| Aerocar | |
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HW100 - 45000
UAW55 - 105000 RRW100 - 175000 PKRR - 7500 |
Aerocar International Aerocar International Industry - Automobile Products - flying automobiles Aerocar International was a roadable aircraft manufacturer, founded by Moulton Taylor in Longview, Washington. Work continued until the late 1960s, when changing legislation made Taylor's designs impractical. Aircraft Aerocar I (1949) - Single-engine two-seat roadable aircraft. 135 hp (101 kW) aircraft engine. Aerocar Aero-Plane (1964) - Aircraft-only derivative of Aerocar I. 143 hp (107 kW) aircraft engine. Aerocar III - Reworked fuselage derivative of Aerocar I. 143 hp (107 kW) aircraft engine. One produced. Aerocar Coot (1969) - Single-engine two-seat floatplane with pusher propeller. Aerocar IMP - Single-engine four-seat pusher aircraft. Aerocar Mini-IMP - Single-engine single-seat smaller version of IMP. Aerocar Bullet - Single-engine two-seat version of IMP. Aerocar Micro-IMP (1981) - Single-engine single-seat smaller version of Mini-IMP. Aerocar Ultra-IMP (1987) - Development of Micro-IMP with ultralight aircraft engine. One produced. Aerocar Aerocar Role - roadable aircraft Manufacturer - Aerocar International Designer - Moulton Taylor First flight - 1949 Number built - 6 Aerocar International's Aerocar (often called the Taylor Aerocar) was an American roadable aircraft designed and built by Moulton Taylor in Longview, Washington in 1949. Although six examples were made, it never entered large-scale production. It is considered one of the first practical flying cars. Design and development Taylor began designing a roadable aircraft in 1946. During a trip to Delaware, he met inventor Robert E. Fulton, Jr., who had designed an earlier roadable airplane, the Airphibian, with detachable wings. Taylor's prototype, the Aerocar, utilized folding wings that allowed the road vehicle to be converted into flight mode in five minutes by one person. When the rear license plate was flipped up, the operator could connect the propeller shaft and attach a pusher propeller. The same engine drove the front wheels through a three-speed manual transmission. When operated as an aircraft, the road transmission was left in neutral (though backing up during taxiing was possible by the using the reverse gear). On the road, the wings and tail unit were towed behind the vehicle. Taylor also put the propeller on the back of the car so it did not have to be removed when the Aerocar went on the road. Aerocars could drive up to 60 miles per hour and had a top airspeed of 110 miles per hour. An early-1950s "Industry on Parade" film shows Taylor driving and piloting his Aerocar, as well as footage of manufacture. Testing and certification The Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) granted the Aerocar civil certification in 1956, and Taylor reached a deal with Ling-Temco-Vought for serial production provided he could obtain 500 orders. When he was able to obtain only half that number, production plans ended. Only six examples were built. One is still flying as of 2008, and Taylor rebuilt another into the only Aerocar III. In 2013 the Disney film Planes honored Aerocar with a character based on it - Franz, aka Fliegenhosen. Produced examples There are four Aerocar I's, one Aerocar II, and one Aerocar I that was rebuilt as Aerocar III. N4994P N4994P (1949, originally N31214) is yellow with silver wings. It was the very first Aerocar and is on display at the EAA AirVenture Museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. It is maintained in flying condition but is not flown. N101D N101D (1954) is owned by Greg Herrick's Yellowstone Aviation Inc. It is maintained in flying condition and is on display at the Golden Wings Flying Museum located on the south west side of the Anoka County-Blaine Airport in Minneapolis. This aircraft is featured flying overhead on the cover on the book "A Drive In the Clouds" by Jake Schultz. In December 2011, N101D was being offered for sale at an asking price of USD1.25 million. N102D N102D (1960) is yellow and green. The last Aerocar built and the only one still flying, it is owned by