The 8AT variant (ATC 2-485) of 1931 was a single Model 5-AT-C converted as a freighter without the wing-mounted engines, seating 13. First flown on 30 July 1929 power was a 575hp P&W Hornet A and also tried were the Hornet B, 575hp Wright Cyclone, 715hp inline Hispano-Suiza, and 535hp Bristol Jupiter.
The one built was operated as a two place cargo Express with the Hispano-Suiza engine as N8499. It was refitted with a 700hp Wright Cyclone GR (2-485) in 1934 for Pacific Alaska Airways with the new registration NX/NC8499, moving to Colombia in 1938.
The original Stout Metal Airplane Company was purchased in 1925 by Henry Ford and the new division of the Ford Motor Company produced three versions of the Tri-Motor monoplane. The Tri-Motor’s fuselage was constructed from a series of transverse duralumin bulkheads covered with corrugated metal skin. One engine was mounted in the nose, while the other two were suspended underneath the wings.
In 1926 Ford told Stout to build him a tri-motor. Stout rushed through his Model 3-AT and the resulting Model 3-AT was a crude and unimpressive lash-up. It may have flown only once before it was destroyed in a fire on the ground, which also destroyed the factory at Ford Airport, on 17 January 1926. Ford and Stout had a violent argument which ended in Stout being fired. In February 1926 Ford decided to proceed with an improved air¬craft, the Model 4-AT, whose design was based on that of the Model 3-AT but differed in almost all details and especially in the engine installations, cockpit, landing gear and fuselage. The small engineering team was headed by Harold Hicks and Tom Towle. The first of the successful Ford tri-motors, NC1492, was flown for the first time on 11 June 1926.
Ford 4-AT-A
The wing was recessed so that the three spars significantly reduced headroom in the cabin. Each spar was a Warren-braced truss assembled mainly by riveting, and the ribs were likewise built up from rolled strip and sections. The wing suffered a certain amount of cracking after flying over 5,000 hours. The wing was made in three parts, the rectangular centre section being integral with the fuselage. The latter was a capacious box. The three engines, which in the Model 4-AT were 149-kW (200-hp) Wright J-4 Whirl-winds driving two-blade metal propellers, were uncowled and in most Fords not even provided with cooling airflow baffles or fairings. In the Model 3-AT the nose engine had been mounted low to balance the thrust lines of the two wing-mounted engines, but in the Model 4-AT the centre engine was mounted exactly on the nose and the other pair brought down so that all thrust lines were at the same level, the wing engines now being carried on the front of separate strut-mounted nacelles well below the wing. The wing engines had short stub exhausts or, from 1927, an exhaust manifold leading to a short pipe on the outboard side of the nacelle. The nose engine, however, sent its gas through a pipe running (in most versions) half way back to the tail, surrounded by a muff open at the front so that, in cold weather, heated fresh air could be admitted to the cabin. The movable control surfaces, as well as the fixed tail, were metal-skinned. The extreme nose and the top and bottom of the fuselage were often skinned with smooth metal sheet.
From the first Model 4-AT, the skin material used was Alclad, duralumin coated with non-corrosive pure aluminium, spray coated in varnish. All the Fords had an oval entrance door on the right side, used for passengers, cargo and also by the two pilots. In the Model 4-AT the latter had the usual open cockpit, a feature of which was a sharply angled Vee windshield with glass panes that were not vertical but sloped outwards from bottom to top, to give a better view for landing. Panels in the windshield could be slid open in really bad weather. The Model 4-AT had four passenger seats on each side of a central aisle, and was available with a lavatory at the rear. Light personal baggage could be placed in a typical suspended-mesh rack along each side of the cabin above the windows, level with the bottoms of the wing spars. In a few Model 4-ATs further baggage and mail was stowed in drop-down lockers between the spars at the inner end of each outer wing panel, though this was really a feature of later models. Other features were wheel brakes, which enabled a tailwheel to be used instead of a skid, and an electrical system with the battery charged by a generator on the nose engine. This system served navigation lights and, in most air¬craft, leading-edge landing lamps and two-way radio. On the other hand, the Fords adhered to the old practice of running the tail control cables along the outside of the fuselage from large rocker arms on the sides of the nose.
