Alaska Aviation Museum
| Flightline Home | Restoration Hangar | Main Hangar | |
| Shelter | Rasmuson Hangar | ||
| Museum Map (PDF) | Off Site | Outside | South Hangar |
The large oil painting in Hanger number 1 was created by the artist, James Haven in 2007. It depicts Merrill Field in 1932, The airplane in the process of taking off is a Pilgrim and is the same model as the one being restored in our shop today. One of the hangers is one belonging to Art Woodley who created Woodley Airways and who was inducted into our Alaska Aviation Hall of fame. Woodley Airways later became Pacific Northern Airlines which later sold to Western Airlines and ultimately to Delta Airlines. Another hanger was owned by Jack Carr who was a pilot, instructor, mechanic and dealer for Taylorcraft and Stinson airplanes.
In 1928, the Hamilton Metalplane was the twenty first airplane purchased by Northwest Airlines, based in St. Paul, Minnesota. Wien Alaska Airlines purchased the Metalplane in 1937 and brought it to Alaska.
This aircraft is the same model flown by pioneer aviator, Carl Ben Eielson, when he crashed near North Cape, Siberia in 1929. The museum example is one of two remaining in existence today. After an accident in 1939, Wien brothers sold the Metalplane and it belonged to various aircraft collectors in the lower 48 before being acquired by AAQHM. Noel Wien used a sister ship NC10002 to make the 1st flight from North America to Asia in March 1929.
This aircraft crashed and although the major portions of the plane are in possession of the Museum, it has been determined that restoration would be very difficult and cost prohibitive. The fuselage covering is corrugated aluminum.
MaxAir2Air - Photo Essay of a rebuilt Metalplane recovered from Deering, AK
This model of aircraft engine is the successor to the OX-5 that was developed soon after the end of WW-I. The OX-5 had only 1 magneto to fire each cylinder which caused frequent engine failures. The OX-6 had dual magnetos which had fewer failures and set an industry standard for aircraft engines. In 1931 this particular engine powered a WACO-9 known as the Anna on a winter flight in eastern Alaska. The engine did develop a problem and the pilot, Freddie Moller attempted to land in the snow near the Nebesna River. The plane flipped and suffered some damage. In order to salvage the engine, the pilot removed the engine and placed it on a stump. He than took one of the skis off the plane, placed his survival gear on the ski and towed it roughly 40 miles to the community of Tok, taking a bit more than 2 weeks to complete the journey.
The 65 hp Continental is a 4-cylinder, air-cooled, horizontally opposed engine. Its rated HP is at 2300 rpm at sea level. It has a displacement of 171 cu ins. with a bore of 3.875 ins and stroke of 3.625 ins.
Valves are in head with one exhaust valve per cylinder. The cylinder heads are of aluminum alloy and cylinder barrels of forged steel. The crankshaft is forged in one piece of steel and there are three replaceable main bearings. Weight with a dual ignition system is 176.6 lb.
Probably the most popular aircraft using the 65 hp Continental is the J3 Piper Cub. Other aircraft with them are Aeronca 65CA, Ercoupe 415-C, the original Interstate Cadet S-1A, which was remanufactured in Alaska, but with different engines, as the Arctic Tern. The Porterfield CP65 also used this engine.
| Company: | Pratt & Whitney | |
|---|---|---|
| Model: | R-1860 Hornet B | |
| Displacement: | 1,860 cu. in. | 30.5 liters |
| Date: | 1929 | |
| Cylinders: | 9 | |
| Configuration | Single-row, air-cooled radial | |
| Horsepower: | 575 HP | 429 KW |
| RPM: | 1,950 | |
| Bore: | 6.3 in | 171 mm |
| Stroke: | 6.8 in | 191 |
| Diameter: | 54.41 in | 1.382 m |
| Weight: | 860 lbs | 390 kg |
Three cylinder radial engine built in Holland, Michigan in the 1920s and 30s.
hollandsentinel.com
Szekely-aircraft-topic-of-Vintage-Car-Club
The name Waco comes from the initials of the original company name, Weaver Aircraft Company, founded in the early 1920s. This aircraft was certificated in April, 1934, the model YKC became the company’s best selling model. They were comfortable, fast and well equipped. On September 28, 1934 an application for commercial aircraft license states was submitted. It showed the date of manufacture as September 1934. The application was approved and the aircraft number became NC14066.
A Repair and Alteration form states both propeller blades were straightened at the 30 Inch station. This form shows 24 January 1938 as the date of the accident that bent the blades. Another Repair and Alteration form dated 5 May 1938 states a splice was made on the rear spar carry thru and the motor mount. All wing fittings were removed and replaced. The aircraft must have flipped over as the landing gear wasn’t damaged.
This aircraft came to Alaska in Dillingham on 26 November 1939. The following January a Repair and Alteration Form shows the installation of Washington Aircraft skies, model 3600. From 1941 to 1988 Waco N14066 suffered a number of accidents, alterations, and repairs. Alterations included changes in the electrical system from 12 volts to 24 volts and back to 12 volts, changes of propeller types, changes of engines to increase from 225 horsepower to 300 HP, and additional windows in the cabin rear sides.
When WACO model YKC aircraft came from the manufacturing plant, their specifications were as follows even though they may have been modified at a later date.
| Engine: | Jacobs 300 hp | Wing Span: | 33 ft 2.62 in. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length: | 25 ft 2.5 in. | Height: | 8 ft. 6 in. |
| Wing area: | 240 Sq. Ft | Power Loading: | 10.0 lb/hp |
| Wing Loading | 12.5 lb/sq. ft | Empty Weight: | 1773 lbs. |
| Useful load: | 1227 lbs | Payload: | 727 lbs |
| Gross weight: | 3000 lbs | Maximum speed: | 143 m.p.h. |
| Cruising Speed: | 125 m.p.h. | Service Ceiling: | 15,000 ft. |
| Rate of climb: | 800 ft./min. | Cruising Range: | 430 miles |
The Alaska Aviation Museum purchased this aircraft on January 2, 1995. From February 1999 to June 2001 the aircraft underwent an extensive restoration by the staff and volunteers of the museum. This included major repairs to the wings, fuselage and empennage. A complete new interior was fabricated, new doors, both cabin access and baggage, were fabricated and the aircraft was recovered with Poly-Fiber products fabric and painted. During the restoration the rear windows were removed and replaced with fabric to bring the aircraft back to its original appearance.
This Waco was flown to Alaska in 1939 by "Red" Flensburg to establish Dillingham Air Service. It was also owned by Bud Branham, who operated Rainy Pass Lodge in the Alaska Range. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Rasmuson.
1962 - Now officially announced is the King Radio Corp KY-95 transmitter receiver giving 50kc/s channel-spacing over the full 360 channels up to 135.95Mc/s. The earlier KY-90, with 100kc/s channel-spacing up to 126.9Mc/s has already been granted class 1 approval in Britain. The KY-95 has the same connections, dimensions and power supply as the KY-90 and is therefore interchangeable with it. Weight, including power supply, is less than 8 lb.
Winter flying usually meant changing the landing gear from wheels to skis. Many times, the charter service made and installed their own skis. The photo on the right is a ski from a Ford Tri-Motor. The red fiberglass skis are currently made here in Anchorage.
