Aeronca Aircraft: Difference between revisions
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Aeronca ceased light aircraft production in 1951, and in 1954 sold the Champion design to the new [[Champion Aircraft (Wisconsin)|Champion Aircraft Corporation]], which continued building variants of the Champion as well as the derivative design, the [[Citabria]]. Aeronca now builds components for aerospace companies including [[Boeing]], [[Northrop]], [[Lockheed]], and [[Airbus]]. |
Aeronca ceased light aircraft production in 1951, and in 1954 sold the Champion design to the new [[Champion Aircraft (Wisconsin)|Champion Aircraft Corporation]], which continued building variants of the Champion as well as the derivative design, the [[Citabria]]. Aeronca now builds components for aerospace companies including [[Boeing]], [[Northrop]], [[Lockheed]], and [[Airbus]]. |
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== Aircraft == |
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* [[Aeronca C-2]] |
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* [[Aeronca C-3]] |
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* [[Aeronca K]] |
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== C-2 - "The Flying Bathtub"== |
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* [[Aeronca L]] |
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Powered by a tiny two-cylinder engine, the [[Aeronca C-2]] debuted in [[1929 in aviation|1929]]. It was flying at its most basic—the pilot sat on a bare plywood board. Originally known as the Roche Original after its designer [[Jean A. Roche]] (who sold the design rights to Aeronca), the C-2 featured an unusual, almost frivolous design with an open-pod fuselage that inspired its nickname, “The Flying Bathtub.” |
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* [[Aeronca Defender]] |
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Equipped with only five instruments, a stick, and rudder pedals (brakes and a heater cost extra), the C-2 was priced at a low $1,495, bringing the cost of flying down to a level that a private citizen could aspire to and perhaps reach. Aeronca sold 164 of the economical C-2s at the height of the Great Depression in 1930-1931, helping to spark the growth of private aviation in the United States. |
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* [[Aeronca TG-5]] |
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* [[Aeronca L-3]] |
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The Aeronca C-2 also holds the distinction of being the first aircraft to be refueled from a moving automobile. A can of gasoline was handed up from a speeding Austin automobile to a C-2 pilot (who hooked it with a wooden cane) during a 1930 air show in California. A seaplane version of the C-2 was also offered, designated the PC-2 and PC-3 (“P” for pontoon) with floats replacing the wheeled landing gear. |
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* [[Aeronca Champion]] |
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* [[Aeronca Chief]] |
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* [[Aeronca Arrow]] |
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== C-3 and 100 == |
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The more powerful [[Aeronca C-3]] was introduced in 1931, featuring room for a passenger seated next to the pilot. Powered by a new 36-horsepower (27-kilowatt) Aeronca E-113 engine, the seating configuration made flight training much easier and many Aeronca owners often took to the skies with only five hours of instruction—largely because of the C-3's predictable flying characteristics. Both the C-2 and C-3 are often described as “powered gliders” because of their gliding ability and gentle landing speeds—it was almost impossible to make a hard landing with an Aeronca because the pilot could easily see his wheels approach the runway. |
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The C-3's distinctive razorback design was drastically altered in 1935 with the appearance of the “roundback” C-3 Master. Retaining the tubular fuselage frame construction, the C-3 Master featured a smaller vertical stabilizer and rudder with a “filled out” fuselage shape that created the new “roundback” appearance and improved the airflow over the tail. With an enclosed cabin (brakes and wing light still cost extra), the 1935 C-3 Master was priced at only $1,890—just a few hundred dollars more than the primitive C-2 of 1929. The low price generated significant sales; 128 C-3 Masters were built in 1935 alone and the 500th Aeronca aircraft also rolled off the assembly line that same year. |
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A version of the C-3 with fabric-covered ailerons (instead of metal), designated the Aeronca 100, was built in England under license by Light Aircraft Ltd. (operating as Aeronautical Corporation of Great Britain Ltd.) but the expected sales never materialized—only 24 Aeronca 100s were manufactured before production was halted. |
