Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker

Last updated
CH-300 Pacemaker
Bellanca Pacemaker.jpg
Bellanca CH-300 CF-ATN Pacemaker Canada Aviation Museum
RoleCivil utility aircraft
Manufacturer Bellanca
First flight 1929
Number builtapproximately 35
Developed from Bellanca CH-200
Variants Bellanca CH-400

The Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker was a six-seat utility aircraft, built primarily in the United States in the 1920s and 1930s. It was a development of the Bellanca CH-200, fitted with a more powerful engine and, like the CH-200, soon became renowned for its long-distance endurance.

Contents

Design and development

Bellanca further developed the earlier CH-200 to create the CH-300 Pacemaker. The CH-300 was a conventional, high-wing braced monoplane with fixed tailwheel undercarriage. Like other Bellanca aircraft of the period, it featured "flying struts". [N 1] While the CH-200 was powered by 220 hp Wright J-5 engines, the CH-300 series Pacemakers were powered by 300 hp Wright J-6s. Late in the series, some -300s were fitted with 420 hp Pratt & Whitney Wasps, leading to the CH-400 Skyrocket series.

Operational history

Hawaiian Airlines restored their first Bellanca, NC-251M, seen flying over Honolulu International Airport 1929 Bellanca Pacemaker over HNL.jpeg
Hawaiian Airlines restored their first Bellanca, NC-251M, seen flying over Honolulu International Airport

Pacemakers were renowned for their long-distance capabilities as well as reliability and weight-lifting attributes, which contributed to their successful operation throughout the world. In 1929, George Haldeman completed the first nonstop flight from New York to Cuba in 12 hours, 56 minutes, flying an early CH-300 (c. 1,310 miles, 101.3 mph). In 1931, a Bellanca fitted with a Packard DR-980 diesel, piloted by Walter Lees and Frederick Brossy, set a record for staying aloft for 84 hours and 33 minutes without being refuelled. This record was not broken until 55 years later.

In Alaska and the Canadian bush, Bellancas were very popular. Canadian-operated Bellancas were initially imported from the United States, but later, six were built by Canadian Vickers in Montreal and delivered to the RCAF (added to the first order of 29 made in 1929), which used them mainly for aerial photography.

In May 1964, Capt. A.G.K.(Gath) Edward, a senior Air Canada pilot, and Ken Molson (the then curator of the Aviation Museum of Canada based at Rockcliffe) traveled to Juneau Alaska to ferry Bellanca Pacemaker NC3005 back to the museum which had obtained the aircraft. Edward had flown a similar model of the Pacemaker floatplane for General Airways starting in June 1935 during his bushflying days. He and Molson delivered it to its final resting place in the museum on May 30, 1964, after a trip taking five days and just over 30 hours of flight time. The aircraft was reregistered CF-ATN as the original registered a/c was destroyed in an accident in June 1938.

Record attempts

One of the first records set by a Bellanca CH-300 series aircraft occurred on July 28–30, 1931, when Russell Norton Boardman (age 33) and John Louis Polando (age 29) flew from Floyd Bennett Field — a famous New York City-area early airport on western Long Island from which many record flights originated — to Istanbul, Turkey aboard an earlier model of the Wright R-975-powered CH-300, a Bellanca "Special J-300" high-wing monoplane named Cape Cod , registration NR761W, making it safely to Istanbul nonstop in 49:20 hours, establishing a distance record of 5,011.8 miles (8,065.7 km), the first known nonstop record flight in aviation history whose distance surpassed either the English (5,000 mi) or metric (8,000 km) mark. [1]

On June 3, 1932, Stanislaus F. Hausner, flying a Bellanca CH Pacemaker named Rose Marie, powered by a 300-hp Wright J-6, attempted a transatlantic flight from Floyd Bennett Field, New York, to Warsaw, Poland. The attempt failed when he made a forced landing at sea; he was rescued by a British tanker eight days later. [2]

Bellanca CH-300, "Lituanica", on the reverse of 10 litas banknote 10 litai (2001).jpg
Bellanca CH-300, "Lituanica", on the reverse of 10 litas banknote

On July 15, 1933 6:24 AM two Lithuanian pilots Steponas Darius ir Stasys Girėnas flying a heavily modified CH-300 named Lituanica lifted off from Floyd Bennet Field to attempt a non stop transatlantic flight. They successfully crossed the Atlantic, however crashed in the forest near Pszczelnik, Poland. Flying replica of the plane is on display in Lithuanian museum of Aviation, the wreckage of the original is kept in Vytautas Magnus War museum, Kaunas, Lithuania.

