Backcountry Pilot • Any Ideas?

Any Ideas?

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Wed Oct 24, 2012 9:32 pm

Any Ideas?

A friend of mine sent me this pic of her grandfather back in the 1930's. He flew for the "weather service" in Omaha. Any idea what airplane this is?

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Gump
GumpAir offline
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Thu Oct 25, 2012 3:43 am

Re: Any Ideas?

GumpAir wrote:A friend of mine sent me this pic of her grandfather back in the 1930's. He flew for the "weather service" in Omaha. Any idea what airplane this is?

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Gump

A dang COLD ONE.......those guys were tuff.... =D>
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Thu Oct 25, 2012 5:41 am

Re: Any Ideas?

My bets on a Travelair or old Boeing??

Both are high wings. Read a book about a guy named Slim Lewis. Old mail pilot in Wyoming in the 30's.
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Thu Oct 25, 2012 6:58 am

Re: Any Ideas?

it has a cool looking cowling around the cylinders.
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Thu Oct 25, 2012 7:28 am

Any Ideas?

Travelairs had the wing struts attached low on the fuselage. These are attached pretty high which is interesting.

Edit: actually I can't tell from the photo if there is a strut at landing gear attach point or if that is a mud streak.
onceAndFutr_alaskaflyer offline
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Thu Oct 25, 2012 7:47 am

Re: Any Ideas?

It could be a Travel Air. You can see that the cabane struts attach at the top the longeron which carries forward along the hinge line for the side cowl piece forward of the firewall...which is tell tale TA. I think the angle of the shot makes them look higher than they really are. More indicative is the bulge of the belly there at the lower wing. If he wasn't standing in the way you could tell for certain by the gear configuration. Also, this one appears to have an enclosed front hole meant for baggage only. Its a little on the big size though compared to him standing there. Maybe he was a short guy. I don't think its big enough to be a Boeing. Doesn't have the outrigger style gear to be a C3 Stearman or Pitcairn.

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Clay offline
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Thu Oct 25, 2012 10:27 am

Re: Any Ideas?

on the right wing it looks like there might be some interplane struts, close to the fuselage.. Which would rule out the Travelaire, well atleast the Travelaire that is pictured...


But of course... I'm always proven wrong :P
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Thu Oct 25, 2012 10:44 am

Re: Any Ideas?

And looking at it again the front flying wires are a different config than the TA, I think ruling it out. I'm going to get an experts opinion, I really want to know now...
Clay offline
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Thu Oct 25, 2012 12:50 pm

Re: Any Ideas?

Asked some friends on FB and they are thinking its a Laird product of some kind. Laird had a commercial product in the LC-R300. I think its a match:

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Clay offline
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Thu Oct 25, 2012 12:55 pm

Re: Any Ideas?

Are those twin venturis on the belly just aft of the cowling next to the pilot's right elbow (in Gump's photo)? Might be a clue.
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Thu Oct 25, 2012 12:57 pm

Re: Any Ideas?

Here's an LCB...and even better match with the more slab sided, less barrel chested fuselage. Shows the step for the rear cockpit too:

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