One of the first customers was Stout Air Services to fly schedules from Detroit to Chicago and other cities in the Great Lakes region.
Ford 4-AT-B Tri-Motor N7584
Thirty-seven of the 1928 4-AT-B were built, powered by three 220hp Wright J-5, under certificate 2-10 (later replaced by 87). One went to the AAC as C-3 (NC3444 / 28-348), 7 as C-3A/-9 (29-220-226), 1 as -4, and 4 as C-4A. All C-3A were later converted to C-9 repowered with 300hp Wright R-975s. Several civil models were converted to 4-AT-E in 1930-31.
One 4-AT-C was built, NC7862, in 1928 (ATC 2-11). Sold to Sunbeam Air Transport, it crashed on 1 December 1928.
The 1928 4-AT-D (ATC 2-322) was a special long-wing model with three 220hp Wright J-5. Sold for $48,000, the one built went to Grand Canyon scenic flights as NC5578, then to Ecuador in 1945 as HC-SBC. There was also one conversion from a 4-AT-B, NC7583, and reportedly one other, NC7586.
Four (A8457, A8598-8599) from civil 5-AT-C went to the USN/USMC as JR-3/RR-3. (ATC 2-240) and (ATC 2-242) for 15 passengers with 420hp Wasp as 5-AT-C Special (A8840).
Twenty-five of the 1929 4-AT-E (ATC 132) were built, selling for $42,000. Some were 4-AT-B conversions. Seven went to the AAC as C-3A, and two to USN as JR. One as the XJR-1 (A7526) and five production model as the JR-2 (A8273-8274), re-designated as RR-2 later.
Ford 4-AT-E 7861
The single 4-AT-F (ATC 441) built, 9656, in 1931, went to Spain with three eventual registrations: EC-BAB, EC-RRA, and EC-WIO.
Ford 4-AT-F 9656
Subsequent Fords had an enclosed cockpit with sliding side windows, and various other refinements, and almost all were more powerful. As listed in the separate variants section, there were almost as many sub-types as there were aircraft built, partly because there were numerous rebuilds and conversions. The initial Model 4-AT-A eight-seater entered service with Ford’s own air service on 2 August 1926. Ford Airport at Dearborn had by this time become the first in the world with paved runways and full electric lighting, and later Ford not only made other improvements to the buildings but also set up one of the world’s first training schools for commercial flight crews.
Though the Model 4-AT had been the biggest all-metal aircraft then built in the USA, and possibly in the world, it was rightly judged too small and the Model 4-AT-B of 1927 had a span increased from 20.97m (68ft l0in) to 22.53m (73ft 11in), matching the greater power of 164-kW (220-hp) J-6 Whirlwind engines. Though the fuselage was almost the same as before, the seating limit went up to 12. There followed various sub-types of Model 4-AT, differing chiefly in engine arrangement. Almost all the Fords were originally built with spatted main wheels, and their modern image did much to promote sales.
Ford 4-AT-B “Ship Of Flame” used for night aerial advertising NC5093
When the Ford was a new and very modern aircraft, most had Wright engines in the 149/164-kW (200/220-hp) bracket, but production of this Model 4-AT family came to an end (except for the single Model 4-AT-F) in 1929. By this time the much more powerful, and further enlarged, Model 5-AT family was selling even better than its predecessors, and output of Model 5-ATs reached a remarkable four per week in 1929, before the Wall Street crash.
Thanks to the use of the Pratt & Whitney Wasp engine, the Model 5-AT was a much more capable aircraft. First flown in mid-1928, the Model 5-AT had a further enlarged wing, the fuselage deepened to give more headroom under the wing, Townend-ring cowled wing engines (often a cowled nose engine also), and a structure strengthened for operation at greater weights.
