The 1922 Wissler Airplane Co WA-6 was a two place open cockpit biplane. With about 100 hours flying time logged, it ended up in a treetop on 2 August 1922 upon experiencing aileron problems, was extensively damaged, and was not repaired.
A 1920 experimental single place, open cockpit mid-wing monoplane with wings mounted in a folded-back manner above two outboard 7′ propellers, shaft-driven by a 90hp Maximotor (later replaced by 300hp Hisso). The stability of this design was proved in low-level test flights, and offered a 1:28 glide ratio and spin-proof characterictics. Twin tails, with elevators serving also as ailerons for banking. Although the War Department reportedly expressed interest, nothing came of the novel concept.
The War Dept assumed security and forbade any publicity.
A one off, the Winstead Special was built by Carl Winstead in 1926, and flown in the Flying Aces Air Circus in the late 1920s. It was a hybrid with a Travel Air fuselage and Swallow wings used for sport racing competition as N2297, piloted by J J Davis. The fuselage is believed to be the steel tube fuselage Walter Beech and Lloyd Stearman built while working for Swallow, but their idea of steel tubing was shot down by Jake Moellendick, president of Swallow at that time. The fuselage was set aside, then sold.
Carl flew it with the Flying Aces Air Circus, Jessie Woods walked its wings. Carl also raced it and barnstormed with it. The next owners, the Marvin Mara family, used it for racing and barnstorming. It changed hands several times until the Davis Family of Ary NB purchased it in 1935 and took it apart for a rework in 1937. It was never reassembled until the remains were found c.1975 in storage and purchased by Paul Dougherty Jr in 1994.
The aircraft was still flying at the Golden Age Air Museum in Bethel, PA, in 2018.
Carl Winstead worked at Swallow as a mechanic, then for himself for a while with his brother. Guy Winstead worked with Clyde Cessna in building the prototype Travel Air 5000. Carl also worked for Cessna, and was one of the first hired craftsman at Cessna building the A series. Carl later became Cessna’s chief test pilot; he was killed test flying the 190 series airplanes in the ’40s.
1926 (Carl & Guy) Winstead Brothers Airplane Co Wichita KS. USA