Ed Sweeney and is on display at the Kissimmee Air Museum located at the Kissimmee Gateway Airport in Kissimmee, Florida. N102D was the only Aerocar built with the larger O-360 Lycoming powerplant giving it much better performance. It is the only road legal and driven Aerocar left. It is currently flown by the owner's son Sean Sweeney. It was previously owned by actor Bob Cummings, who used it in his TV sitcom The New Bob Cummings Show. It also appeared on the TV show James May's Big Ideas on BBC2, aired in September 2008. Inspired by this vehicle, Ed Sweeney is currently developing the Aerocar 2000 via his Aerocar firm. N103D N103D (1956) has been repainted to red/black with red wings. It has been owned by Carl Felling and Marilyn Stine of Grand Junction, Colorado since 1981. It once flew Fidel Castro's brother, Raúl Castro in Cuba. It hit a horse on the runway and damaged the aircraft. From 1961 to 1963 the Aerocar was operated under contract between Star Stations (Don Burden) and Wik's Air Service, Inc. It was used as a traffic-watch (AIRWATCH) aircraft for KISN (910AM) radio station in Portland, Oregon where it was flown by "Scotty Wright" (Scotty Wright was the alias used by the acting pilot of the Aerocar during traffic-watch transmissions). Several pilots provided the AIRWATCH service beginning with World War II veteran pilot Guilford Wikander, President of Wik's Air Service, Inc. Guilford was followed in order by his sister Ruth Wikander, W. John Jacob, Wayne Nutsch and Alan Maris. Scotty Wright reports Nutsch having 350 flying hours in N103D performing AIRWATCH duty. Traffic reporting was from 7:00 AM-8:30 AM and 4:30 PM-6:00 PM. During the Aerocar's AIRWATCH missions, it was painted white with red hearts and had the letters KISN on the top and bottom of the wings. The aircraft was equipped with an emergency police/fire receiver for use in reporting emergency events on KISN radio stations broadcast. When flown for KISN it was based at Wik's Air Service, Hillsboro Airport (HIO), Hillsboro Oregon. On one of its more eventful flights for KISN it survived the Columbus Day Storm of 1962 without damage after its evening traffic reporting flight. W. John Jacob was piloting the aircraft at that particular time and should be credited with the successful landing during extreme wind conditions (perhaps more than 100 mph), but Ruth Wikander, who was in the aircraft to assist him, received the acclaim. Ruth Wikander was an active member of the 99's, the International Organization of Women Pilots. In 1962 Ruth Wikander drove the Aerocar as an automobile while trailering the wings in the annual Portland Rose Festival parade. The Aerocar was an integral part of KISN Radio along with photos of famous rock musicians and KISN DJ's of the times. Last flown in 1977, the aircraft is no longer airworthy and has been in storage ever since. It is currently listed for sale for the price of US$2.2 million. N107D (Aerocar II) N107D (1966) is an Aerocar Aero-Plane, or Aerocar II. It is not a roadable aircraft but is based on the original Aerocar design. It uses the wing and tail section from the Aerocar. It seats four and is powered by a 150 hp IO-320 Lycoming engine. Only a single example was built. It is presently located in Colorado Springs, Colorado owned by Ed Sweeney owner of N102D. N4345F (Aerocar III) The sixth Aerocar (N4345F), Moulton Taylor's final flying car effort, is red with silver wings. It began as one of the original Aerocars, which Taylor bought back from a customer when it was damaged in an accident on the ground in the 1960s. Taylor rebuilt it as the Aerocar III, replacing the original cabin with a sleeker, more streamlined front-wheel drive version (although it still "fell far short" of the sporty lines Taylor wanted to give it[reference?]). The automotive unit weighs 1,100 lbs and is powered by a 140 hp Lycoming O-320. The trailer wheels for the wings in towed configuration are deployable from a compartment on the outside of each wing's leading edge. The propeller driveshaft contains fine ball bearings that swing outward with centrifugal force, creating stiffness and damping. The four retractable wheels are extended for