The 1929 5-AT-A (ATC 2-32, 2-282) sold for $65,000. Three were built, one to P&W Co [NX/NC6926], and two to Northwest Airlines [NX/NC7416, NC7739].
The 1929 5-AT-B (ATC 156) had 17-19 passengers and sold for $55,000. Forty-two were built, of which one went to the AAC as C-4. C/n 11, started with PAA in 1929, and ended up at the San Diego Air Museum in 1982. It had 13 US and Central American registrations: NC9637 / NM22 / XA-BCC / AN-AJJ / HI3 / NX1629M / N1629M / XB-KUI / XA-HIL / N1629M / N9637 / N76GC / N9637.
ATC 2-12 was for modification to 14passengers with 420hp P&W Wasp C.
Ford 5-AT-B City of Columbus [NC9606 used by Lindbergh while surveying 1929 national air-rail route
The 1930 5-AT-C (ATC 165) was an improved 5-AT-B as “De-Luxe Club Model” with increased performance, cowlings and wheel pants options. Selling for $55,000-68,000, fifty-one were built. One, NX9652, was heavily modified in April 1931 as XB-906-01 for AAC five place bomber evaluation, built at the firm’s expense and using what was mainly a Model 5-A T-D airframe (but with a redesigned vertical tail). First flown on 27 June 1931, it crashed during dive testing at the factory on 19 September 1931. There were guns above and below at the rear and a bombardier’s station under the cockpit.
Ford X-B-906 NX9652
Four went to the USN/USMC as JR-3/RR-4. (ATC 2-240) and (ATC 2-242) for 15 passengers with 420hp Wasp as 5-AT-C Special.
Ford 5-AT-C [NC421H]
Tri-motors nos 69, 74 and 75 (NC410H, NC414H, NC415H) were all of the 1930 Model 5-AT-CS (ATC 296, 2-518) type with twin floats for water-based operation, sold for $68,000.
Ford 5-AT-CS NC410H
In 1930 one 5-AT-C, NX/NC420H, was modified with one 450hp P&W + two 220hp Wright J-5 mounted on the leading edge of the wings as a 5-AT-E. It was restored as a 5-AT-C in 1930.
Twenty 1931 5-AT-D (ATC 409) were sold for $50,000. Four went to the AAC as C-4A, and two to the USN/USMC as RR-5.
Ford 5-AT-D NC440H
The single 1935 5-AT-DS built, (ATC 2-504) NC/NR9657, was powered by three 450hp P&W Wasp.
The 1929 6-AT-A (ATC 173, 2-97) was as a 5-AT-C with 16 passenger seats and three 300hp Wright J-6. Selling for $50,000, or $92,650 on floats, 2 were built. One, NC8485, was converted first to a 7-AT, then 5-AT-C. One went to Colonial Air Transport as NC8486. Both went to China in 1936.
No fewer than 117 Model 5-AT were built in 1929-31, many were built with the wing baggage/mail lockers, and others were thus equipped as a modification. The cabin could be equipped to seat up to 17, with eight seats on the right and nine on the left, even with a rear lavatory. Northwest Airlines took delivery of the 5-AT in September 1927, costing $55,000 each.
Ford 5AT Tri-motor
The sole 6-AT-S (ATC 2-80), built in 1929 with 12 passenger seats and on Brewster floats, went to Canada as a forest sprayer (G-CYWZ / CF-BEP). Converted to a landplane, Ford 6-ATS-Special Trimotor CF-BEP was acquired by Grant McConachie from the RCAF in March 1937 and on 5 July 1937 pioneered airmail service from Edmonton to Whitehorse. In March 1939, when part of the Yukon Southern Air Transport fleet, CF-BEP was hit by a RCAF Hurricane at Vancouver airport. The collision severely damaged the Trimotor but subsequently Yukon Southern won damages of $52,000 from the Crown and obtained a further $5200 from the insurance.
