Warbird Information Exchange

Planes Exhibited in U. S. Museum

by S. R. Winters

A stroll through the aviation division of the United States National Museum, Washington D. C., where many very interesting aviation relics are reposing. This museum is under the supervision of the Smithsonian Institution in that city.

Keeping pace with rapid strides of aviation progress, especially during the past year, the United States National Museum, Washington, D. C., under supervision of the Smithsonian Institution, has reassembled a number of exhibits and with recent addition of an interesting series of new specimens to a notable collection, portrays a complete summary of aeronautical history.

Under the direction of Paul Edward Garber, former airmail pilot, the Museum offers a display ranging from a model of the huge transpacific Pan-American clipper-ship to an authentic pattern of Leonardo da Vinci's first practical design for aircraft before America was discovered; from a model of the Italian plane in which Francesco Argello established a new world speed record, to a priceless original copy of the first Government airplane specifications, and from a modern air-transport pilot's cap to a fragment of a Confederate balloon.

Many of these exhibits have been constructed in their entirety by Mr. Garber, after careful study of plans and instructions of the original designer, while others were brought forth from certain remnants and portions of the of the ship which served as a partial guide to reproduction. In the latter group is the famous Vin Fiz Flyer, designed and built by the Wright Brothers in 1911, being the first plane to accomplish a transcontinental flight.

Piloted by Calbraith P. Rodgers, a pupil of the Wright Brothers, the Vin Fiz flew from New York to Pasadena, California, in forty-nine days. The ship experienced innumerable crashes in its spectacular 69 landings, with the result that the only parts of the original plane to remain were a rudder and two struts. This ship was acquired last year by Mr. Garber, who spent seven months' painstaking effort in assembling and reconstructing it for exhibition. The completed result is a tribute to the artistry and genius of the energetic former pilot who, somewhat disparagingly, classifies himself as "a has-been flyer, looking after has-been ships." His keen interest in modern aviation and his ready familiarity with flying problems contradict the statement, however, and the Museum visitor is immediately impressed with his prevailing spirit of alert attention to changing features of the panorama in progress.

Notable in the group of recent acquisitions by the air craft museum is Curtiss plane of an early period and a Curtiss "Jenny," used for training military aviators during the World War. Plans for reassembly of the entire collection of original Curtiss planes were included to present an arrangement of all varieties from the old "pusher" type to the Curtiss Army Racer, R3C-2, flown by James Doolittle, winner of the Pulitzer and Schneider air-speed classics.

Two interesting old gliders are shown, one a Martin, which was towed into the air by means of a horse and rope. As long as the horse could gallop, this particular type remained in the air. The other glider shown was being developed twenty-one years later, being towed by an airplane and, by successive glides, crossed the continent, with Captain Frank Hawks as pilot.

By far the most beautiful glider in the collection was just received from Mrs. Genevieve Eaton. This is a Bowlus-Dupont sailplane, piloted last year by Warren Eaton, to a height of 9,094 feet, the highest altitude above sea level ever reached by motorless aircraft in America. Two French bombers of the World War period are exhibited, Voisin and a Caudron, which were among the first to fly with more than one engine.

A Wright plane of 1909 is particularly interesting as it is the first military plane to be used in practical service by any government. Orville Wright served as pilot at Fort Myer, Viriginia, and instructed Benjamin Foulois, then a lieutenant in the Signal Corps and now Brigadier-General, Chief of Air Corps.

In direct contrast to this basic type of rigid wing form is a rotative wing type embodied in the autogiro class. Important in this group is a recent addition of the first autogiro to fly in America, presented to the National Museum by Harold Pitcairn.

Decidedly, different, but none the less intriguing, is an exhibit of plane models built to a scale of 1/16" and displayed, for the most part, in the aircraft building. Prominent in this group is a graceful model of the Consolidated P-2-Y-1, recalling the fact that early in 1934, six flying boats of this same type compromising a Patrol Squadron, flew from San Francisco to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, achieving the longest formation non-stop flight in the history of aviation.

In another case a model of the Savoia-Marchetti, flagplane of the Italian Air Armada, which flew from Rome to Chicago and return in 1933, led by General Italo Balbo, attracts the visitor's eye. Displayed in the same case is a miniature Macchi-Castoldi, mentioned previously as present holder of the world speed record. The original employs two propellers, revolving in opposite directions on concentric shafts, driven by two engines mounted in tandem back to back.

A noteworthy addition to the case of planes establishing cross-country records is a model of a Wedell-Williams "44" Racer. The original, piloted by its designer, James Wedell, raised the world's airplane speed record to 304.98 miles per hour at the National Air Races in 1933. Using the same plane, James Haizlip and Colonel Roscoe Turner established four successive transcontinental records 1934 with the spanning of the continent in slightly more than ten hours by Colonel Turner.

In the same group is a model of Captain Frank Hawks' racer, Texaco 13, Travel Air "Mystery S." When first introduced, this type became the speediest commercial airplane, a distinction it retained more than a year. A similar plane flown by Captain Hawks set a record for transcontinental flight from Los Angeles to New York.

This prominent collection of cross-country planes starts with a model of the Vin Viz [sic] Flyer and includes a miniature of Colonel Charles Lindbergh's immortal "Spirit of St. Louis," together with a Lockheed "Sirius" flown at a later date by Colonel and Mrs. Lindbergh from Glendale, California, to Roosevelt Field.

