1996: PO Box 1077, Columbia, California, USA.
Built the F1D racer
Manufacturer
Kellett
Under Pitcaim-Cierva license developed and built autogiros at Philadelphia from 1929. A K-3 was taken to the Antarctic by Admiral Byrd on his second expedition in 1933, piloted by William S. McCormick. K-4 had two side-byside seats with demountable enclosure but retained wings. KD-1 of 1934 had tandem seats but was wingless and had direct-control rotor. In 1938 U.S. Army Air Corps bought seven Kellett autogiros for experimental use. From 6 July 1939 a Kellett KD-1 B of Eastern Airlines operated the first scheduled mail service by a rotary-wing aircraft, from the roof of the Philadelphia Post Office and the Camden airport. In 1939 Kellett exported an autogiro to Japan (see Kayaba). YG-1 was developed into XR-2 and XR-3 for the U.S. Army. XR-8 and XR-8A of 1943/1945 had twin side – by- side rotors. As Kellett Aircraft Corporation the company later undertook research and development contracts and subcontracting. Built its own KH-15 single-seat research helicopter (1954), the world’s first rocket-driven helicopter. In late 1950s attempted unsuccessfully to resume production of pre-war KD-1 A direct-control autogiro.
Hughes owned Kellett designs.
Keleher
1980: James Keleher, 2150 Chester Dr, Tracy, CA 95376, USA.
Built the Lark-IK-1 LSA
Kébouroff-Vasiliev
Vissarion Kébouroff (ბესარიონ ქებურია / Виссарион Савельевич Кебуров) took flying lessons from Blériot at his flying school in Pau where he obtained a brevet from the Aero Club de France on August 29, 1910, No.209, becoming the first licensed aviator from Georgia. On his return to Russia he brought back two Blériot monoplanes which he flew there frequently. As these machines were rapidly worn out and in need of repair, Kébouroff worked together with Alexander Vasiliev to design and built a new monoplane to replace the aging Blériots. Kébouroff and Vasiliev actually built a pair.
Kearney & Trecker
Kearney & Trecker Milling Machine Company was — probably still is — located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In the 1950’s and 60’s they leased 2 hangers on the west side of General Billy Mitchell Field in Milwaukee next to the Air National Guard with it’s F-86’s. The north hanger housed the business aviation division of the milling machine company. They had a DC-3, a Cessna 182, a Piaggio Royal Gull, and an aero-coupe.
I was 10 years old in 1958 and my dad (Brian Heath) was the mechanic for the operation, co-pilot on the DC-3, and pilot on the others. They flew milling machine sales people and maintenance people around the eastern U.S. And they often flew the company owners and brass on vacations and fishing trips.
The south hanger housed Kearney & Trecker’s other business investment — a contract with Piaggio in Italy to assemble and sell Royal Gulls. Later the P-166 executive plane was added. The first P-166 at Mitchell Field was a prototype. It was the only one I ever saw, but I did ride in it several times. While the two businesses were legally separate, the mechanics/pilots often consulted with each other.
Brian Heath
Keane Aircraft Co
Horace Keane was born July 29, 1885 and was raised in the town of St. Joseph, Michigan. His family was well known in theatrical circles. Horace had a genius for things mechanical, and received an engineering education at Armour Institution of Technology.
After graduation, he assisted Augustus Herring in building gliders. At the age of 17, he made his first solo in a glider from the top of a sand dune along the shore of Lake Michigan. In 1903 he toured Europe with Octave Chanute, building and flying planes of his own design. Upon his return to Amereica, he went to work for the Chicago Milwaukee Electric Railroad helping to design interurban cars.
His main interest was aviation and he was soon busy building and flying planes of his own design. Later, after World War I, he bought up a number of war surplus planes and went into barnstorming. None of his promotions proved to be financially successful.
1920: (Horace) Keane Aeroplanes, North Beach, Long Island NY.
c.1921: Acquired inventory and manufacturing rights to ACE (Aircraft Engr Co, NY). Photos of the ACE K-1 appeared in some Keane ads.
c.1925: Keane Aircraft Corp, Keyport NJ.
The Klemm design was briefly revived by Keane Aircraft Co, Keyport, in 1937.
In 1940 he organized the Zodiac Aircraft Company to produce training planes. Contracts for the planes were obtained but Keane soon found himself edged out of the picture.
After World War II, he served as a consulting engineer to a number of aircraft firms. Upon retirement, he went to live in Topanga, California. At the time of his death May 7, 1974, he was visiting his daughter in England.
Kazan Aviation Institute
Russia
Founded 1939, and since 1951 has manufactured Mil helicopters.
The Kazan Aviation Institute at Kazan on the River Volga, nearly 500 miles east of Moscow, has designed and produced some of Russia’s most notable sailplanes, especially the very advanced KAI-19 high performance all-metal single-seater which, in two-seater form, broke the world’s 300km closed circuit speed record on 1 August 1964, and the KAI-17 training glider.
Own designs are Ansat twin-turboshaft light multipurpose helicopter (first flown 1998) for up to 10 persons, and Aktay three-seat piston helicopter (to fly about year 2000).
Kayaba
Japan
In 1939 a U.S.-built Kellett KD-1A autogiro was exported to Japan. K. K. Kayaba Seisakusho developed Ka-1 along similar lines for Japanese Navy; used for observation, antisubmarine patrol (incl. shipbome), and for testing rocket augmented rotors. Ka-2 was re-engined.