Ford 6-ATS-Special Trimotor CF-BEP
One 7-AT (ATC 246) was built, in 1929 as NC8485, as a 16 passenger 6-AT-A with one 420hp P&W Wasp + two 300hp Wright J-6. It was modified with three 300hp Wright J-6 for entry in the 1929-30 National Air Tours (p: Myron Zeller). Final conversion was to 5-AT-C with three 450hp Wasp and delivered to American Airlines in 1931. Exported to China in 1936.
In 1930 one 4-AT-B (X/NC7585/NC423H) was converted to the 9-AT-A (ATC 307) powered by three 300hp P&W Wasp Jr. Sold for $40,000 it went to Honduras in 1934.
In 1931 temporarily designated 4-AT-G, the 14 place 11-AT (ATC 441) was powered by three 225hp Packard DR-980 diesel engines. The one built (NC/NX/NR8404) was modified in 1934 to -AT-B with 220hp Wright J-5 engines. It crashed in March 1937 and was sent to Parks Air College for rebuilding, which proved infeasible due to the extent of damage.
Ford 11-AT NX8404
In 1931 one 5-AT-D was modified as the eight place 13-A (ATC 431) powered by one 575hp / 429-kW Wright Cyclone and two 300hp Wright J-6. It was converted for the 1931 National Air Tour, then converted back to a 16-place 5-AT-D in 1932 (under ATC 209), and sold to Panagra (NX/NC433H).
Total population of all Ford tri-motors from 1926-33 was 198, plus a few special-purpose modifications and experiments.
Variants: 7-AT-A – rebuild of Model 6-AT-A with a nose-mounted 313-kW (420-hp) Wasp radial. 9-AT – conversion of Model 4-AT-B with 224-kW (300-hp) Wasp J union radials; 1 converted. 11-AT – one Model 4-AT-E rebuilt with 168-kW (225-hp) Packard DR-980 diesels. 13-A – powered by one 575hp / 429-kW Wright Cyclone and two 300hp Wright J-6 C-3 – US Army no, 28-348, based on Model 4-AT-B. C-3A – US Army nos 29-220/226, seven aircraft with 175-kW (235-hp) R-790-3 Whirlwind radials. C-4 – US Army no, 29-219, basically a Model 4-AT-B for military service. C-4A – US Army nos 31-401/404, four aircraft based on the Model 5-AT-D with 336-kW (450-hp) R-1340-11 radials. C-9 – redesignation of all seven C-3As after the installation of 224-kW (300-hp) R-975-1 radials. XJR-1 – US Navy no, A7526, based on Model 4-AT. JR-2 – US Navy nos A8273/8274, two aircraft based on the Model 4-AT-E for the US Marine Corps. JR-3 – US Navy nos A8457 and A8598/8599, three aircraft based on the Model 5-AT-C. RR-2 – redesignation of JR-2. RR-3 – redesignation of JR-3. RR-4 – additional Model 5-AT-C with US Navy no, A8840. RR-5 – US Navy nos 9205/9206, two aircraft based on the Model 5-AT-D, one of them delivered to the US Marine Corps XB-906-1 single prototype 1NX96521 for a bomber version with internal racks and two gunners positions; crashed on 19 September 1931 killing Ford’s chief test pilot, Leroy Manning.
Engines: 3 x 313kW Pratt & Whitney R-1340-C1 or SC1 Wasp radial Max take-off weight: 6123 kg / 13499 lb Wingspan: 23.72 m / 77 ft 10 in Length: 15.32 m / 50 ft 3 in Height: 3.86 m / 12 ft 8 in Wing area: 77.57 sq.m / 834.96 sq ft Max. speed: 241 km/h / 150 mph Ceiling: 5640 m / 18500 ft Range: 885 km / 550 miles Crew: 1-2 Passengers: 17
3-AT 1 built 1924 Engines: 3 x Wright J-4, 200hp
4-AT Engines: 3 x 149-kW (200-hp) Wright J-4 Whirl¬winds Propellers: two-blade metal Wingspan: 20.97m (68ft l0in) Length: 49 ft 10 in (15.2 m) Height: 12 ft 8 in (3.86 m) Max TO wt: 10,130 lb (4590 kg) Max level speed: 134 mph (214 kph). Pax cap: 8.
