device, which proved particularly suited to controlling automated welding equipment. After developing the additional capacity to offer welding services, it pursued research and technology specifically related to the welding of stainless steel. In 1929, the company reorganized as Fleetwings, Inc., in Garden City, New York, to develop stainless-steel aircraft structures.

The company progressed to manufacturing components for other aircraft manufacturers, including ribs and control surfaces for the Ireland "Privateer" amphibian, and ribs, flaps and tail surfaces for

Roosevelt Field, Long Island. In 1934, it purchased the former Keystone Aircraft facility on the Delaware River in Bristol, Pennsylvania

, and moved its operations there. The corporate structure of Fleetwings, Inc., was dominated by the de Ganahl family. In the mid-1930s, its board of directors included Carl de Ganahl, Charles F. de Ganahl, Chloe de Ganahl, Joe de Ganahl and Frank de Ganahl. During the company's history, Carl, Cecil and Frank de Ganahl each served as President at various times.

The company became Kaiser-Fleetwings in when it was purchased in March, 1943, by

Douglas AD-1 Skyraider and the Martin AM Mauler

.

By 1951, it was being suggested that aviation operations at the company had ceased.

Echo 1 balloon satellite at its Bristol factory.^[3] The plant was closed in 1962 and demolished, to make way for housing development.^[4]

Aircraft

Model name	First flight	Number built	Type
Fleetwings 33	1940	1	Single engine monoplane trainer
Fleetwings Sea Bird	1936	6	Single engine monoplane flying boat utility airplane
Fleetwings BT-12 Sophomore	1939	25	Single engine monoplane trainer
Fleetwings PQ-12		9	Single engine monoplane aerial target
Fleetwings BQ-1	1944	1	Flying bomb
Fleetwings BQ-2	1943	1	Flying bomb
Kaiser-Fleetwings A-39	N/A	0	Unbuilt single engine monoplane attack airplane
Kaiser-Fleetwings BTK	1945	5	Single engine monoplane torpedo bomber

References

Notes

^ "[Advertisement]". Aviation Week. Vol. 56, no. 2. 14 January 1952. p. 34. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
^ Wood, Robert H. (8 January 1951). "Editorial". Aviation Week. Vol. 54, no. 2. p. 62. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
^ Missiles and Rockets, Aug 22, 1960, p 15.
^ Harold Mitchener, The History of Bristol, bristolhistory.homestead.com

Bibliography

Gunston, Bill (2005). World Encyclopedia of Aircraft Manufacturers, 2nd Edition. Phoenix Mill, Gloucestershire, England, UK: Sutton Publishing Limited. p. 167.
ISBN 0-7509-3981-8
.

External links

XBQ-1 and XBQ-2

[1] "[Advertisement]". Aviation Week. Vol. 56, no. 2. 14 January 1952. p. 34. Retrieved 10 August 2021.

[2] Wood, Robert H. (8 January 1951). "Editorial". Aviation Week. Vol. 54, no. 2. p. 62. Retrieved 10 August 2021.

[Echo-3] Missiles and Rockets, Aug 22, 1960, p 15.

[4] Harold Mitchener, The History of Bristol, bristolhistory.homestead.com

[3]

[4]

v t e Fleetwings and Kaiser-Fleetwings aircraft
Fleetwings	33 A-1 BT-12 BQ-1 BQ-2 PQ-12 Sea Bird
Kaiser-Fleetwings	A-39 BQ-2 BTK FK