Mystery plane / planes

Varese2002 · 28 January 2007, 12:23 PM

This picture does not qualify for inclusion in the Breguet Challenge, for it is not crystal clear what is on it.

This picture is different from others where the mystery is way back in the background. Here the mystery heightens from the background to the foreground, for me

.

To start at the background. There is a Curtiss Twin Jenny. In the middle is another Curtiss (?) possibly a variant of the Jenny (?) and in the foreground is a one-bay mystery.

Can any of our Forumites identify all three of them positively?

Kees

YavorD · 28 January 2007, 12:53 PM

Curtiss R is a possible candidate for the middle spot. Too many variants of Curtiss R (two- or three-bay wings, floats, engines, landing gear variations ...).

Curtiss S-1 Baby Scout (or variant) is a strong candidate for the front row.
http://www.aerofiles.com/curt-S1.jpg

Regards,
Yavor

Rod_Filan · 28 January 2007, 02:55 PM

Well... there goes another pick I had for a challenge offering

This photo was taken on the beach at the Newport News Aeronautical Station circa 1917.

Front: Curtiss S-1 Baby Scout
Middle: Curtiss R-4 Tractor
Back: Curtiss JN-4 Twin Tractor

Cheers
Rod

Varese2002 · 28 January 2007, 10:09 PM

Thanks Yavor and Rod. An interesting machine that Curtiss S-1 Baby Scout, possibly more of an engineering excercise

. Sorry to take one Challenge item away from you Rod.

The whole looks more like a publicity photograph for Curtiss.

I learned that in Newport News in Virginia, Curtiss started the Atlantic Coast Aeronautical Station, at what is called the "Small Boat Harbor", with facilities for a small land field and ideal for flying boats. See further on:

http://home.earthlink.net/~ralphcooper/pimage10.htm

Kees

joegertler · 29 January 2007, 11:21 AM

Thomas S. Baldwin was more than the manager of the Atlantic Coast Aero-Nautical Station in Newport News , Virginia. He was actually the President of the company. with the Curtiss Company owning stock in it. I have what I believe is the only surviving signed, (by Baldwin & others) original stock certificate for the company. The embossed green seal at lower left gives the date of incorporation as Dec. 21, 1915. There are two others, besides Baldwin, who have signed their names, (on Both sides)one as Treasurer. But I have not yet deciphered them. They do not match with any of the names listed as instructors at the station. One may be a Curtiss Company officer.
This certificate Issued 75 shares to Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Corporation on 21 March 1917. On the face of the certificate it states, "Authorized Capitol Stock, $100,000.00"
Does anyone care to try to solve the puzzle of the other two names?