4-AT-A 1926 (ATC 2-9 issued in 1927) 6 / 14 built Engines: 3 x Wright J-4, 220hp Wingspan: 74’0″ Length: 49’10” Useful load: 3961 lb Max speed: 114 mph Cruise speed: 95 mph Stall: 55 mph Range: 520 mi Passengers: 12-15
4-AT-A / XC-3 1926 (ATC 2-9 issued in 1927) 7 conversions / 1 as AAC XC-3 Engines: 3 x Wright J-5, 220hp Wingspan: 74’0″ Length: 49’10” Passengers: 12-15
C-4 / 5-AT-B ATC 2-12 Engines: 3 x P&W Wasp C, 420hp Wingspan: 77’10” Length: 49’10” Speed: 145 mph Seats: 14 No built: 1 (29-219)
C-4 Engines: 3 x 220hp Wright J-5 No built: 1
C-4A Engines: 336-kW (450-hp) R-1340-11 radials. No built: 4 (31-401-404)
C-4B 1932 Engines: 475hp R-1340-7. No built: 1 conversion.
4-AT-C Engines: 1 x 298-kW (400-hp) Wasp, 2 x 220hp Wright J-5 Seats: 15 1 built, NC7862
4-AT-D Engines: 3 x J-4 Whirlwind Engines: 2 x J-5 Whirlwind and 1 x 298-kW (300-hp) J-6-9 Whirlwind Engines: 3 x J-6-9 Whirlwind Wingspan: 78′ 0″ 3 built
4-AT-F Engine: 3 x Wright J-6, 300hp Wingspan: 74’0″ Length: 49’10” Useful load: 4071 lb Max speed: 138 mph Cruise speed: 113 mph Stall: 59 mph Range: 540 mi 1 built Seats: 14
5-AT Engines: 3 x Pratt & Whitney Wasp, 420 hp Passengers 17 Cruise: 110 mph. Range: 500 miles Cost September 1927: US$55,000
5-AT-A Engines: 3 x P&W Wasp A/C, 313-kW (420-hp) Wingspan: 77’10” Length: 49’10” Seats: 14 3 built
5-AT-B Engines: 3 x 425 hp Whirlwinds Gross weight: 13,250 lbs Empty weight: 7,800 lbs Top speed: 140 mph Cruise speed: 115 mph Landing speed: 60 mph Range: 500 nm Service ceiling: 20,000 ft. Passengers 13
5-AT-B Engines: three 313-kW (420-hp) Pratt & Whitney Wasp C-1 or SC-1 radial Max speed: 259 km/h (161 mph) Cruising speed 198 km/h (123 mph) Normal range 708 km (440 miles). Empty weight (typical, as built) 3447 kg (7,600 lb) Max takeoff weight 5738kg (12,650 lb). Wingspan 23.72m (77ft l0in) Length 15.3m (50ft 3 in) Height (tail down) 3.66m (l2ft) Wing area 77.57sq.m (835sqft). Crew two side-by-side Passengers, 15 (later) 13 plus steward, or 1520 kg (3,350 lb) cargo. 42 built.
