Goodyear Inflatoplane - First State Radio Control Club

AMA #1256
Official Newsletter of the
2015 Club Officers
President: Ron Becker
VP: Fred Nwokobia
Treasurer: John Gardiner
Secretary: Mike Hunter
Editor: Tim Mihalski
District IV AVP: John Kirchstein
FIRST STATE R/C CLUB
Established 1973
http://www.firststaterc.org
JANUARY 2015
Volume 42 Issue 1
Editor’s Note: Last issue of Contact was the October/November
issue as the Club did not have any meetings since then… next
Club meeting will be in March 2015.Watch for e-mail
announcement.
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MARCH’S MYSTERY AIRCRAFT
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2015 CLUB MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL
except from the Club by-laws….
ARTICLE 8: DUES
4. All dues are payable in advance by November 30 of
each year. Members who do not pay their dues by
December 31 will be listed in the January
newsletter. Any members who do not pay their dues
by January 31 will be dropped from the Club
membership.
Listed below are the unpaid members.
Kim Brown
Regular Member
Charlie Folwell
Regular Member
Artie Harris
Regular Member
Mike Monack
Regular Member
Bob Cyr
Not Renewing
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First State RC Treasurer Year End Results
Editor’s Note: Club Officers received this e-mail 1/1/15. Please
contact Club Treasurer for a copy of these documents.
To all,
Attached is the financial reporting for the month of
December 2014.
Also attached is a complete listing of the posting by account,
by date, and person. Please review and let me know if you have
any questions. I will use this information for the preparation of the
Federal tax return.
I will work on the 2015 budget as well as the delinquent
members who have not paid their dues of 12-31-2014.
Have a Happy New Year.
John O. Gardiner, Jr.
108 Weldin Park Drive
Weldin Park
Wilmington, DE 19803
(302) 762-4538
[email protected]
Goodyear Inflatoplane
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Role: Experimental aircraft
Manufacturer: Goodyear Aircraft Company
First flight: 13 February 1956
Primary user: United States Army
Produced: 1955-1962
Number built: 12
The Goodyear Inflatoplane was an inflatable experimental
aircraft made by the Goodyear Aircraft Company, a subsidiary of
Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, well known for the
Goodyear blimp. Although it seemed an improbable project, the
finished aircraft proved to be capable of meeting its design
objectives although its sponsor, the United States Army,
ultimately cancelled the project when it could not find a "valid
military use for an aircraft that could be brought down by a wellaimed bow and arrow.”
Design and development
The original concept of an all-fabric inflatable aircraft was
based on Taylor McDaniel inflatable rubber glider experiments in
1931. Designed and built in only 12 weeks, the Goodyear
Inflatoplane was built in 1956, with the idea that it could be used
by the military as a rescue plane to be dropped in a hardened
container behind enemy lines. The 44 cubic ft (1.25 cubic meter)
container could also be transported by truck,
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Contact January 2015
First State RC Club, Newcastle, DE
Page 1 of 4
MYSTERY AIRCRAFT continued…
MYSTERY AIRCRAFT continued…
jeep trailer or aircraft. The inflatable surface of this aircraft was
actually a sandwich of two rubber-type materials connected by a
mesh of nylon threads, forming an I-beam. When the nylon was
exposed to air, it absorbed and repelled water as it stiffened,
giving the aircraft its shape and rigidity. Structural integrity was
retained in flight with forced air being continually circulated by
the aircraft's motor.
rendered unable to open it. Only 12 Goodyear Inflatoplanes were
built, but development continued until the project was cancelled
in 1973.
Survivors
Goodyear donated two Inflatoplanes for museum display at
the end of the project, one to the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia
and one to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
Variants
GA-33 Inflatoplane
The initial single-seat version, with open cockpit, based
on the Taylor McDaniel inflatable rubber glider
experiments from the early 1930s. One built.
GA-447 Inflatoplane
An enclosed cockpit and new wing, used for
undercarriage experiments (tricycle, uniwheel, and
hydroskid). One built.
GA-466 Inflatoplane
Company designation for the AO-2 Inflatoplane
GA-468 Inflatoplane
Company designation for the AO-3 Inflatoplane
XAO-2-GI Inflatoplane
Military designation for the GA-466. One built.
