In 1949, Harry formed Thalman Aircraft Inc. at Salt Lake City. In the same year, he designed the Talman T-4 which, flew in 1951. The 1953 Thalman T-4 was a four-pace mid-wing cabin monoplane of all-wood geodetic construction. The T-4 followed the same wooden geodetic construction employed by Harry J. Thalman and William Earl Player when they helped form Plxweve Aircraft. (Construction techniques followed those of Thalman’s Oregonian mentor, George Yates – bending strips of cedar around heated former moulds.) In general construction technique, the T-3 and T-4 were similar – the T-3 being fabric-covered, the T-4 having a fibreglass covering.
Designed by Harry J. Thalman, the one built, N53389, had manually retracting undercarriage. Initially powered by a 135hp Lycoming O-290, it was later converted to T-tail with a 170hp O-340.
Convinced that serial wooden geodetic construction would be less expensive than by-then conventional metal construction, Thalman spent the next decade trying to get the T-4 into production. At one point, Thalman approached the Cache Chamber of Commerce in Utah for start-up funds of $50,000 (and a suitable workspace) to launch T-4 production – presumably near Logan, UT. The Chamber passed.
By 1960, Thalman Aircraft Corp. was doing business as Thalman Industries (sometimes given as Thalman Aircraft Industries). However, the firm was now planning to relocate to Roseburg, OR – 900 miles to the west. Roseburg businessman Lynn Andreas had become president and it was Andreas who was announcing the construction of a new factory on 5 acres of leased land at the Roseburg municipal airport. Early reports said that site ground preparation work had begun and that a “plywood plane” would be built. Harry Thalman is quoted, saying that his aircraft will sell for less than $14,000.
By 1963, Harry Thalman was working as a mechanic for Kelsey-Ellis Air Service at Salt Lake City Airport. The T-4 was in storage (and possibly disassembled by then) but Harry was still flying the T-3B. On 15 March 1963, Harry was doing flying cross-country when he flew into a blinding snowstorm. Harry Thalman died instantly when he crashed his T-3B monoplane in a gully outside of Grantsville, UT.
Engine: 135hp Lycoming O-290, later 170 hp Lycoming O-340
Wingspan: 40 ft 2.5 in
Length: 21 ft 6 in
Height: 6 ft 0 in
Empty weight: 1050 lb
MTOW: 2000 lb
Useful load: 1050 lb
Max speed: 175 mph
Cruise: 155 mph
Stall: 45 mph
Range: 700 mi
Seats: 4
Undercarriage: manual retractable
All Aero 