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Production of the C-3 was halted in 1937 when the aircraft no longer met new U.S. government standards for airworthiness. Many of the C-3's peculiarities—external wire braces, extensive fabric construction, single-ignition engine, and lack of an airspeed indicator—were no longer permitted. Fortunately for the legion of Aeronca owners, a “grandfather” clause in the federal regulations allowed their airplanes to continue flying, although they could no longer be manufactured. |
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== Model L and Model K Scout == |
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Aeronca developed a low-wing aircraft in 1935, the Model L (produced with two different engines) with side-by-side seating and a completely enclosed cabin, but the true successor to the popular C-2/C-3 line was the [[Aeronca Scout|Aeronca Model K Scout]], first introduced in 1937. Powered by a dual-ignition Aeronca E-113C engine, the Model K Scout brought the Aeronca design up to modern aviation standards. Eliminating the Aeronca's traditional “bathtub” appearance, the Scout featured a strut-braced wing with a fully enclosed cockpit seating two side-by-side. A total of 357 Aeronca Model K Scouts were built. |
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Consumer demand for more comfort, longer range and better instrumentation resulted in the development of the [[Aeronca Chief|Aeronca Model 40 Chief]] in 1938, powered by a 50-horsepower (37-kilowatt) Continental, Franklin or Lycoming engine. A 65-horsepower (48-kilowatt) Continental engine powered the Model 65 Super Chief, which was also built in a flight trainer version, the Model TC-65 Defender, with its rear seat positioned nine inches (23 centimeters) higher than the front for better visibility. |
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== TC-65 Defender and O-58 Grasshopper == |
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Aeronautical Corporation of America formally changed its name to Aeronca Aircraft Corporation in 1941, and the onset of World War II ushered in a new era for Aeronca aircraft. Production of the [[Aeronca Defender|TC-65 Defender]] was increased for use by the U.S. government's new Civilian Pilot Training (CPT) program, created to train new pilots for possible wartime service. |
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The high-wing TC-65 Defender was soon pressed into wartime duty as Aeronca's version of the U.S. Army's “liaison” aircraft, designed to operate from small, primitive airfields. Sporting a wider fuselage, larger windows, and military instrumentation, the aircraft was designated by the Army as the O-58 and is often referred to by the liaison aircraft's generic nickname of “Grasshopper.” |
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== TG-5 == |
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In 1942, Aeronca developed a three-seat training glider, the [[Aeronca TG-5|TG-5]], based upon the O-58 design. This aircraft retained the O-58's rear fuselage, wings, and tail while adding a front fuselage in place of the engine. In all, Aeronca built 250 TG-5 gliders for the Army. |
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== O-58 and L-3 == |
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The O-58 was later redesigned for the Army and designated as the L-3. More than 1,400 Aeronca O-58 and L-3 Grasshoppers saw service in all theaters of the war. Aeronca also built the PT-19 and PT-23 trainer aircraft under license for the aircraft firm Fairchild during the war. |
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[[image:aeronca.7ac.champion.kemble.arp.jpg|thumb|right|1946 Aeronca 7AC Champion at takeoff]] |
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==Aeronca's most popular model - the 7AC Champion == |
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After war's end, Aeronca resumed production of its three most popular models, the Chief, Super Chief and the Defender, and introduced a new model in 1945, the [[Aeronca Champion|Model 7AC Champion]]. Certified on October 18, 1945, the “Champ” became Aeronca's most popular aircraft. |
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The Champion was a tandem two-seater trainer that incorporated components (wings, landing gear, tail, and 65-horsepower (48-kilowatt) Continental engine) from the existing Chief line, reducing manufacturing costs. Selling for $2,095, the Champ outsold the Chief by an 8 to 1 margin. Engine upgrades in 1948 and 1949 resulted in the Models 7DC and 7EC. Between 1945 and 1950, Aeronca was producing 50 light aircraft per day and by the time production ended in 1951, the company had sold more than 10,000 Champions. |
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{| align=right |
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|[[Image:aeronca.7AC.champion.arp.jpg|thumb|right|Aeronca L-16]] |
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|[[Image:aeronca.15AC.sedan.arp.jpg|thumb|right|1948 Aeronca 15AC Sedan landing]] |
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|[[Image:Grandads' Ariplane.jpg|thumb|right|Aeronca 15AC Sedan]] |
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== The Post War Chief, the 11AC/11BC/11CC == |