XAO-3-GI Inflatoplane
Military designation for the GA-468. Five built.
Goodyear inflatoplane on display at Smithsonian Institution
There were at least two versions: The GA-468 was a singleseater. It took about five minutes to inflate to about 25 psi (170
kPa); at full size, it was 19 ft 7 in (5.97 m) long, with a 22 ft (6.7
m) wingspan. A pilot would then hand-start the two-stroke cycle,
40 horsepower (30 kW) Nelson engine, and takeoff with a
maximum load of 240 pounds (110 kg). On 20 US gallons (76 L)
of fuel, the aircraft could fly 390 miles (630 km), with an
endurance of 6.5 hours. Maximum speed was 72 miles per hour
(116 km/h), with a cruise speed of 60 mph. Later, a 42
horsepower (31 kW) engine was used in the aircraft.
Takeoff from turf was in 250 feet with 575 feet needed to
clear a 50 foot obstacle. It landed in 350 feet. Rate of climb was
550 feet per minute. Its service ceiling was estimated at 10,000 ft.
The GA-466 was the two-seater version, 2 in (51 mm)
shorter, but with a 6 ft (1.8 m) longer wingspan than the GA-468.
A more powerful 60 horsepower (45 kW) McCulloch 4318 engine
could power the 740 pounds (340 kg) of plane and passenger to
70 miles per hour (110 km/h), although the range of the plane was
limited to 275 miles (443 km).
An Inflatoplane comes in for a landing.
Operational history
The test program at Goodyear's facilities near Wingfoot
Lake, Akron, Ohio showed that the inflation could be
accomplished with as little as 8 psi (544 mbar), less than a car tire.
The flight test program had a fatal crash when Army aviator Lt.
"Pug" Wallace was killed. The aircraft was in a descending turn
when one of the control cables under the wing came off the pulley
and was wedged in the pulley bracket, locking the stick. The turn
tightened until one of the wings folded up over the prop and was
chopped up. With the wings flapping because of loss of air, one of
the aluminum wing tip skids hit the pilot alongside the head, as
was clear from marks on his helmet. Wallace was pitched out over
the nose of the aircraft and fell into the shallow lake. His chute
never opened. He may have been knocked unconscious and
Specifications (Goodyear GA-466 Inflatoplane)
Model 466/XAO-2 Inflatoplane
General characteristics
• Crew: 1
• Capacity: 1 passenger
• Length: 19 ft 2 in (5.97 m)
• Wingspan: 28 ft (8.53 m)
• Height: 4 ft (1.22 m)
• Loaded weight: 740 lb (336 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × McCulloch 4318 air-cooled, 60 hp (45
kW)
Performance
• Maximum speed: 70 mph (113 km/h)
• Range: 275 mi (440 km)
• Service ceiling: 6,500 ft (1,981 m)
• Rate of climb: 500 ft/min (152 m/min)
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Contact January 2015
First State RC, Newcastle, DE
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JANUARY’S MYSTERY AIRCRAFT
Bygone Times…
First State RC and Delaware RC Club Challenge…
First State Victory Photo… unknown date
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November 21st Robert Cyr
December 24th… Charlie Hruska
January 19th… Ralph C. McCafferty
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Bygone Times…
Field Cleanup Day
April 17, 2004
Concord Mall Show 1985
Club FunFly 2002
Until next time,
Tim Mihalski, Editor
Freeze Fly 2003
My E-Mail Address:
[email protected]
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Contact January 2015
First State RC, Newcastle, DE
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JANUARY’S MYSTERY AIRCRAFT
A mystery aircraft for you to ponder… you can
read all about this mystery ship in March’s issue
of Contact…
IMPORTANT REMINDERS...
01/31/15 Last Date for Club Membership Renewal
02/01/15 Club Membership Late Fee Applies
Monday 10:30 A.M. 03/28/15 Club Meeting @ Flying Field (weather permitting)
Saturday 09:00 A.M. 04/11/15 Club Spring Field Cleanup Day
Saturday 09:00 A.M. 04/18/15 Club Spring Field Cleanup Day (Raindate)
Timothy I. Mihalski, Editor
First State R/C AMA # 1256
13 Jacqueline Drive
Hockessin, DE 19707-1008