The most beautiful model and, without doubt, the finest in the entire assemblage is a Travel Air biplane S-2000 of 1930. This model required more than two years for construction and is a veritable jewel of perfection. Another beautifully detailed model is the Boeing flown by Colonel Roscoe Turner in the London-Australia race. At present Mr. Garber is constructing a model of the British Comet, which won this racing classic.

The collection of miniature aircraft is climaxed by the transpacific Pan-American Airways clipper, which is representative of the last word in aviation progress. This beautiful model was sent to the Smithsonian Institution by Igor Sikorsky, designer and builder of the great flying ship, who is now engaged in transport pioneering across the Pacific.

Owing to important variations in propeller designs during recent months, revision of the aircraft museum's greatly enlarged collections was found necessary. A total of 116 propeller specimens are undergoing reassembly, beginning with air propellers designed by Da Vinci, Henson and other pioneers.

The first large specimen is an old propeller devised by Santos-Dumont in 1898 for his initial airship. Another group comprises those used by Dr. Samuel Langley, also those from early Wright planes, including one from the machine flown by Harry Atwood. A group of propellers used by Professor Gallup in 1911, when he tested a large number of current types to learn superiority of designs, is shown.

Another exhibit reveals interesting blade patterns by Curtiss, Gibson and Heath, with final emphasis placed on a Curtiss propeller of 1910 employed on the plane in which Lieutenant Ely, U.S.N., made the first flight between shore and war vessel, forecasting aircraft carriers for use by the Navy. A Simmons type from an early plane is also shown.

The earliest propeller of controllable pitch type was received from Messrs. Lund and Dwight who had used it on an early tandem quadruplane of their design in 1911. This odd and interesting specimen led to subsequent evolution of a series which employed but improved upon its original principle.

Exemplifying this development is the most recent addition to the aircraft division's collection-a Hamilton Standard controllable pitch type of propeller, which was first to complete 2,500 miles of service on United Airlines. Also, the Pen-American [sic] Airways have presented an adjustable aluminum-alloy type, which recently completed 353,250 miles of service throughout Mexico and Central America. This propeller was made by the Hamilton Standard Propeller company.

A number of early 3-bladed and 4-bladed propellers are shown, which are quite in contrast to the most modern form presented by the Italian Air Ministry. This 3-bladed type was on the front propeller on General Balbo's flagplane which participated in the mass flight from Rome to Chicago and return, 1933.

During the era of wooden propellers, a great number of patterns were developed and tested. There are very few belonging to this classification not represented in the museum collection.

A group of propellers from flying boats and hydroplanes, as well as those of the early War period by Hall-Scott, Flottorp and "Paragon Company," form an interesting exhibit. This includes a series of three propellers showing construction during the World War when a pantograph cutter was employed. Several propellers used on rotary engines in the War are shown, including the "toothpick" and "Monoid" forms. The rotary engine, which was very light in weight, ceased with the War period, being replaced by the radial type of motor, but it filled an important place in aeronautics.

An early metal propeller made and used by Inglis Uppercu in 1914 is one of the most interesting specimens represented. Of equal interest are several metal propellers donated by Dr. Albert Reed, who was awarded the Collier Trophy in 1926 for his efficiency of design.

An engaging group of airship propellers was recently recieved from the headquarters of the Army Airship Section at Langley Field, Virginia. The Navy also contributed to this collection in the form of a pair of 18-foot propellers used on the dirigible "Shenandoah", first American rigid airship. In the same group are included two Gallaudet internal-drive propellers used on seaplane "pusher" types in 1918.

In preliminary trials of the NC-4, first aircraft to cross the Atlantic, Olmstead propellers were used and several are displayed. This type is distinguished by a wide blade near the hub, tapering toward the tip. A Remington-Burnelli propeller with its blades swept forward is of much interest and also a group of high pitched propellers employed on a series of racing planes in 1922. These are in market contrast to the heavy "Liberty Clubs" exhibited nearby.

Among recent acquisitions to the museum's collection are such interesting variations as wind-tunnel propellers, and different types of impellers which are wind-blown to operate electric generators, radios and to drive various mechanisms.

In addition, there are a number of relics exhibited, which depict vividly and sometimes tragically, the progress of aviation history. For instance, the basket and equipment of the balloon in which Captain Hawthorne C. Gray, Army Air Corps, met death on the first stratosphere flight are mute evidence of a great ideal that recognized no fear. The supercharger and fur-lined flying suit used by Apollo Soucek in his world record altitude flight from Anacostia Naval Air Station have also been added to the museum collection, as well as girders from the wrecked U.S.S. Macon.

Admiral Byrd's magnetic compass, which directed the course of his first flight over the North Pole, is included in a recent group; also a watch carried by Lieutenant George O. Noville during Byrd's flight in the "America" in 1927. The hull of the famous NC-4, first transatlantic aircraft, is on display but owing to a lack of sufficient space, the wings have been stored elsewhere. Mr. Garber hopes for complete assembly of this historic plane for proper examination purposes. At present the Smithsonian Institution is hopeful of obtaining Wiley Post's renowned "Winnie May."

At present the Smithsonian Institution is hopeful of obtaining Wiley Post's renowned "Winnie May."