Era

Wickham, James

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Engineer James M. Wickham had studied engineering at Ohio State University, and graduated from MIT as an Aeronautical Engineer. Wickham’s career began at Chance-Vought, then in 1938 joined the Stearman division of Boeing. Starting in the 1950s, Wickham started designing and building his own series of homebuilt aircraft.

Wilms Dinosaur

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Les Wilms, of 2142 Dayton Street, Chicago, had been experimenting in airship construction and navigation since 1895. His 1910 flying machine, besides framework and a seat for the operator, consisted of a canvas sustainer overhead, flails of canvas and a rudder of like material. The hand-propelled flails, the inventor said, acted on the principle of the feathers in a bird’s wings. The aircraft, which was named “Dinosaur,” was launched into space with the aid of an incline. Trial trips conducted privately northwest of Ravenswood manor were said to have been successful.

Whittelsey Avian

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The Whittelsey Avian was advertised as a ‘safe’ aircraft in 1929, featuring Handley-Page wing slots and built to 8g. Designed for training and sport flying, the flyaway price of $4995 from Bridgeport. Powered by a 95 hp Cirrus, the Avian landing speed is 35 mph, and it achieved 20 miles per gallon.

The British Avro folding-wing sportplanes manufactured under license, the Whittelsey Avian was advertised as a ‘safe’ aircraft in 1929, featuring Handley-Page wing slots and built to 8g. Designed for training and sport flying, the flyaway price of $4995 from Bridgeport. Powered by a 95 hp Cirrus, the Avian landing speed is 35 mph, and it achieved 20 miles per gallon.

Whittelsey Avian N367