The Silver Centenary first flew on 1 July 1930, and recorded approximately 50 hours of flight, mainly between Beverley and the Maylands Airfield, Australia. Built in the back of the town of Beverley’s Electric Supply powerhouse. The fuselage layout was similar to the DH60 Gipsy Moth, but the construction was to be of Ford’s own design. The Oregon longerons and struts, with steel gusset plates, were covered with ply, which was lightened by cutouts and lightening holes. Aluminium cowls were fitted forward of the fireproof steel bulkhead, and along the top decking to the rear of the cockpits, beyond that point fabric was used over closely-spaced formers and stringers. Fabric formed the secondary covering on the fuselage, and was used exclusively on wings and tail unit. Dual control was fitted, and provision made for the installation of lighting and radio equipment. After the fuselage structure had been completed, and the assembly of one wing commenced, Tom Shackles, a local butcher, became a partner in the project. The aerofoil section was built to follow Ford’s chalk-lofting ideas and had a high leading-edge camber, which gave the wing excellent stall characteristics, and which was later the subject of a patent. Another design feature incorporated was the contrary wing sweep lower wings forward and the upper to the rear. This was later believed to be the reason for its great reluctance to spin. Instruments, spruce and dope, were all bought from LASCo, but late delivery of this material often caused delays in construction, however the majority of the components Selby hand-made himself. All the metal fittings for the aircraft were hand-made including the steel-tube centre section and interplane struts, faired with sheet tinplate, steel elevator-control horns, strut-attachment brackets, aileron bellcranks and pushrods. Initially the undercarriage, with rubber cord shock absorbers, utilised a pair of motorcycle wheels, with fittings procured from W.G. Blanch of Armadale, who had used them on a light, plane of his own. One of Selby’s major hurdles for the original project was finding the right power plant for his aircraft. A three-cylinder Anzani radial engine was purchased for £25 soon after construction began, but, after fitting, it was found to give insufficient power. As luck would have it, participants C D Pratt and D. Guthrie in the 1929 Centenary East – West Air Race crashed their Gipsy Moth VH-UKX in the Baandee lakes (East of Kellerberrin 110 miles from Berverley) and Selby was able to purchase the Gipsy 1 engine for £175. A broken valve rocker, a magneto mounting pad, and two engine feet were replaced, and the engine was then satisfactorily mounted on Silver Centenary, together with a new Gipsy propeller purchased from LASGo. News of the engine purchase was printed in a Sydney newspaper and this caught the eye of the Controller of Civil Aviation Board, (CAB) H. C. Brinsmead. He dispatched one of his inspectors (J A ‘Jim’ Collopy) to Perth to take a look at the aircraft’s construction. In his letter of November 1929 Inspector Collopy noted that no formal plans were available for the project. And as most of the fabric covering had been completed prior to his inspection, this made it difficult for Inspector Collopy to see all the critical sections. He found that the partners were not conversant with terms such as ‘centre of gravity’, or ‘centre of pressure’, nor had they any knowledge of stressing or material testing. However, notwithstanding their limited aerodynamic knowledge, he did note that Selby and Torn had conducted a terrific job, and if limited to non-aerobatic flight, there should be no chance of structural failure. He only found a few areas that he felt needed a design enhancement. On advice from the inspector, Selby discarded the undercarriage as too light, and one on the lines of the Gipsy Moth substituted, using standard aero-wheels and LASGo-made oleo legs, and strengthened the centre section spars. Tom Shackles and Selby decided to call the aircraft the Silver Centenary because of its silver colour, and the fact that 1929 would be the Centenary year of the foundation of Western Australia. Selby then again attempted to register the Silver Centenary. In the belief that he would receive a Certificate of Airworthiness (C of A), Selby even painted the British mark G-AU on the fuselage (which he later converted to the Australian mark VH-U) but the C of A was not granted. They needed a complete set of drawings and data for CAB use. However during the first inspection, not a single drawing, sketch, or diagram was available. The application for registration was filed on 11 December, and they were notified on 20 January 1930 that, due to doubt as to its aerodynamic stability and structural strength, it was not then proposed to register it. A further inspection on 5 