takeoff and landing, partly retracted for road travel, and fully retracted in flight. Taylor attracted some interest from Ford in the Aerocar III, but no production resulted. The single prototype is displayed at Seattle's Museum of Flight with the registration N100D. Specifications (Aerocar I) Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1961-62 General characteristics Crew: one Capacity: 1 passenger Length: 21 ft 6 in (6.55 m) Wingspan: 34 ft 0 in (10.36 m) Height: 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) Wing area: 190 sq ft (18 m2) Empty weight: 1,500 lb (680 kg) Gross weight: 2,100 lb (953 kg) Fuel capacity: 23.5 gallons Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming O-320 air-cooled flat-four, 143 hp (107 kW) Propellers: 2-bladed Hartzell HA12 UF, 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) diameter Performance Maximum speed: 117 mph (188 km/h, 102 kn) Cruise speed: 97 mph (156 km/h, 84 kn) Stall speed: 50 mph (80 km/h, 43 kn) Range: 300 mi (480 km, 260 nmi) Service ceiling: 12,000 ft (3,700 m) Rate of climb: 610 ft/min (3.1 m/s) Aerocar Aero-Plane (Aerocar II Aero-Plane) Aero-Plane Role - Light aircraft National origin - United States Manufacturer - Aerocar First flight - 1964 Number built - 1 Developed from - Taylor Aerocar The Aerocar II Aero-Plane was an unusual light aircraft flown in the United States in 1964. It was developed from designer Moulton Taylor's Aerocar roadable aircraft, but could not be driven as a road vehicle. It used the wings and tail designed for the Aerocar, with a new fibreglass cabin. Excluding the parts needed for road operation allowed two more passengers to be carried. Only a single example was built. Specifications (Aerocar Aero-Plane) Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1961-62 General characteristics Crew: 1 Capacity: 3 passengers Length: 22 ft 9 in (6.93 m) Wingspan: 34 ft 0 in (10.36 m) Height: 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) Wing area: 190 sq ft (18 m2) Empty weight: 1,200 lb (544 kg) Gross weight: 2,200 lb (998 kg) Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming O-320 air-cooled flat-four, 143 hp (107 kW) Propellers: 2-bladed Hartzell HA12 UF, 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) diameter Performance Maximum speed: 127 mph (204 km/h, 110 kn) Cruise speed: 110 mph (180 km/h, 96 kn) Stall speed: 50 mph (80 km/h, 43 kn) Range: 500 mi (800 km, 430 nmi) with auxiliary tank Service ceiling: 13,000 ft (4,000 m) Rate of climb: 750 ft/min (3.8 m/s) Aerocar Mini-IMP (Aerocar Bullet) Aerocar Mini Imp Role - Homebuilt aircraft National origin - United States Manufacturer - Aerocar International Designer - Moulton Taylor Status - Plans available (2015) Developed from - Aerocar IMP The Aerocar Mini-IMP (Independently Made Plane) is a light aircraft designed by Moulton Taylor and marketed for homebuilding by Aerocar International. It is a scaled-down derivative of his original Aerocar IMP design. A two-seat version called the Bullet was also built. The Mini-IMP follows the same unconventional layout as its larger predecessor, with a center mounted engine, long driveshaft to a tail propeller, and inverted-V rudder/elevators. The aircraft is available in the form of plans for amateur construction. Following Taylor's death, the plans and licensing for the Mini-IMP have been marketed by the Mini-IMP Aircraft Company of Weatherford, Texas. Design and development The aircraft features a cantilever high-wing, a single-seat enclosed cockpit, fixed or retractable tricycle landing gear or conventional landing gear and a single engine in pusher configuration. The aircraft is made from riveted aluminum sheet. Its 24.5 ft (7.5 m) span wing is mounted well behind the pilot and employs a NASA GA(PC)-1 airfoil. The engine is mounted behind the pilot's seat driving the propeller through an extension shaft. Engines used include the 60 to 100 hp (45 to 75 kW) Volkswagen air-cooled engine four-stroke. Taylor claimed the Mini-IMP was not an original design, but an updated version of the 1912 Edison Doladay Bullet, a design that was capable of 110 mph in the earliest days of flight. In the late 1970s inquiries were