CURTISS JN-4

wacoykc · **Posted:** Thu Nov 27, 2008 10:47 pm

Neat shot of a "Jenny"

J. Armstrong · **Posted:** Thu Nov 27, 2008 10:51 pm

That aileron rigging on that Canuck is going to cause some surprises !!

Steve Nelson · **Posted:** Fri Nov 28, 2008 12:20 am

What's up with the empenage? Looks like twin rudders and a second horizontal stab mounted on top. Something hanging under the fuselage too. A wierd bird indeed..not your av-er-age Jenny.

SN

wacoykc · **Posted:** Fri Nov 28, 2008 12:28 am

Ah....you caught that! Waited to see if anyone would make mention. Yes, it has twin horizontal stabs/elevators and twin fin/rudders.

Roger Cain · **Posted:** Fri Nov 28, 2008 1:00 am

As you didn't post it, I'm guessing you don't have a side-shot?

The Inspector · **Posted:** Fri Nov 28, 2008 2:11 am

Any reports on how much fun it was in a cross wind??

Mgawa · **Posted:** Fri Nov 28, 2008 3:48 am

This is very interesting variation of Jenny!

visaliaaviation · **Joined:** Mon Jul 03, 2006 2:01 pm **Posts:** 353

Have t agree something is evidently not hooked up right or inter-connected with the ailerons situation! Don't belive that Jenny is a Canuck. Some US aircraft had four ailerons. Canucks had a distintive horizontal tail outline AND a strut connection between upper/lower ailerons.

All that extra surface at the tail is interesting.Could the opposed aileron set up be purposefull? Perhaps an experiment in extreme cross controlling input??!!

Eric Presten · **Posted:** Fri Nov 28, 2008 11:56 am

It’s a Curtiss JN-6H Hisso Jenny. The JN-6H has a Hisso engine rather then the more common Curtiss OX-5. You can see the valve covers in the picture, where as, you would be able to see the open rocker arms on the OX-5 if it was not an “H Model”.

The Canadian built Canucks do have four ailerons but do not have Hissos. There are four ailerons on the JN-6 series American built versions. The H stands for the Hisso engine, and the 6 for four ailerons. The airplane that I fly (for owner Frank Schelling) is an original 1918 JN-4H model.

I took Skeeter Carlson for a ride in the JN-4H this past summer. He has a Curtiss Canuck, and he said that the four aileron set up on his airplane is “at least 40% faster in roll rate” then the two aileron system on the JN-4H.

I think that the airplane in this picture had two completely independent three axis control systems and is a test ship. I think that they were testing a radio control system, or more likely a gyro stabilizing system moving towards an early leveler type autopilot. I remember hearing about this program a while back, but cannot for the life of me remember where I read or was told about it.

A very cool picture you have here. Thanks for posting it.

wacoykc · **Posted:** Fri Nov 28, 2008 12:27 pm

ROGER......no side shots or I would have posted it!

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CURTISS JN-4

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