Wedell-Williams Model 22 | |
---|---|
NR10337, Model 22 Prototype | |
Role | Racing aircraft |
National origin | United States |
Manufacturer | Wedell-Williams Air Service Corp. Patterson, Louisiana |
Designer | James R. Wedell |
First flight | 1930 |
Introduction | July 21, 1930 Cirrus All-American Flying Derby |
Retired | 1935 National Air Races at Cleveland |
Status | No survivors. |
Primary users | Wedell-Williams Air Service Corp. W.A. McDonald |
Produced | 1930-1934 Patterson, Louisiana New Orleans, Louisiana |
Number built | 2 |
Developed into | Wedell-Williams Model 44 |
The Wedell-Williams Model 22 was a racing aircraft, two examples of which were built in the United States in the early 1930s by the Wedell-Williams Air Service Corporation. It was one of three early projects by aircraft designer Jimmy Wedell to create a racer and was built specifically to compete in the 1930 All-American Flying Derby from Buffalo to Detroit. It was a braced, low-wing monoplane originally powered by an inline Cirrus engine and equipped with fixed landing gear in large spats.
A replica Model 22 is on display at the Wedell-Williams Aviation & Cypress Sawmill Museum, Patterson, Louisiana.
Experienced air-racer Wedell formed a business partnership in 1929 with millionaire Harry P. Williams after giving him flying lessons. Initial plans were to teach flying, provide an aerial photography service and win an airmail contract. Wedell's passion for air-racing led him to convince Williams to build a racer for the January, 1930 Miami Air Races.
This first aircraft was named "We-Will" but as development and testing continued it became apparent it would not be ready for the 1930 Miami event. Wedell halted development of the "We-Will" design and began two new aircraft, the "We-Winc" and the "We-Will Jr". [1]
Of these two aircraft, the We-Will Jr would eventually evolve into the "Model 22". It was designed to compete in the American Cirrus Engine Company's "All-American Flying Derby". The only requirement was one of the Cirrus aircraft engines be used in the competing racer. Williams chose the supercharged 110 hp Hi-Drive engine which was a popular choice of racers at the time. Gross weight was 1,660 lbs and it could carry 54 gallons of gasoline. [2]
The race began at Detroit, Michigan on July 21, 1930 and was a 5,500 mile cross country endurance race that would end back in Detroit. [3] The hazardous nature of the journey and level of technology at the time challenged the participants and their machines to the utmost. Wedell, piloting the NR10337 and sporting the race number 17, was in contention for first place all the way to the stop at Houston. After this mechanical trouble hampered his efforts and reduced his finish to eighth place. [4]
The NR10337 was next entered in the 1930 National Air Races in Chicago. With the underpowered Cirrus Hi-Drive the performance of the craft was disappointing. Wedell flew in the 350cu free-for-all, finishing third and in the 450cu free-for-all finishing fifth.
Wedell turned his attention to the larger We-Will and We-Willc, with the NR10337 languishing until 1932. In order to compete in the lower power classes, the aircraft was substantially rebuilt. The fuselage was shortened from the wing root aft, the wings were shortened while the Cirrus engine was retained. A Hamilton Standard ground adjustable propeller was fitted for the first time to the Cirrus. The cockpit and cowling were redesigned to be more aerodynamic. Aerodynamic wheel "pants" and "spats" made its first appearance on a Wedell-Williams design, a feature that would be an icon of its larger, more successful cousins. The aircraft was re-registered as NR60Y and was officially designated "Model 22". In this configuration the NR60Y competed in smaller races throughout the south during 1932.
In preparation for the 1933 Los Angeles National Air Races, the NR60Y's Cirrus engine was replaced with a Menasco B6 Buccaneer air-cooled engine. Given race number 54, it was entered in the Shell Speed Dash 550cu race and piloted by W.A. McDonald. In the preliminary events, the Menasco proved troublesome and performance was disappointing. While taxiing, the Menasco engine backfired and ignited the fabric fuselage. The engine was removed from the frame and later installed in the NR64Y. The frame was placed in storage at the Western Airways hangar in Los Angeles until 1934 when Dave Elmendorf purchased it. [5]
1933 brought more development on the Model 22. A second aircraft, NR64Y, was begun in cooperation with the Delgato Trade School in New Orleans. Construction of this aircraft was overseen by a senior mechanic E.D. Dennis. The entire rear fuselage was covered mainly with plywood utilizing a Delgato design. Not ready in time for the 1933 Nationals, NR64Y was trucked to Chicago for the 1933 International Air Races. After a brief test flight on September 1, the aircraft proved to be underpowered with the Menasco B6. Wedell entered one event but retired after a single lap. Testing continued briefly on February 5, 1934, but Wedell decided that further testing of the NR64Y was not warranted and donated the aircraft to Louisiana State University where it was eventually scrapped.
