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Flying Aces magazine,
which preceded Air Trails, ran a regular feature titled "Down Memory's Runway" that highlighted older airplane
designs from way back in the 1920s a 1930s, which in this case was a mere 10 to 20 years ago. Full cantilever wings
were just coming into reality as were non-rotary engines. Retractable landing gear models were starting to move
into production, as was a lot of the mix of old and new technology in preparation for America's entrance into World
War II. So far I only have 12 editions of Flying Aces, but I hope to build the collection over time and post
some key items here on Airplanes and Rockets.
As always, I'll gratefully accept donations of magazines or money to buy them (they aren't cheap, even on eBay).
For the record, to date, after a decade of serving this community, I had had exactly one donation of magazines and
exactly zero donations of cash.
Down Memory's Runway
This old-time Vance job of about 1930 was too far advanced for its time. The wing was of full
cantilever design and carried gas tanks in its center panel.
Here we view the Curtiss P-1 B Hawk of 1921. This fast climbing peashooter was pulled through
the air by a Curtiss D-12 engine. Top speed was 185.
Lieutenant Al Williams - now Major - poses with his Curtiss R2C-1 Schneider Cup racer. He took
first honors in that race, which was held on October 6, 1923, with 243.67 m.p.h. - a new world's record. Later,
Williams flew the same machine at 266.6.
A real mail ship! The adventurous days of air mail are gone and letters are now carried by the
airlines. Back when this Curtiss Carrier Pigeon III was used, though, the over land postal job was a one-man task.
This craft was powered with a 600-h.p. Conqueror.
In 1934, the latest Naval experimental fighter was this Curtiss XF13C-1. It seems that the "13"
was bad luck - for this machine ended up in the bone yard along with the Northrop XFT-1 of that year. Pilot had
plenty of visibility but wings were weak.
Posted August 2015
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