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The brother to the Champ, the 11 series Chief is an offshoot of the earlier pre-war Chief, but totally different in many areas, most notably the wing and fuselage. There are very few parts in common with the pre-war airplanes. As was noted above, about 80% of the parts on the Chief are interchangeable with the Champ. Wings, landing gear, tail feathers, entire firewall forward and so on are shared components. |
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The 11AC was certificated on 28 Sept, 1945 under TCDS A-761. First engine was the A-65 Continental, but the 11BC, which arrived on 26 August 1947 came standard with the C-85, an 85 horsepower Continental that greatly improved its takeoff and climb performance. The 11CC arrived on 10 May 1948, and brought with it toe brakes (previous models had heel brakes), balanced control surfaces and a higher gross weight. Other than that it was pretty much the same airplane. |
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== Arrow and L-16 == |
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The [[Aeronca Arrow|Arrow]], an experimental low-wing cabin monoplane with retractable landing gear, was unveiled in 1947 but never went into full production. Another U.S. Army liaison aircraft, the [[Aeronca L-16|L-16]], was developed and saw extensive service during the Korean War. |
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== Model 15 Sedan == |
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The four-seat [[Aeronca Sedan|Model 15 Sedan]], also introduced in 1947, proved to be a popular addition to the Aeronca product line. The Sedan featured all-metal wings but retained the traditional tube and fabric construction techniques of all Aeronca aircraft. It also became quite successful as a floatplane. Ultimately, 561 Model 15 Sedans were built. It was the last aircraft manufactured by Aeronca. |
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== Aeronca ceases production == |
== Aeronca ceases production == |
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Revision as of 08:10, 20 March 2007
| Company type | Parent Magellan Aerospace | |
|---|---|---|
| Website | aeroncainc.com |
Aeronca, located in
defense industry. In the 1930s and 1940s, the company was a major producer of general aviation aircraft
.
History
The Aeronca Aircraft Corporation was founded
Cincinnati, Ohio. Backed by the financial and political support of the prominent Taft family—future Ohio senator Robert A. Taft was one of the firm's directors—Aeronca became the first company to build a commercially successful general aviation aircraft, and by the time production ended in 1951
Aeronca had sold 17,408 aircraft in 55 models.
Production began with the
Super Chief
the next year.
In 1937 there was a massive flood at the Lunken Airport, resulting in the entire airport area being washed away. Water was almost as deep as the control tower. Aeronca's factory was destroyed, along with the tooling and almost all of the very early blueprints and drawings. At this time a decision was made to move the entire operation to a more stable area. Middletown Ohio was chosen and the company has remained there ever since. All of the airplanes produced from the start of production in 1929 to 1937 are known as the "Lunken" Aeronca's and the airplanes produced after spring 1937 are known as the "Middletown" Aeronca's.
The
O-58
.
In
11AC Chief
. While the Champ shared its tandem seating arrangement with the pre-war tandem trainer and the Chief shared its name with the pre-war Chief designs, both were new designs. A benefit of the concurrent development was that the new airplanes had about 80% of their parts in common. Between the designs, the Champ was favored by the public, evidenced by its outselling its sibling at a rate of 4 to 1. Between 1945 and 1951, nearly 8,000 Champions were sold; over the same period, something over 2,000 Chiefs.
Aeronca ceased light aircraft production in 1951, and in 1954 sold the Champion design to the new
Citabria. Aeronca now builds components for aerospace companies including Boeing, Northrop, Lockheed, and Airbus
.
Aircraft
- Aeronca C-2
- Aeronca C-3
- Aeronca K
- Aeronca L
- Aeronca 65 Super Chief
- Aeronca Defender
- Aeronca TG-5
- Aeronca L-3
- Aeronca Champion
- Aeronca Chief
- Aeronca Arrow
Aeronca ceases production
Aeronca ceased producing light aircraft in March 1951, selling the rights for the Champion design to the Champion Aircraft Company of Osceola, Wisconsin. In its 23-year history, Aeronca manufactured 17,408 aircraft spanning 55 different models but the company will be forever best known as the creator of “The Flying Bathtub.”
External links
- National Aeronca Association, associated with the factory.
- Fearless Aeronca Aviators
- aeronca.com, run by Todd Trainor, supporting various models of the aircraft
- Aeronca Aviators Club
- Aeronca Club of Great Britain
- [1] Aeronca Club of Germany]
See also
- ERCO Ercoupe
- Luscombe
- Piper Cub
- Taylorcraft B
Museum Displays
- 1936 Aeronca C3 Master
- 1937 Aeronca Model "K"
References
- "Aeronautical Corporation of America (Aeronca)" by Roger Guillemette, US Centennial of Flight Commission, retrieved January 20, 2006