made concerning a military version of the Mini-IMP, skinned with Kevlar, armed with two 7.62-millimeter machine guns, and with room in the baggage compartment for a considerable quantity of ammunition. Nothing came of the proposal. Specifications (typical Mini-IMP) Data from Bayerl and Tacke General characteristics Crew: one Wingspan: 24 ft 6 in (7.46 m) Empty weight: 518 lb (235 kg) Gross weight: 805 lb (365 kg) Fuel capacity: 12 U.S. gallons (45 L; 10.0 imp gal) Powerplant: 1 × Volkswagen air-cooled engine four cylinder, 1835 cc, air-cooled, four stroke automotive conversion, 60 hp (45 kW) Propellers: 2-bladed composite Performance Maximum speed: 175 mph (281 km/h, 152 kn) Cruise speed: 150 mph (240 km/h, 130 kn) Stall speed: 43 mph (69 km/h, 37 kn) Rate of climb: 1,200 ft/min (6 m/s) Aerocar IMP The Aerocar IMP (for Independently Made Plane) was an unconventional light aircraft designed by Moulton Taylor and marketed for homebuilding. The IMP and its various derivatives were developed by Taylor's Aerocar business after he had already established himself in the homebuilt market with the Coot amphibian, and at the time of the energy crisis in the United States, were designed to be economical to build and operate. The IMP was unconventional in configuration in having a pusher propeller powered by a long driveshaft from an engine mounted midway within the fuselage of the aircraft. This provided an aerodynamic advantage over more traditional pusher arrangements by allowing greater streamlining of the fuselage - giving the IMP the appearance of an elongated teardrop. The aircraft's most visually striking feature, however, is its inverted V-tail. Originally designed as a four-seat aircraft, the original IMP design proved to be too complex and expensive for the market that Taylor was aiming for, and although it was awarded a type certification by the FAA, development was abandoned in favour of scaled-down, single-seat version dubbed the Mini-IMP. Specifications (IMP) General characteristics Crew: one pilot Capacity: 3 passengers Length: 22 ft 0 in (6.70 m) Wingspan: 29 ft 0 in (8.84 m) Height: ft in ( m) Wing area: 112 ft2 ( 10.39 m2) Empty: 950 lb (430 kg) Loaded: 1550 lb (703 kg) Maximum takeoff: lb ( kg) Powerplant: 1x Franklin 4R, 200 hp (149 kW) Performance Maximum speed: 150 mph (240 km/h) Range: miles ( km) Service ceiling: ft ( m) Rate of climb: 800 ft/min ( m/min) Wing loading: 13.8 lb/ft2 ( kg/m2) Power/Mass: 0.1290 hp/lb (0.04966 kW/kg) Propeller diameter: 6 ft (1.82 m) Aerocar Micro-IMP Aerocar Micro-Imp Role - Single seat light aircraft National origin - United States of America Manufacturer - Aerocar First flight - 1981 Number built - 1 Developed from - Aerocar IMP The Aerocar Micro-IMP was a light sportsplane developed from the successful Mini-IMP homebuilt. Designed by Moulton Taylor and Jerry Holcomb in 1978, it was finished in 1981 and demonstrated at Oshkosh the following year. A unique feature of the aircraft was that it was built out of fibreglass-reinforced paper – it was intended that the aircraft "kit" would be marketed printed on paper. The builder would cut out the parts and laminate them between fibreglass mats to build up the structure of the aircraft. The Micro-IMP was ultimately a disappointment because its powerplant (taken from the Citroën 2CV) proved unsuitable, and a projected higher-powered version of the engine did not eventually become available. Holcomb later built a refined version with a different powerplant as the Ultra-IMP. Specifications (Micro-IMP, Citroën engine, performance estimated) Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1982-83 General characteristics Crew: 1 Length: 15 ft 0 in (4.57 m) Wingspan: 27 ft 0 in (8.23 m) Height: 4 ft 0 in (1.22 m) Aspect ratio: 9:1 Airfoil: NASA GA(PC)-1 Empty weight: 260 lb (118 kg) Max takeoff weight: 525 lb (238 kg) Fuel capacity: 7 US Gallons (26.5 L) Powerplant: 1 × Citroën air-cooled flat-twin piston engine, 25 hp (19 kW) Performance Maximum speed: 120 mph (190 km/h, 100 kn) Cruise speed: 100 mph (160 km/h, 87 kn) (econ cruise) Stall speed: 48 mph (77 km/h, 42 kn) Service ceiling: 10,000 ft (3,000 m) Rate of climb: 500 ft/min (2.5 m/s) |