Variants

Operators

Canadian Red Ensign (1921-1957).svg  Canada
Austin Airways
Canadian Airways
Royal Canadian Air Force (13)
Starratt Airways
Flag of El Salvador.svg  El Salvador
TACA Airlines
Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico
Aeronaves de Mexico
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway
Widerøes Flyveselskap
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Civil Aeronautics Authority (5+)
Department Of Commerce
Inter-Island Airways (Hawaiian Airlines)
Star Air Service
Wien Air Alaska

Surviving aircraft

Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker NC688E at EAA AirVenture, Oshkosh in July 2016 Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker NC688E.jpg
Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker NC688E at EAA AirVenture, Oshkosh in July 2016

/upd this is replica, made by pilot/ engineer Vladas Kensgaila. Base aircraft to create was used is Jakovlev YAK-18. The N688E was register number for highly modyfied Bellanca CH-300, used for non stop transatlantic flight (New York - Kaunas, LT) by lithuanian pilots Steponas Darius and Stasys Girenas in 1933.

Canada

upd: Sold to former president of Lithuania Rolandas Paksas. Made first flight in Lithuanian skies on 6th of April 2022. https://www.respublika.lt/lt/naujienos/lietuva/kitos_lietuvos_zinios/pasigrozekite-pirmasis-istorinio-lektuvo-bellanca-skrydis-lietuvoje/ (lit)

United States

Specifications

Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker 3-view drawing from Aero Digest April,1930 Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker 3-view Aero Digest April,1930.png
Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker 3-view drawing from Aero Digest April,1930

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Related development

Related lists

Related Research Articles

Lockheed Vega Utility transport aircraft by Lockheed

The Lockheed Vega is an American six-passenger high-wing monoplane airliner built by the Lockheed Corporation starting in 1927. It became famous for its use by a number of record-breaking pilots who were attracted to the rugged and very long-range design. Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean in one, and Wiley Post used his to prove the existence of the jet stream after having flown around the world twice.

Lockheed Constellation Family of US airliners with 4 piston engines, 1943

The Lockheed Constellation ("Connie") is a propeller-driven, four-engined airliner built by Lockheed Corporation starting in 1943. The Constellation series was the first pressurized-cabin civil airliner series to go into widespread use. Its pressurized cabin enabled commercial passengers to fly well above most bad weather for the first time, thus significantly improving the general safety and ease of air travel.

Canadian Pacific Air Lines 1942-1987 airline, formed Canadian Airlines International

Canadian Pacific Air Lines was a Canadian airline that operated from 1942 to 1987. It operated under the name CP Air from 1968 to 1986. Headquartered at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, British Columbia, it served domestic Canadian as well as international routes until it was purchased by Pacific Western Airlines and absorbed into Canadian Airlines International.

Santa Barbara Municipal Airport Municipal airport in Goleta, California, United States

Santa Barbara Municipal Airport is 7 miles (11 km) west of downtown Santa Barbara, California, United States. SBA covers 948 acres of land.

The Lockheed Model 10 Electra is an American twin-engined, all-metal monoplane airliner developed by the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation in the 1930s to compete with the Boeing 247 and Douglas DC-2. The type gained considerable fame as one was flown by Amelia Earhart on her ill-fated around-the-world expedition in 1937.

Ford Trimotor American piston three-engined transport aircraft

The Ford Trimotor is an American three-engined transport aircraft. Production started in 1925 by the companies of Henry Ford and ended on June 7, 1933. A total of 199 Ford Trimotors were made. It was designed for the civil aviation market, but also saw service with military units.

This is a list of aviation-related events from 1931:

This is a list of aviation-related events from 1926:

This is a list of aviation-related events from 1929:

Lockheed Model 18 Lodestar American passenger transport aircraft of the World War II era

The Lockheed Model 18 Lodestar is a passenger transport aircraft of the World War II era.

<i>Lituanica</i> Transatlantic Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker (1933)

Lituanica was a Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker airplane flown from the United States across the Atlantic Ocean by Lithuanian pilots Steponas Darius and Stasys Girėnas in 1933. After successfully flying 6,411 km, it crashed, due to undetermined circumstances, 650 km from its destination, Kaunas, Lithuania.

Bush plane Airplane used in remote or underdeveloped areas

A bush airplane is a general aviation aircraft used to provide both scheduled and unscheduled passenger and flight services to remote, undeveloped areas, such as the Canadian north or bush, Alaskan tundra, the African bush, or savanna, Amazon rainforest or the Australian Outback. They are used where ground transportation infrastructure is inadequate or does not exist.