Kawasaki
Kawasaki aircraft was formed in 1918 as subsidiary of the heavy-industrial complex Kawasaki Jukogyo to build aircraft and aero engines. Based at Kobe, in the early 1930s built Salmson biplanes and engines as well as own designs. Kawasaki had a Dornier license for all-metal construction, and in December 1924 the first Kawasaki-Dornier Wal flying-boat made a notable flight with a German pilot. Thereafter made aircraft mainly for the Japanese Army.
A designer of Kawasaki landplanes was German Dr. Richard Vogt, with the company from 1923 unitl 1933. Vogt designs were Type 88 reconnaissance biplane (1927), Type 92 single-seat biplane fighter (1930), and Ki-3 single-engined biplane bomber. Japanese designed were Ki-10 single-seat fighter biplane (1935), Ki-32 single-engined monoplane bomber (1937), Ki-45 fast and widely used twin-engined fighter (1939), Ki-48 twin-engined light bomber (1939), Ki-61 single-seat fighter (liquid-cooled engine and showing German influence (1941), Ki-100 radial-engined development (1944), and Ki-102 twin-engined fighter (1944).
After the war, in March 1954, a new company of the same name was founded by the merger of Kabushiki Kaisha Kawasaki Gifu Seisakusho and Kawasaki Kikai Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha. The Kawasaki KAL-1 (July 1953) was the first postwar all-metal aircraft of Japanese design. Early production covered 210 Lockheed T-33 jet trainers, 48 Lockheed P-2H Neptunes and 239 Bell Model 47 helicopters, all built under license from the USA. Also made major components for the NAMC YS-11 turboprop transport.
1962:
38 Akashi-machi,
Ikuta-ku,
Kobe
The company reorganized in April 1969 as Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha. In November 1970 flew the C-1 twin turbofan military transport, production aircraft later going to the JASDF. Went on to complete 82 P-2Js (derived from Neptune), 211 KH-4 helicopters (derived from the Model 47), 160 KV107 helicopters (derived from the Boeing Vertol 107 Model II), and many Hughes/McDonnell Douglas Model 500D and OH-6DA helicopters (production continued through 1998). Produced the Lockheed Martin P-3C Orion for the JMSDF; 101st and final aircraft delivered in 1997, when four EP-3/UP-3D electronic intelligence/training variants remained to be delivered up to the year 2000. Kawasaki produced 16 CH-47J examples of Boeing Chinook for the JASDF and compled delivery of 52 CH-47JAs to the JGSDF. It was s prime contractor on the OH-1 Kogata Kansoku armed scout, observation and attack helicopter (first flown August 1996), and had almost completed manufacture of some 200 T-4 intermediate jet trainers and liaison aircraft for the JASDF by 1998. Also constructs components and assemblies for the F-15J and various Airbus and Boeing airliners. Kawasaki teamed with Eurocopter on the BK117 helicopter, and has engine and space programs.
Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Limited is an international corporation and has headquarters in both Chūō-ku, Kobe and Minato, Tokyo. As of 31 March 2013 Kawasaki had 34,010 employees, total assets of ¥ 1.3 trillion at March 31, 2012, and a nett income ¥ 23.3 billion at March 31, 2012.
Kawanishi / ShinMaywa / Shin Meiwa
In July 1924 a Kawanishi biplane seaplane made a round- Japan flight in nine days. The company formed as Kawanishi Kokuki Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha in November 1928, taking over the factory and windtunnel (at Kobe) of Kawanishi Machine Works. Held Short Bros license and was Rolls-Royce agent. At the time of formation was supplying aircraft, components, and accessories to Japanese Navy.
Early types included a single-seat biplane fighter and a two-seat long-range high-wing monoplane. At the end of 1930 moved to new works at Narao. In February 1933 flew new three-seat reconnaissance floatplane (E7K) adopted by Japanese Naval Service. Short and Rolls-Royce connections manifested in Navy type 90-2 (K.F.1) flying boat, built in England, assembled in Japan. Built from 1936 a highly successful long-range maritime reconnaissance/ bomber/transport flying-boat, the strut-braced H6K. Subsequent H8K had deep hull and cantilever wing. N1K single-seat fighter monoplane of 1942 originated as floatplane but was developed into outstanding landplane. Projects included suicide aircraft based on German V-1.
ShinMaywa (or Shin Meiwa) became the title of the Kawanishi company after reestablishment in October 1949 as overhaul center for Japanese and U.S. aircraft. Also made components for other constructors, developed re-engined de Havilland Heron.
1962:
Shin Meiwa Industry Co Ltd
125 Agenaruo-Naruocho,
Nishinomiya City
Shin Meiwa’s technical adviser, Dr Shizuo Kikuhara, designed the Type 97 and Type 2 multi-engined flying-boats used by the former Imperial Japanese Navy.
Under his leadership, the company designedg a medium-range patrol flying-boat for the JMSDF. It is also producedfuselage and tail assemblies of the P2V-7 Neptune for Kawasaki and components of the NAMC YS-11, and was licensed to overhaul DH Gipsy Queen engines.
Much other overhaul work is done for the US and Japanese services.
After contract in January 1966 directed attention especially to new marine aircraft. Rebuilt a Grumman Albatross as a dynamically similar flying model for projected very large STOL ASW flying-boat for Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force. The latter type developed as four-turboprop PS-1, but later also as U.S.-1 amphibious search-and-rescue aircraft. PS-1 flew October 1967; U.S.- 1 October 1974. First prototype PS-1 converted later as waterbombing test vehicle. Basic type remarkable for low take-off and landing speeds, achieved by boundary-layer control system and large flaps for slipstream deflection. Company also carries out major subcontract work for advanced Mitsubishi and Kawasaki aircraft, and manufactures components for Boeing 717/ 757/ 767/ 777 and Gulfstream bizjets.
All Aero 