Hello All
We are building from scratch a full size Curtiss Special that Katherine Stinson used to fly the first mail in Western Canada. The mail was delivered from Calgary to Edmonton. We are unveiling it in 2006.
The problem we’ve run up against is that Ms. Stinson had learnt to fly in a Wright Flyer and when they were building this Curtiss Special she had it modified to have the Wright Flyer flight control system. There are precious few pictures let alone diagrams available so that we can recreate this.
Does anyone have anything that can be used to help us copy this?
PM me or email me at [email]gerryhagan@shaw.ca[/email]
Sincerely Thanks, Gerry
By: turbo_NZ - 13th October 2004 at 01:45
Hi Gerry,
Thanks for the answer. I love hearing about projects like this, where instead of just saying they might , they are actually doing !!
Look forward to hearing more of in the future.
Best regards,
Chris
TNZ
By: Gerry H - 12th October 2004 at 23:36
Hi Chris
That is the infernal question, one day they are and the next they aren’t. I believe the biggest issue is that they’re making the drawings as they go along. I understand the wood they’re using is aircraft grade but some of the other material isn’t. Either way it’ll be a wonderful addition to our collection. It has garnered worldwide attention as we’re recieving info and pictures from around the world but fom what I understand it was a one off.
Thanks for your interest, Gerry
By: turbo_NZ - 12th October 2004 at 05:00
Just purely out of interest, Gerry, is this going to be able to fly ?
And also do you have any pictures ?
One of my ambitions is to build a Pietenpol Air Camper. One day it will happen !!
Cheers
Chris
TNZ
By: Gerry H - 12th October 2004 at 04:04
To add to my original post, the flight control system is made up of 2 control colums and on top of each of these is a lever. The right side lever is the throttle and from what I understand the left side lever is the rudder. The biggest hurdle we’ve run up against is once you’ve set the throttle to what you want how do you keep it at that setting while still being able to manipulate the control column.
thanks Gerry
By: Melvyn Hiscock - 12th October 2004 at 00:26
I’d start with Tom Crouch at the Smithsonian. He is very knowledgeable. Alternatively try the guys in Ohio that are bulding all the replicas. A Google search on Wright Brothers centenary should get you there. As I remember it was a lever for elevators, one for wing warp and pedals for the rudder but that may be wrong. Installing this should be relatively straightforward.
Good luck,
Melvyn Hiscock
By: Chipmunk Carol - 12th October 2004 at 00:05
There were various versions of the Wright Flyer. Do you know which one it was?
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October 12, 2004 at 12:03 am