UK
Established at Richmond, Surrey, built Airco D.H.9 and RAF B.E.2a and B.E.2b under subcontract during First World War. Was a major supplier of Sopwith Pups. Built a prototype only of own-design Comet single-seat scout.
Era
Whitehead 1903 Triplane
Whitehead’s airplanes are notoriously undocumented. There seems to have been a development from a triplane glider to a powered version either with a single tractor propeller or two tractor propellers running in opposite directions. The triplane could be flown without or with the body. The triplane glider with body attached, was later flown without the body. The proposed twin-propeller tractor version of the triplane with body may or may not have been built or flown.
Whitehead Number 21
Circa 1901, the Number 21 was a single place open cockpit mid-wing monoplane, reportedly had an acetylene gas-powered motor. Silk-covered, twin-tractor powered glider with a birdlike appearance (one of some two dozen Whitehead designs) was claimed by Whitehead, and his many supporters, to have attained powered flight two years before the Wright brothers, on 21 November 1901, but there apparently is no grounded substantiation.
A replica of this craft was built by Otto Timm, for the 1938 film, “Men With Wings,” and another by Andy Kosch in 1986.
Whitehead 1911
A single place multi-rotor type consisting of an open, tubular framework, carrying two rows of 6′ lifting screws on either side of the central frame.
Probably the vehicle was powered with Whitehead’s own engine, fuelled by acetylene.
Whitehead is claimed to have achieved powered flight with this monoplane at Fairfield, Connecticut on August 14, 1901 – more than two years before the Wright brothers’ first flight at Kitty Hawk. In 1968 the state of Connecticut officially recognized Whitehead as the “Father of Connecticut Aviation”.
In the Fairfield field, Gustave Whitehead, taking control of an aircraft of his own design, a 21-horsepower monoplane-type model with 12 horsepower, managed to fly over no less than 850 meters at an altitude of about 15 meters, in the presence of a few witnesses, including a journalist.
Whitehead / Weisskopf
Gustav Whitehead, born Gustav Albin Weisskopf, was an aviation pioneer who immigrated from Bavaria, Germany to the United States. Whitehead is claimed to have achieved powered flight with this monoplane at Fairfield, Connecticut on August 14, 1901 – more than two years before the Wright brothers’ first flight at Kitty Hawk. In 1968 the state of Connecticut officially recognized Whitehead as the “Father of Connecticut Aviation”.
Gustave Whitehead (Gustav Weisskopf)
Bridgeport CT.
USA
Airplane builder circa 1901-11 of some two dozen Whitehead designs.
White Aircraft PT-7
The 1939 White Aircraft PT-7 two place open cockpit biplane was a planned primary trainer for CPTP with acquisition of rights to the 1930 Verville AT, but production never got under way.
The “PT” was White’s designation, not the military’s (actual PT-7 was a Mohawk product).
Engine: Warner Super Scarab, 200 hp
Wingspan: 31′ 0″
Length: 24′ 3″
Seats: 2
White Aircraft Gull
The 1939 White Aircraft Gull was a design modified from Argonaut. A four place cabin, high wing monoplane amphibian, one was built powered by a 160hp Menasco pusher engine.
The project was shelved when a market failed to materialise.
White Aircraft D-25B
The 1940 White Aircraft D-25B (108 2-557) was New Standard D-25 production, bought from Jones Co, and repowered with a 285hp Wright J-6 for use as a crop duster.
Five were built, of which two were destroyed in a 1940 hangar fire at Monroeville AL, NR25317 and NR25318, and two went to the Dept of Agriculture in 1941 (NR25319, NR25320). The fifth, actually a D-25A airframe, was delivered to White Co in 1942 as NR25313.
White Aircraft A-R
The 1938 White Aircraft A-R was a three seat cabin high wing amphibian powered by a 165hp Ranger. One was built registered NX77Y.
White Aircraft Co / White Aircraft Corp
USA
Donald G. White of Buffalo, New York, formed White Aircraft Co in 1937 at Woodward Airport, Leroy NY. In 1938 the inventory of Jones Aircraft Co was acquired, acquisition of Argonaut Inc followed in 1939. Purchased the rights to Verville AT.
In 1940 became the White Aircraft Corp, Palmer MA, and in 1942 converted to wartime troop glider component production and ended aircraft operations after WW2.
All Aero 