Bellanca Aircruiser Aircraft built by Bellanca Aircraft Corporation

The Bellanca Aircruiser and Airbus were high-wing, single-engine aircraft built by Bellanca Aircraft Corporation of New Castle, Delaware. The aircraft was built as a "workhorse" intended for use as a passenger or cargo aircraft. It was available with wheels, floats or skis. The aircraft was powered by either a Wright Cyclone or Pratt and Whitney Hornet engine. The Airbus and Aircruiser served as both commercial and military transports.

Wien Air Alaska

Wien Air Alaska was a United States airline formed from NorthernConsolidated Airlines(NCA) and Wien Alaska Airways. The company was famous for being the first airline in Alaska, and one of the first in the United States; it ceased operations 38 years ago on 23 November 1984 when it was operating as Wien.

Noel Wien was an American pioneer aviator. He was the founder of Wien Alaska Airways.

Buhl Airsedan 1927 American single-engine sesquiplane cabin light transport aircraft

The Buhl AirSedan was a family of American civil cabin sesquiplane aircraft developed and manufactured by the Buhl Aircraft Company in the late 1920s. One example completed the first transcontinental non-stop roundtrip flight, made in 1929 by the CA-6 Spokane Sun-God, and the first Pope to have flown did so in a Buhl Airsedan.

Travel Air 6000

The Travel Air 6000 was a six-seat utility aircraft manufactured in the United States in the late 1920s.

Alaska Coastal Airlines was an airline in the United States. It was formed in 1939 as a result of the merger of Alaska Air Transport and Marine Airways. On April 1, 1962, Alaska Coastal Airlines merged with Ellis Air Lines, trading for a while as Alaska Coastal-Ellis Airlines. Alaska Coastal Airlines was taken over by Alaska Airlines in April 1968.

Star Air Service, later Star Air Lines and Alaska Star Airlines was an American air service in Alaska from 1932 to 1944. With financial help from a wealthy Alaska miner, three pilots who had started a flying school and charter business in Seattle, shipped an open-cockpit biplane by steamship to Alaska in March 1932. Star Air Service was incorporated in April, 1932 in Anchorage with capitalization of $4,000. The company had some early success training student pilots, but their airplane was destroyed in a crash. Their financial backer helped them purchase a larger plane with an enclosed cabin which supported winter operations.

Aviation in Hawaii

Hawaii's first aeronautical event was on 2 March 1889, when Emil L. Melville hung from a trapeze in a balloon. Hawaii's first aircraft flight was on 31 December 1910 by a Curtiss Biplane.

References

Notes

  1. The Bellanca wing struts serve not only to brace the wing structure, but are also airfoils that contribute to the lift of the aircraft.

Citations

  1. "'Cape Cod's' Success Climaxes 5 Years [of] Bellanca Records". The Sunday Morning Star, Wilmington, DE. August 2, 1931. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
  2. "The Golden Age of Aviation at Floyd Bennett Field: The 1930s." Gateway National Recreation Area, September 11, 2007. Retrieved: May 16, 2009.
  3. 1 2 "Bellanca." Aerofiles. Retrieved: December 28, 2009.
  4. "Canadian Civil Aircraft Register: Aircraft Details [CF-ATN]". Transport Canada. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  5. Dufault, Randy (29 July 2016). "The Only One Flying". EAA. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  6. "Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker". Ingenium. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  7. "Airframe Dossier - Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker, c/n 181, c/r CF-ATN {1}". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  8. "FAA REGISTRY [N33FP]". Federal Aviation Administration. U.S. Department of Transportation. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  9. "FAA REGISTRY [N251M]". Federal Aviation Administration. U.S. Department of Transportation. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  10. "Hawaiian Air's first plane returns". HonoluluAdvertiser.com. 9 October 2009. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  11. Schiff, Barry (5 May 2011). "ISLAND KING: HAWAIIAN AIRLINES CELEBRATES 80 YEARS". AOPA Pilot. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  12. "CIVILIAN AIRCRAFT". Virginia Aviation Museum. Archived from the original on 2 June 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  13. "Airframe Dossier - Bellanca CH-400, c/n 187, c/r N237". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 7 July 2020.

Bibliography

  • Szurovy, Geza. Bushplanes. St. Paul, Minnesota: Zenith Press, 2004. ISBN   0-7603-1478-0.
  • Taylor, Michael J.H. Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions, 1989, p. 149.