Our Best American Aircraft
By: Norm Goyer
As part of our nation’s Birthday Celebration, I thought that I would honor, in my opinion, some of America’s most famous aircraft, not the most historical, as in the Wright Brothers Flyer, but in staying power. Let’s start our trip during World War I.
One of the first American designs that was a huge success was the Curtiss JN-4 Jenny. Many are still flying and in museums worldwide.
The most memorable aircraft during the World War I period was the Curtiss JN-4 Jenny. This aircraft taught almost all of our early pilots how to fly, when they became surplus they provided the motion picture industry, in its infancy, the means to showcase daredevil wing walkers, early parachute jumpers and of course the barnstormer’s great finale of crashing a Jenny into a flimsy barn. In 2010 the Curtiss can be seen in all of its restored glory at air shows around the country. Curtiss built thousands of them in upstate New York and powered them with a Curtiss OX-5 V-8 engine complete with exterior overhead valves which required almost hourly greasing to keep the engine from self-destructing. Most of sport flying needs, until the mid 1930s, were supplied by surplus Jennies and Standards.
The second all American airplane that is still almost number one in overall sales is the Piper J-3 Cub designed by Taylor and marketed as the Taylor Cub, then the Piper J-2 Cub then the Piper J-3, L-4 liaison Grasshopper and finally the Piper Super Cub. You can still buy various types of Cubs almost 80 years after the design first took the skies. What a great aircraft. This time period also produced the sensational Douglas DC-3 which rewrote the book on early airline travel.
The Vought Corsair is one of the most readily recognized aircraft ever, due to its unique inverted gull wing.
Before the days of World War II, the Thompson Trophy races produced another American aircraft icon, the Granville Brother’s Gee Bee R-2 which carried another American icon, Jimmy Doolittle, to victory in 1932. It is probably the most recognizable racing aircraft of all time.
World War II was the smorgasbord of single purpose aircraft design. The North American P-51 Mustang, Vought Corsair, Lockheed P-38 Lightning, Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, Douglas C-47 Dakota, North American B-25 Mitchell led us to victory in the skies. Boeing B-17 and B-29 Fortresses, and many others, provided the world with long-distance bombing capability. World War II also provided sport aviation with thousands of surplus aircraft for pennies on the dollar. The best civilian flying of all times were during these post war years. Read this week’s Under the Radar for more on this subject. All of the above aircraft can be seen at air shows around the country and in many aviation museums.
Cessna produced the C-195 Businessliner complete with huge radial engine, cantilever wings and plush seating for five, one of the America's finest aircraft. It is still hugely popular with restorers. I owned one for many years and flew it all over North America.
Post World War II flying was dominated by two and four passenger training and family transportation aircraft. The Cessna 195 was one of the best aircraft ever produced for family and business transportation. Some may believe that this big radial engine tail dragger was too hard to land, wrong, this plane was light years ahead in design and quality. This was followed by the Beechcraft Bonanza with its distinctive “V” tail. The Cessna 180/185 four and five passenger utility aircraft are still in very high demand although they have been off the market for many years. Mooney aircraft have a huge following for those who like to go fast on thimbles of fuel. I found that the Mooney had a cabin that was too small for big people and routine engine maintenance was super hard due to very cramped engine quarters. Both Cessna and Piper had very popular heavy haulers with their 206 and Cherokee 6 offerings, both are outstanding aircraft, take your pick, low wing or high wing.
The overall most popular and useful aircraft ever designed for student training has to be the great American Cessna 150/152 series of two-place trainers, no other aircraft even came close to their rightfully earned popularity. The most popular family aircraft is the Cessna 172, which also possesses one of the best safety records of any aircraft. For larger families and small business owners, the Cessna 310 series and Piper’s Seneca light twins have taught more multi-engine pilots than any other. I earned my rating in a Seneca, great aircraft.
Piper's Cherokee 6, along with the Cessna 206, provided American aviation with aircraft capable of lifting huge loads, plus the ability to operate from primitive runways.
Modern military aircraft have to include the SR-71 Blackbird, F-4 Phantom and the single engine F-16, the Fighting Falcon. These are all true American proven fighting machines. We finish our tribute to all-time great American aircraft with the absolute greatest achievement, the Space Shuttle. Happy Birthday American Aviation, long may you dominate.