Aircraft Quiz #72, well, not exactly!

[Doug Robertson]

Ths quiz wil be a bit different. I am looking for an American aircraft manufacturer who built automobiles. I am NOT referring to automobile plants that built military airplanes in WWII, nor any foreign aircraft manufacturers of cars such as the Swedish SAAB. The automobiles of this quiz used aircraft engines for motive power in an unusual complex drive train.

1. Aircraft manufacturer of automobiles?

2. Year of manufacture?

3. Full make, model name of the automobiles?

4a. Which aircraft engine used?, 4b. Describe fully the drive train to the wheels.

5. Top speed of the automobiles?

(Crash protection was integral with the automobile design).

[SunvisorFlyer]

Neat change of pace Doug!

So, I don't think this is correct, but I'm having trouble finding other answers that fit.

1. One of Preston's numerous companies. Tucker Aviation Co.? Aircooled Motors/Franklin Engine Company?

2. 1948

3. Tucker 48

4a. Tried a Lycoming engine, switched to a heavily modified O-335.
4b. Front engine/front wheel drive hooked up to a "Tuckermatic" transmission with a electric vaccum shifter (non-mechanical).

5. 120 mph

[Doug Robertson]

I know of no Tucker production Tucker aircraft with FAA certification; and that somewhat obliquely rules out your answers, but I respect your thought processes that came up with those suggestions.

A Franklin engine is, in fact involved as part of the unique and odd power train of the production aircraft manufacturer's automobile of the quiz question. That is part of one correct answer but I won't give further help.

Thanks for your continued interest.

[Doug Robertson]

With over 500 views and no right answers, here are the answers which I suspect will be a huge surprise.

1. Beech Aircraft Company of Wichita, Kansas.

2. 1946.

3. Beechcraft "Plainsman" four-door four-wheeled power fastback six-passenger sedan.

4a. A four cylinder air-cooled Franklin aircraft engine was the motive power. 4b. This engine powered an electrical generator which sent electric power to each of four electric motors that propelled the four-wheel drive vehicle. One electric motor per wheel.

5. Top speed of the streamlined car was 160 mph.

The sleek body was all-aluminum weighing 2,200 lbs. The streamlined car had a low combined grille and front bumper. The sloped windshield was large and tall in relation to the four-door body. The four "Bonanza-type" doors and their windows as well as the windshield curved into the car's roof line just as the original Beechcraft Model 35 Bonanza built in 1946 and 1947 after first flying in 1945.

The "Plainsman" was a full six passenger smooth and handsome distinctive-design automobile with generous window area that curved into the roof and streamlined to achieve a top speed of 160 mph. The rear tires were partially covered by the body low to the road surface. The trunk was streamlined into the fastback without any protruding handle. The one-piece hood curved down to the low grill/bumper without any chrome on the hood. Dual headlights were recessed flush with the rounded body work. There were no side view protruding mirrors. The tires had typical "fat" whitewalls of the period. The car had "automatic" air suspension. Visual emphasis was on smoothness, and tight panel fits resulting in the high top speed and 25 mpg economy. The anticipated sales price in 1946 was about $5,000.

Now, I stated in the quiz "who built automobiles" in the plural. Beech Aircraft Company built just two of the "Plainsman" automobiles. I have several photos of the automobile but do not reproduce copyrighted photos of others.

I thank all who pondered this somewhat different aviation quiz.

[SunvisorFlyer]

What confuses me is the decision to put the engine in the rear of the vehicle, given that it limited rear visibility and probably made routing the cooling ducts a bit more complicated.

Then again, Beech didn't enter production on the design, so maybe it would have changed if they had. Also, I'm reading that it had an early version of cruise control, which is pretty slick.

[Doug Robertson]

Re that early automobile cruise control, in a later time frame my 1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia Spider Veloce had a small Tee handle throttle below it's dashboard that a non-Alfa garage mechanic once referred to as a novel cruise control.

How far off aircraft topic can we go here? Just kidding! And, I promise to get back to more aircraft quizzes.