In 1934, Elmendorf began reconstruction of his Model 22. Al Novotny, a former Wedell-Williams employee was hired for the work. A Menasco B6 was fitted to the airframe. Elmendorf flew the NR60Y from Los Angeles to Cleveland for the 1935 National Air Races. He entered the 549cu race as number 22 and qualified fourth but finished a disappointing seventh. In 1936, Elmendorf sold NR60Y and it is presumed the airframe was scrapped.
General characteristics
Performance
Related development Wedell-Williams Model 44 - Wedell-Williams Model 45 - Wedell-Williams XP-34
The Wedell-Williams XP-34 was a fighter aircraft design submitted to the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) before World War II by Marguerite Clark Williams, widow of millionaire Harry P. Williams, former owner and co-founder of the Wedell-Williams Air Service Corporation.
The Wedell-Williams Model 44 is a racing aircraft, four examples of which were built in the United States in the early 1930s by the Wedell-Williams Air Service Corporation. It began as a rebuilding of the partnership's successful We-Will 1929 racer, but soon turned into a completely new racing monoplane aircraft, powered by a large radial engine. Model 44s became the dominant racers of the 1930s, setting innumerable records including setting a new world speed record in 1933.
The Wedell-Williams Model 45 was a racing aircraft built in the United States in 1933.
The Ryan STs were a series of two seat, low-wing monoplane aircraft built in the United States by the Ryan Aeronautical Company. They were used as sport aircraft, as well as trainers by flying schools and the militaries of several countries.
The Northrop N-1M, also known by the nickname "Jeep", is a retired American experimental aircraft used in the development of the flying wing concept by Northrop Aircraft during the 1940s.
Roscoe Turner was a record-breaking American aviator who was a three-time winner of the Thompson Trophy air race and widely recognized by his flamboyant style and his pet, Gilmore the Lion. He also founded a US domestic airline, ultimately called Lake Central Airlines, that in 1968 merged into Allegheny Airlines, the predecessor to US Airways.
Great Lakes Aircraft Company is an aircraft manufacturer known for the 2T-1A Sport Trainer biplane. The company has a long history of building both private and military aircraft.
The Avro Avian is a series of British light aircraft designed and built by Avro in the 1920s and 1930s. While the various versions of the Avian were sound aircraft, they were comprehensively outsold by the de Havilland Moth and its descendants.
The Menasco Pirate series are four-cylinder, air-cooled, in-line, inverted aero-engines, built by the Menasco Motors Company of Burbank, California, for use in light general and sport aircraft during the 1930s and 1940s. The Menasco engines came in both normally aspirated and supercharged forms, with the supercharged models exhibiting superior performance at higher altitudes, with a relatively small increase in dimensions and weight. The supercharged models had the S suffix added to their designation to show supercharging.
The Fairchild 22 Model C7 was an American two-seat touring or training monoplane designed and built by the Kreider-Reisner division of the Fairchild Aircraft Corporation at Hagerstown, Maryland.
The Gee Bee Sportster was a family of sports aircraft built in the United States in the early 1930s by the Granville Brothers. They were low-wing strut- and wire-braced monoplanes of conventional, if short-coupled, design, with open cockpits and fixed, tailskid undercarriage.
The Brown Aircraft Co was an American aircraft manufacturer of the 1930s and 1940s.
The Granville Gee Bee Model Z was an American racing aircraft that was built, successfully raced to victory, then destroyed in a deadly crash – all in 1931. It was the first of the Super Sportster aircraft built by Granville Brothers Aircraft of Springfield, Massachusetts, with the sole intent of winning the Thompson Trophy, which it did in September 1931. Its fatal crash that December started the reputation of subsequent Gee Bee aircraft as killers.
The Cessna GC-1 was an air racer built to compete in the Cirrus All American Air Derby in 1930.
The Folkerts SK-1,Speed King One, Mono Special, Matilda, Fordon-Neumann Special, Hardwick-Whittenbeck Special was a racer built for the 1930 American Cirrus Aircraft Engine Company sponsored American Cirrus Derby.
Chief Oshkosha.k.a.Buster is a homebuilt racing plane designed to compete in the 1931 American Cirrus Races.
The Folkerts SK-3 a.k.a. "Jupiter, Pride of Lemont" was the third in a series of air racers developed by Clayton Folkerts.
The Menasco Manufacturing Company was an American aircraft engine and component manufacturer.
James Robert Wedell was a famous 1930s racing pilot and aircraft designer. Wedell broke the world record for land-plane speed in 1933 when he clocked 305.33 m.p.h. in a Wedell-Williams aircraft of his own design. He won the Thompson Trophy air race in the same year. Wedell's company, the Wedell-Williams Air Service Corporation, won 14 "distinguished finishes" in the Thompson and Bendix Trophy races.
Harry Palmerston Williams was a Louisiana businessman and co-owner of the Wedell-Williams Air Service Corporation that dominated air racing in the United States during the so-called Golden Age of Aviation.