The Ongoing Mystery Aircraft Thread Part Deux.

[Hurricane91]

An-10a...

...those two baddies at the end of the walkway are about to be zapped...

...looks like they already have been, by Valentina Antonova.

Yes, Antonov An-10.

To you Lefty.

[lefty]

Time for a floater....

[Hurricane91]

Perhaps this boat inspired the "Reindeer".

[Moses03]

This the Kauter flying boat of 1922?

Slightly different angle...

[lefty]

Hmmm, this boat has foundered a bit here.

My source (E.R.Johnson's American Flying Boats and Amphibious Aircraft) gives this as the Curtiss-Judson Triplane of 1917.

However, the pics accompanying Aerofiles' description of the Curtiss-Judson show a different aircraft, which is also in Johnson's book, but as the Curtiss FL.

Bowers' Curtiss Aircraft (Putnam) agrees with Johnson about the FL, but shows an entirely different Judson !!

Kevin's source (San Diego Museum?) looks pretty authoritative too, so we'll need some more research, chaps....

In the meantime, over to Texas.....

[Moses03]

Correct on the SDM archive Mike. This was the only source I could scare up. I did research the Curtiss boats but didn't have any luck there either.

Anyhoo, no confusion on this cabin cruiser...

[Moses03]

15 built in this configuration. From a well known company.

[lefty]

From the author of 'American Flying Boats and Amphibians'.

Mike,

Thanks for your input and the nice comments about my book. I am in no way an expert on early, one-of-a-kind flying boats. I tried my best to accurately describe and date the aircraft depicted in Appendix A, but the information on some of them was very sketchy. I do recall discussing with David Ostrowski, my main source of photos, the conflicting data on the so-called Curtiss-Judson Triplane. It appeared to me that aircraft pictured by Aerofiles under the Judson entry was actually the Curtiss FL of 1917 described on page 303 of my Appendix. As stated in the photo caption on Page 304, I really don't know whether this plane was built by Curtiss or by someone else, however, when you compare it with the photo of the FL, it does look like something built from Curtiss parts. I wasn't aware that this aircraft has also been identified as the "Kauter Triplane," as indicated by the photo on the Flickr site. However, I would date the aircraft earlier than 1922 based upon the type of hull, wings, rigging, and powerplant (Curtiss VX) used in its construction.

Best wishes,
E. R. (Buddy) Johnson
Mountain Home, AR USA

I think we're not going to get to the bottom of this !

[Moses03]

Interesting. Thanks for trying to follow up Mike.

[Moses03]

Re-engined and in military use...

[Moses03]

Back to the triplane floater, I found another photo of her:



The boys over at the Aerodrome were trying to sort it earlier this year. Seems they were confused as we are.
http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/ai...nge-730-a.html

Does the pine forest help clue us at all? Pacific Northwest? Northeast USA?

Maybe this is a Canadian refugee?


Edit: Here is the source of the photo I think: http://www.aviation.technomuses.ca/d...ang=e&id=10779

Another: http://www.aviation.technomuses.ca/d...ang=e&id=10780



Edit again: The plot thickens! Check out this photo from Robert Pauley's Michigan Aircraft Manufacturers:




The Air Yacht was originally a triplane!

The photo at the SDM archive was labeled Kauter by mistake no doubt (not the first time I have come across this- no worries as they had thousands of photos to manage). The year of 1922 matches as well.

This has to be the Kanter-Judson Air Yacht in it's original configuration.

[DHC2Pilot]

I believe our mystery bird is the Potez 29.

[Moses03]

The Potez 29/4 to be exact. Yes Sir.

Have at it. I'm off to bed.

[DHC2Pilot]

up next....

[lefty]

This is a little Belgian bird - the Wielemans S.W.1.



More really interesting stuff on the Kanter-Judson-Curtiss-biplane-triplane-floater. What I find intriguing is that Kevin's latest pic is from Dave Ostrowski, the same photo collector who collaborates with Mr Johnson. Hmmm.....