April, by Tom Johnson, resulted in a few modifications being required by CAB, and these were carried out within two weeks by the builders, except for the new undercarriage, as the oleo legs had not arrived from LASCo. Selby requested permission for Captain C H Nesbitt of Western Air Services to test fly the machine, and on 1 July 1930 after part of the wall of the powerhouse was removed, the Silver Centenary was wheeled down the road to Benson’s paddock in Beverley, to conduct the first flight. Captain Nesbitt had a successful 30 minute flight. He then conducted four more joyflights with Selby, Tom and their sisters (who had helped in the fabric covering). On July 4 1930, Captain Nesbitt and Selby flew in company with a Gipsy Moth to Northam, with the intention of a rendezvous with Amy Johnson and Major de Havilland, escorting them on their way to Perth; however the latter were delayed at Kalgoorlie. They continued on to the Maylands airport and received a huge reception from the awaiting crowd. (Amy Johnson later inspected the aircraft at Maylands, and commented very favourably on its appearance) Following the death of Capt Nesbitt in October 1930 (in a crash of a DH Puss Moth, ironically after a structural failure) Warren Penny then conducted many of the flights and even instructed Ford in it. He was concerned with the lack of registration (the aircraft was still classed as experimental) and contacted Brinsmead the Controller of CAB who subsequently grounded the aircraft at Maylands. Captain F S Briggs of the Shell Company finally received permission in September 1931 to fly the Silver Centenary back to Beverley and was very complimentary of her performance. An unusual characteristic of this unique aircraft was the ability to fly itself out of a spin. There are various theories for this, one of which is the very slight forward sweep of the main planes. The final cross country flight was to an airshow in Narrogin in December 1931, on the last occasion that permission was granted to fly the Silver Centenary away from Beverley. The C of A was never forthcoming due to the lack of detailed plans, so it was hung from the Powerhouse roof until after Selby died in a car accident in 1963. On 6 January 1964, Brian and Graham Ford (Selby’s sons) removed it from 32 years of storage, and over a period of time made general repairs. They cleaned and re-painted the Silver Centenary and even ran the Gipsy engine, but did not fly it. In 1967 it was housed as the centre piece of a memorial to Selby in the newly built Beverley Aeronautical Museum. The aircraft is so significant in the history of Beverley it even appears on the town’s crest. Upon purchasing the Silver Centenary from his grandmother’s estate in the late 1990s, Rod Edwards set out to see if it would be possible to restore it to flying condition. With the advent of the ‘experimental’ category, the task has been made a little easier. After 76 years the VH-USC mark was finally secured. The fact that the Silver Centenary was reported to fly so well encouraged Rod Edwards to closely follow the original design, although some small modifications were necessary to provide a safety margin. Many of the original components were in ‘as new’ condition and retained in the restoration.
After the foundation of Folland Aircraft Ltd a series of projects beginning with Fo.101 remained paper designs only, and the firm’s first real aircraft was the Folland Fo.108, designed to meet Specification 43/37 for an engine testbed. Percival and General Aircraft also tendered, but Folland won the contract for a batch of 12 (P1774-85).
P1775
A large, single-engined, low-wing monoplane with fixed landing gear, the Folland 43/37 accommodated a pilot and two observers in a large cabin with complete instrumentation for monitoring engine performance in flight. Construction was mixed, the semi-monocoque fuselage of light alloy while the wings and tail were plywood-covered. Split trailing-edge flaps and automatic wingtip slots were fitted.
The first was delivered in 1940, and the first recorded loss was on 28 April 1944 when the eighth aircraft crashed on take-off from Heston during Bristol Centaurus IV tests. Centaurus Is and IVs rapidly disposed of three more Folland 43/37s in only three weeks, the third, first and second aircraft being lost on 28 August and 14 and 18 September 1944 respectively. The sixth aircraft was also lost on 14 September while fitted with a Sabre I. The only other recorded fates are two struck off charge in 1945: the eleventh on 5 March after testing the Hercules XI and the fifth on 27 March after Rolls-Royce Griffon tests.
The testbed aircraft engine installations included differing versions of the Napier Sabre, Bristol Hercules and Centaurus, and Rolls-Royce Griffon. The fifth aircraft was used later by de Havilland for propeller tests.
