Extension-Shaft Pusher Type Aircraft 1940—Schemp-Hirth (Gottingen) Go-9 —A German design built by Mutter for A Photo History Compiled by Robert F. Pauley, EAA 8288 Dr. who patented this scheme in 1937. The engine was a 60 (EDITOR'S NOTE: The many contributions to SPORT AVIATION, hp air-cooled Hirth under the wing, along with the high quality illustrations by members like Author-Ar- driving a four-bladed propeller at the tist-Photographer Robert Pauley, assist greatly in making your maga- rear. Span, 26 ft. 7 in.; length, 22 ft. 4 in.; weight, 1,587 lbs.; speed, 137 zine one of consistent high quality and interest). mph; two-place retractable gear. Go-9 served as a research plane for a two- engine push/pull World War II fight- Since the early days of aviation, aircraft designers have attempted to ar- er plane, the Dornier Do-335 Arrow. rive at the ultimate airframe configuration. One idea that has long held appeal is to reduce drag by burying the engine inside the and locating the propeller at the tail, thus allowing the wings to operate in air undisturbed by propeller wake. Because engine location is dictated by center of gravity considerations, this arrangement usually requires a long shaft to drive the propeller, and torsional vibration has been the plague of this configuration. However, a number of planes of this type have been built over the years and we present below a 1942—Dornier Do-212—A four-place photo history of some of the more interesting examples. designed by German Dor- nier Company in 1938 and built at Inspired by the 1909 French Petre monoplane which never flew, several Swiss Dornier plant in 1942. A Hirth engine of 450 hp located behind the of the early designers built aircraft of this type but a period of 30 years cabin drove the propeller via the drive elapsed before experiments resumed. Since World War II a number of suc- shaft which could be raised during cessful designs have been flown, including some not shown here, such as the take-off and landing to clear water. German Putzer "Bussard" and the XAZ-1 "Marvelette" and U.S. Army XV-11A, Span, 33 ft. 9 in.; length, 34 ft. 10 in.; weight, 3,700 lbs.; top speed, 185 mph. both STOL designs by Dr. Raspet built at Mississippi State University. The plane only made short hops off The most recent successful designs are the "Nomad" and "Teal" built and water and later was scrapped. flown by EAA member Ed Lesher. ®

1944—Douglas XB-42 — An attempt by U.S. Air Force to clean up 1912—Gallaudet A-l "Bullet"—First designs by burying the engine in the shown at the N.Y. Aero Show in May, fuselage. Two 1,800 hp Allisons drove 1912. Designed by Edison Gallaudet of three-bladed contra-props at the rear Norwich, Conn., a Professor of Physics via two prop shafts (each consisted at Yale University. Span, 32 ft.; length, of five shafts from a Bell P-39 fighter 20 ft. 7 in.; weight, 910 Ibs. A 100 hp plane). Span, 70 ft. 6 in.; length, 53 ft. 14 cyl. Gnome Rotary located in front 7 in.; weight, 20,888 Ibs. It was first of the pilot drove a three-bladed Para- flown on May 6, 1944. Speed was 410 gon propeller via a 2 in. diameter mph. Two were built; both crashed. shaft with ball bearings every 40 in. (Douglas Photo) Wing incidence could be varied in flight. Rebuilt in June, 1912 with a more streamlined fuselage (the A-2 version shown here). It was to be en- terd in the 1912 Gordon Bennett Cup Race, but crashed on July 24, 1912 during a test flight injuring Gallaudet. Speed was 110 mph. (Joseph Burt Photo) 1910—Tatin-Paulhan "Aero-Torpille No. 1" — An exceptionally clean air- plane for 1010, the "Torpille" was de- signed by the Frenchman, Victor Ta- tin, for Louis Paulhan and flown to a speed of 81 mph in 1911. A 50 hp 1 945—Lockheed "Big Dipper" Model Gnome Rotary behind the pilot's seat 34—Intended for the post-war person- drove a Regy propeller via a drive al plane market, this side-by-side two- shaft running in five bearings sus- 1912—Borel Pusher Monoplane — A seater had a 100 hp engine located pended by music wire bracing. Span, French design also known as the Ruby behind the cabin. The prototype was 28 ft. 2 in.; length, 27 ft. 3 in.; weight, with the engine located behind the lost in a crash during take-off. (Lock- 772 Ibs. (Musee de 1'Air Photo) pilot. (P. M. Bowers Collection) heed Photo). « MARCH 1*61 1946—Waco "Aristocrat" Model W— Four-place private airplane announced in October, 1946 had a 215 hp Frank- lin located ahead of the cabin driving 1948—Petit Special No. 18 — 190 cu. a Hartzell prop at the rear via a shaft in. racer designed and built by George passing under the cabin floor. Span, Petit of Harvey, III. Plane appeared 1950—Schroeder "Dragontail" No. 50 38 ft.; length, 25 ft. 6 in.; weight at Detroit for Continental Trophy —An all-metal Goodyear racer built 2,600 lbs.; top speed, 154 mph. The Races, but never flew. Continental by Paul Schroeder in Rochester, N.Y. price was to have been $9,980.00. C-85 behind pilot. (Photo: R. F. Pau- Continental C-85 behind pilot. Span, Only one was built. The plane had ley Collection). 20 ft. 4 in.; length, 18 ft. 6 in. Never two controls (no pedals). (Wa- raced but qualified in January, 1950 co Photo). at Miami races at 102 mph. Crashed on August 2, 1950 with serious injuries to pilot. (P. M. Schroeder Photo).

