EAA and their 2016 OSK aircraft anniversaries

[Mark Bowden]

Has anybody seen the aircraft anniversary list for Oshkosh yet? I’m sure this is an innocent oversight on the Taylorcraft part. But they have errors on other aircraft. I have no idea what they are thinking of on Stearman.

Not sure how to protest to the EAA there doesn’t seem to be a way to send something to them, anybody know?

From what I dug up they have some correct with respect to first flight and delivery in the same year but the following don’t match their claims:

There are some important Tcraft items that line up this year that have some amazing symmetry.
Taylorcraft:

1. First flight of A-model was 1936. 80th anniversary
2. B-12 Model production & sales started 1941, 75th anniversary
3. First stamped sheet metal rib in production on Feb., 1946, 70th anniversary

• All other metal aircraft copied this design/manufacturing process from here on.

RV6, first flew in 1985. This year the anniversary would be 31

C140/120:
140 first flew on 6-28-1945. This year the anniversary would be 76 years
120 first flew on 12-31-1945. This year the anniversary would be 76 years

Interstate Cadet: first flight was in 1940. This year the anniversary would be 76 years

Boeing, incorporated on 7-15-1916, the B&W first flew on 6-16-1916 (before incorporation). Correct anniversary of 100 years.

Stearman:
Incorporated in Oct., 1926. This year the anniversary would be 90 years
Stearman moved back to Wichita and reformed and re-incorporated in 1927. This year the anniversary would be 89 years
Stearman was acquired by Boeing in 1929. This year the anniversary would be 87 years

If I'm wrong on any of the above, please let me know.

[clear_prop1961]

Re: EAA and their 2016 OSK aircraft anniversaries

My hangar neighbor who owns an Interstate tells me that the group will be celebrating 75 years since the start of production (not the first flight) of the aircraft at OSH this year. I don't know why they decided to do it this way, but they hope to have a good size group attend.

I don't believe the "First stamped sheet metal rib in production on Feb., 1946" is correct as I know that the 1928 Curtiss Robin used a stamped metal rib, as well as the 1940 Interstate. Some body correct me if this is wrong.
Jerry

[3Dreaming]

Re: EAA and their 2016 OSK aircraft anniversaries

I think he was speaking specifically of Taylorcraft on the rib.

[waltermrich]

Re: EAA and their 2016 OSK aircraft anniversaries

Interesting facts and nice to know, Thanks

[Mark Bowden]

Re: EAA and their 2016 OSK aircraft anniversaries

I would say the ’46 Taylorcraft had the first successful “production, civilian” execution of (that I know of) stamped wing ribs. Pretty sure the Cadet had riveted truss ribs like the ’45 and earlier Taylorcraft’s.

I think all the Robins had to have plywood bolted to theirs as they collapsed. If a better alloy existed that might have made it work but their bead depth and flanging really wasn’t sufficient. They did give it the first production shot mimicking a riveted truss shape. Taylorcraft succeeded evolving the Short Brothers concept and incorporating the fabric wire clip. I would not be surprised that this took ½ the cost out and 3/4ths of the flow time out of the wing. It would be an interesting study.

I think that the credit for the first metal stamped rib design that worked in flight goes to the Short Brothers. In 1920 they built 1, maybe 2 aircraft, with one sold to the UK government for evaluation of the “radical” all metal aircraft design. The UK government didn’t trust it and would not give it an AW certificate. It used Duralumin with tubular spars, stamped, flanged ribs with flanged lightening holes and riveted skins. I’ve never see a good picture or “clear” description of how they did the stringers. It was initially called the Swallow but changed it to Silver Streak. I don’t know much about how Shorts used the rib design after the Swallow. The plane was tested to destruction after flight test.

Junkers flew what most say was first “practical” all metal aircraft. Ju1 with riveted ribs. The Ju87 Junkers in WWII had stamped, flanged ribs, first flew in mid-30’s. I doubt the Spanish or the Polish were impressed with this improvement at the time.

The commercial achievement of the ’46 Taylorcraft wing is really under-recognized. In today’s terms you could describe it thus, “machined wing attach fittings, unidirectional fiber composite spars, stamped, one-piece, flanged metal ribs, tubular metal inter-spar compression members, sheet metal leading edges and polymer-fabric reinforced wing skins”. Pretty cool, as it sounds just like something from the Skunk Works or Rutan’s shop today.