43/37 Engine: 1 x Centaurus Max take-off weight: 6800 kg / 14992 lb Wingspan: 17.68 m / 58 ft 0 in Length: 13.21 m / 43 ft 4 in Height: 4.95 m / 16 ft 3 in Wing area: 54.63 sq.m / 588.03 sq ft Max. speed: 470 km/h / 292 mph Cruise speed: 430 km/h / 267 mph
This monoplane was built at the “Erste Deutsche Automobil-Fachschule, Abteilung Flugtechnik” at Zalbach near Mainz, Germany, where Anthony Fokker was student. Depending on whose research you trust, this monoplane was either designed and built by Fokker and another student, Franz von Daum, with help from the engineers of the school, or taken over as an unfinished project by Fokker and von Daum. The monoplane which was finished in October 1910, with von Daum bringing most of the money and a 50 hp Argus engine. It was tested by Fokker, and first hop made in December 1910. Later, von Daum damaged it beyond repair. Again, depending on who you trust, Fokker and von Daum decided to build a new monoplane, this time designed with much help from Goedecker and built at the Goedecker plant, this machine being the first Fokker Spinne, or the machine was finished at the Goedecker plant and actually became the first “Spinne”.
The Fokker F.XIV of 1929 was built at the New Jersey factory as a seven/nine-passenger transport. Fuselage and wings were of normal Fokker design, although the upper fuselage decking was of corrugated duralumin. The major differences between this and other Fokker transports was that it had a parasol-type wing carried on struts above the fuselage, and a pilot’s open cockpit behind the passenger cabin and beneath a cut-out in the wing trailing edge.
The F.XIVA was a modified version with closed cockpit in front of the wing. The C-14 version was a US Army freighter aircraft.
Engines: 1 x Wright R-1750-3 radial piston engine, 391kW Max take-off weight: 3266 kg / 7200 lb Empty weight: 1971 kg / 4345 lb Wingspan: 18.11 m / 59 ft 5 in Length: 13.18 m / 43 ft 3 in Height: 3.76 m / 12 ft 4 in Wing area: 51.19 sq.m / 551.00 sq ft Cruise speed: 187 km/h / 116 mph Ceiling: 4420 m / 14500 ft Range: 1110 km / 690 miles Passengers: 9
The XO 27 was an American designed reconnaissance aircraft with a crew of three. Two were built, one of which was converted to a bomber, the XB 8, in 1931. In 1931/32 the American Army ordered twelve O 27 bombers with larger wings, their engines being almost completely housed in the wing to reduce drag.
The 32-seat F-32 was a Fokker Aircraft built in the US in 1934. No F-32’s ever landed in The Netherlands. It was a 4 engined aircraft, the engines mounted in tandem under the wing, 2 pusher engines and 2 tractor. Its four 525 h.p. Wasp engines were later replaced by 575 h.p. Hornets.
The F.XXXII was designed for Universal Air Lines, which had ordered five, but after an accident with the prototype, they cancelled their order. The sleeping cabin of the largest Fokker craft ever built; the F.XXXII. As a night-liner it could accommodate 16 passengers, but in ¬normal configuration it seated 32. Hence the designation F.XXXII. Five where built for Western Air Express where they flew for several years and the Army Airforce tested a cargo variant called YC 20. No orders where placed however. Fokker himself used a F-32 in the US as private aircraft. Ten were built in total.
Engines: 4 Pratt & Whitney Hornet aircooled 9 cilinder engines/ 4 Pratt & Whitney Wasp engines Wingspan: 30.18 m Length: 21.28 m Height: 5.03 m weight: 10.985 kg Cruise speed: 198 kph Max speed: 250 kph Ceiling: 4115 m range 1191 km Crew: 2/3 Passengers: 32
The Super Universal was an enlarged Universal with an enclosed cockpit and improved undercarriage, built in 1927. The Japan Air Transport Company imported ten Super Universal aircraft in 1929. Later the type was built under license by the Japanese Nakajima Company, the first Japanese built machine being delivered in March 1931. A total of 47 was built up to October 1936.