1948—Acme Aircraft "Sierra Sue" S-1 — Designed by Walt Fellers and 1947—Douglas "Cloudster" — Five- Ron Beattie and built by Acme Air- place commercial version of the XB- craft Co., Torrance, Calif. Met P.R.P.A. 42 introduced in January, 1947. Two Goodyear specifications but never 250 hp Continental engines behind the raced. All metal. Span, 20 ft. 2 in.; 1955 — Rhein-Flugzeugbau RW 3 cabin drove the 8 ft. diameter prop length, 18 ft.; weight, 590 Ibs. Conti- "Multoplane" — A two-place German at the rear. It could fly on either en- nental C-85 behind pilot. Top speed, design with 65 hp Porsche automobile gine. Span, 39 ft. 9 in.; length, 35 ft. 200 mph. Still flying under lease to engine located behind tandem seats 4 in.; weight 3,200 lbs.; cruising speed, Northrop Corporation. driving propeller operating in a slot 200 mph. (Douglas Photo) forward of the rudder. Wing exten- sions can convert it to a motor glider. Span, 34 ft. 3 in. (50 ft. 8 in. with extensions); length, 24 ft.; weight, 1,250 lbs.; cruise speed, 110 mph. (Flight Photo). 1=^-^- 66-

1948—Planet "Satellite"—A British 1943—Allenbaugh "Grey Ghost" No. design by Major Heenan first shown 66 — Goodyear racer designed and at Farnborough in September, 1948. built by Paul Schaupp for Ed Allen- It was never flown. An air-cooled 250 baugh. Prone pilot required fuselage hp deHavilland Gipsy Queen engine only 25 in. deep. Engine was C-85 be- located behind the four-place cabin hind pilot. Span, 18 ft.; length, 19 ft. drive the prop via a magnesium shaft 6 in. Pilot Dwight Dempster killed on 1958—Taylor "Aero Plane" — A 5 in. in diameter by 0.1 in. wall by first flight when engine failed on take- 8 ft. long. Span, 33 ft. 6 in.; length, four-place version of the "Aero-Car^ off due to oil sump pump failure. 26 ft. 3 in.; weight, 1,600 Ibs. Maxi- built strictly as an airplane by elimi- Prone pilot arrangement outlawed by nating the "car" components. Built by mum speed was estimated to be 208 P.R.P.A. mph. It was dismantled in 1958. Aerocar, Longview, Wash. Wings fold (Flight Photo). for storage. 143 hp Lycoming behind cabin. Span, 34 ft.; weight, 1,150 Ibs. (Aerocar Photo).

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1948—Taylor "Aero Car" IA — De- signed by Molt Taylor and built in 1949—P.A.R. Special No. 87—Parks Longview, Wash. Flying automobile Alumni Racer designed by George Owl with removable wing/tail unit that can of Ferguson, Mo., and flown by Art 1961— Lesher "Nomad" — Two-seat be trailered behind a car on the Beckington in several 190 cu. in. races side-by-side homebuilt designed and road. 143 hp Lycoming behind two from 1950 to 1952. Lap speeds of 181 built by Ed Lesher, Ann Arbor, Mich. side-by-side seats drives prop at rear mph. Wings had variable incidence to 100 hp Continental behind cabin. (and also drives car). It has a FAA reduce take-off run. Span, 20 ft.; Span, 26 ft.; length, 18 ft.; weight, type certificate. Span, 14 ft.; length, length, 20 ft. Continental C-85 behind 998 Ibs. Described in June, 1963 21 ft. 6 in.; weight, 1,500 lbs.; speed, pilot drove British Fairey prop at SPORT AVIATION. Ed Lesher later 110 mph. Price, $25,000.00 A more rear. Rebuilt as a seaplane. See SPORT built the single-place "Teal" described streamlined version with retractable AVIATION, January, 1968 issue. (R F. on the following page. (R. F. Pauley wheels is being built. (Aerocar Photo). Pauley Photo). Photo). SPORT AVIATION 5