Built by Dr. Henry W Walden in 1910, the Walden IV was similar to III, but with 40hp Hall-Scott and ailerons. The Model IV really flew on 3 August 1910 to become the first successful US-designed and -built monoplane, and the first US craft to be licensed by FAI and Aero Club of America.
Reportedly III and IV went to Dyott when the partnership broke up in 1911 and were sold in South America; Walden retained the hangar and inventory.
The Walden III had vane-like fins over the wingtips for “lateral balance”. Powered by a 25hp Anzani pusher engine, the single seater rose a few feet off the ground and travelled just over 10 yards before the plane’s one-gallon gas tank ran dry, becoming the first American monoplane to fly. However, this flight was discounted because of its brevity.
On August 3, 1910, with a 10-gallon tank installed, he tried again and became airborne for about 10 yards at a few feet altitude, albeit still brief, flight that ended in a crash beyond economic repair, breaking several ribs and fracturing his collarbone. This epic flight made headlines in a NYC newspaper and the record book.
Reportedly III and IV went to Dyott when the partnership broke up in 1911 and were sold in South America; Walden retained the hangar and inventory.
There were claims of 6 more IIIs under construction, but if they were ever completed, flown, or sold is unknown.
The 1909 Walden I and Walden II were described as looking like two biplanes with an open-framework fuselage connecting them. The Walden I was scrapped after proving to be too underpowered to fly, so II was built with 25hp Anzani pusher. It, too, failed to get airborne.
Dr W. H. Walden tested this machine at Morris Park in Bronx in the autumn of 1909. A unique feature was the automatically stabilizing lateral control. It was operated by the weight of the engine, which was suspended as a pendulum and operated control surfaces on the wing tips via wires.
The machine was destroyed in November or December. It was stored outdoors and was overturned by the wind, reducing it to “a mass of stick and wires”.
I
Engine: 15hp auto
Wing span: 26’0″
Length: 20’0″
Seats: 1
II
Engine. 25hp Anzani
Wing span: 30’0″
Length: 20’0″
The aircraft was a design of Lee Wainscott and appeared during the 1930s and the construction was started by a gentleman named Case. Initial plans called for the use of a (modified) Heath Henderson motorcycle engine, but by the time the aircraft was completed a 35hp Lawrence radial was installed. The aircraft was rumoured to have a movable (pivoting) lower wing for the lateral control thus eliminating the need of ailerons.
For several reasons the aircraft never flew prior to WW II and it was later acquired by brothers P.E (Pat) and R.L. Day who made several modifications (the lower wing became fixed and ailerons were added to the upper wing) and also installed a 65 hp Lycoming O-145-B2 engine. The aircraft finally first flew during 1962, registered N72L, and in 1969 it was sold to Howard C. Cagle. It was reported that the aircraft flew no more than 5 times in total and then went into storage.
Over the years this extremely small aircraft was reported under various names including Case Special and Wainscott Li’l Twister.
Span: 13 ft 4 in (4.06 m)
Length: 12 ft 3 in (3.73 m)
Height: 4 ft 4 in (1.32 m)
Max speed: 155 mph (249 kmh)
Cruise speed: 140 mph (225 kmh)
An “experimental lifting-body sportplane,” creation of Barnaby and Lynne Wainfan, and Rick Dean, took 2.5 years to develop and build. First flown on 22 April 1993, after 130 hours flight time, registered N117WD, it was damaged in a forced landing after the 2-stroke 46 horsepower engine malfunctioned at 500 agl. The plane landed at 28 mph and Barnaby walked away.
It was in reconstruction in 1999 with a Jabiru 4-cylinder replacement engine.
Engine: Rotax 503DC, 50hp
Wing span: 15’0″
Length: 19’6″
Useful load: 250 lb
Max speed: 110 mph
Cruise speed: 90 mph
Stall: 25-30 mph
Range: 200-250 mi
Ceiling: 11,000′
Empty wt: 370 lb
Seats: 1
Circa 1976, Marney Wagner built the V-Witt N4819 as a single place enclosed, mid-wing monoplane.
Built in 1952 by Harold A Wagner, the Twin 3 was a Piper PA-18 with a second 125hp Lycoming O-290 mounted in a nacelle above the cabin. Although it flew acceptably, there were vibration problems with the tail and the project was dropped. The one built was restored to single-engine after 10 hrs, then sold.
The Wagner Twin 2 Tri-Pacer was a Tri-Pacer converted to a twin by Harold Wagner, 1952. Powered by two Lycomings of 125hp each, it flew about 100 hrs.
Described as too much CAA red tape, it was built back to single engine and sold.
N932A was still registered to David McClain of Portland, OR in 1980.
In 1951 Harold A Wagner built a 1946 Piper J-3C and 1947 PA-11 fuselages mounted side-by-side for twin performance. Built in five days, despite having unequal motors and props (42″ wood and 45″ metal), it demonstrated negligible balance problems, the motors were later matched as 85hp with metal props. The overlapping prop clearance came from a 4.75″ spacer on the left motor’s propeller shaft. Flown from the right fuselage only, the added horsepower would in theory support four passengers, but the increased wing loading in reality wouldn’t.
The outer wing panels and tailplane were standard components. The resulting aircraft looked so odd that even Mr.Wagner called it “The Thing”. Because of the close proximity of the fuselages, only the righthand one could be occupied by a pilot and passenger, the lefthand fuselage serving only the purpose of engine mounting. No propeller synchronizing was envisaged, the props rotating in different planes instead. This was accomplished by a ‘distance piece’ on the lefthand engine/prop combination.
First flown on 6 December 1951, it had STOL take-off, 1500fpm climb rate and would take-off and fly on one motor. It is claimed that flight qualities were just great, even with one engine out. The one built, NX1334N, was dismantled after 150hrs of flight.
Engines: 65hp Continental C-65 and 85hp C-85
Max speed: 160 mph
Cruise speed: 120 mph
Stall: 35 mph
In 1932 Harold A Wagner built a single place open cockpit high wing monoplane powered by a 30hp Szekely and registered N12738 c/n 1.
It was sold to Marvin Wright (Beaverton) for $200 on 16 November 1936, sold then to L S Wilson (Beaverton) on 13 February 1937, then to C M Smock & N E Day (Portland) on 8 June 1938, who wrote CAA on 22 August 1939 that “it was necessary to discontinue flying our aircraft due to natural depreciation of materials used in its construction.” It was dismantled and the registration canceled on 15 June 1939.
All Aero 