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Never a cheap airplane, the surviving Ryans are now the pride and joy of their owners in Australia, New Zealand, and in the United States. 6 APRIL 2009 An Eye-Catching Ryan An international delight ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY GILLES AULIARD n 1934, Tubal Claude Ryan created a new corpora- tion, aptly named the Ryan Aeronautical Corp., in almost the same location as the defunct Ryan Air- craft Company, the builder of the Ryan NYP, Spirit Iof St. Louis. The first of the new Ryan designs, the ST—for Sport Trainer—immediately became a classic. VINTAGE AIRPLANE 7 In 1939, Ryan sold an almost stock model, desig- nated ST-A-1, which the Army called the XPT-16 (s/n 39-717), and after initial evaluation, they ordered 15 more for service tests as YPT-16. The success of YPT-16 trials led to the order of 40 of a very similar model des- ignated PT-20, the main difference being a larger cock- Ryan ST-A Special used by NACA at its Langley Me- morial Aeronautical Laboratory for research on flaps, slats, and internally balanced ailerons. Later it was used for pilot familiarization. Still later it was desig- nated NACA 125 and used in the Loads Lab at Langley. Taking off for the first time on June 8, 1934, from San Diego’s Lindbergh Field, the Ryan ST was a low- wing monoplane with external wire bracing to the top of the fuselage and to the main undercarriage legs. Tandem open cockpits had dual controls and dupli- cated basic flight instrumentation. Construction was a metal monocoque fuselage, with wooden wing spars and metal ribs. As a trainer, the ST was unique in its field and a big improvement over its competitors. Powered by a 95-hp Menasco B4 four-cylinder in-line engine, only five STs were built. The ST-A [for Aerobat- ics], an upgraded version, was offered shortly thereafter, sporting a more powerful Menasco C4 engine. When fitted with a 150-hp Menasco C4-S, the ST-A became the ST-A Special. In 1937, a military version of the ST-A Spe- cial was developed, dubbed the STM (for Military). With the U.S. Army expanding rapidly in the years just before World War II, a big market for military trainers opened up. 8 APRIL 2009 pit with external stiffening in the at Civilian Pilot Training Program with floats. Sixty of them were ear- cockpit area. Both models proved schools across the country. Produc- marked for the Militaire Luchtvaart to be troublesome and were rapidly tion ended in 1942. van het Koninkliijk Nederlands In- removed from service. But the in-line engine variant dishe Leger (ML-KNIL, Royal Neth- During 1941, the Menasco en- of the PT series wasn’t dead. Other erlands East Indies Army Air Force), gine powering the YPT-16s and PT- countries showed a deep interest to be operated from their main base 20s was discarded by the Army in in the STM, and the plane sold rea- at Bandoeng, in Java. Ordered in favor of the Kinner R-440 radial. sonably well in South America and two batches, serial numbered RO- The installation of the new engine China. Ryan’s biggest export cus- 10 to RO-49 (STM-2 c/n 407-446) in a streamlined nose fairing with tomer was the Dutch government. and RO-50 to RO-69 (STM-S2 c/n exposed cylinder heads led to the In 1940, the Dutch ordered 108 495-514), the planes were delivered new military designation of PT-21, Ryan STMs, 24 of them equipped starting November 18, 1940. of which 100 were ordered in 1941. The advent of the Army-Navy trainer standardization program co- incided with the development of a more powerful variant, the ST-3, with a 160-hp Kinner R-540-1. Orders for this model, designated PT-22 Re- cruit, all placed in 1941, totaled 1,023. The PT-22s went into service Gary Kozak, caretaker of Ryan ST-A Special. Top: Resting in the verdant grass at the air- port in Brodhead, Wisconsin, the Ryan has come a long way from its days in the Dutch Marine Luchtvaart Dienst (MLD, Naval Air Ser- vice) in Java. Above: With a well-cushioned cockpit coam- ing surrounding the snug cockpit, the Ryan ST is a comfortable airplane for the Sports- man pilot. Left: The Ryan ST’s spectacular wheel spats and landing gear fairing are a distinctive part of the airplane’s persona. VINTAGE AIRPLANE 9 One prime example is still flying in the hands of Gary Kozak, of Down- ers Grove, Illinois, its catchy MLD markings reminding the onlooker of this little-known theater of op- erations of World War II. Ryan STM-S2 N8146 (c/n 457) was ordered by the Dutch govern- ment on June 25, 1940, as part of a batch of 12 (S-11 to S-22) ear- marked for the MLD. The 12, plus 12 sets of floats, left Los Angeles aboard SS Hoegh Silver Dawn on November 18, 1940, bound for the NEI. Assigned serial S-21, it arrived in Java on January 3, 1941, and it flew training missions from the All of these aircraft were de- to A50-34. By late 1944, most of main MLD Base at Morokremban- stroyed by enemy action or captured the airframes were in storage at Ev- gan, starting on February 26, 1941. intact when the Japanese overran ans Head, New South Wales (NSW), Facing the advance of the Japa- the Netherlands East Indies (NEI) in home of the Royal Australian Air nese invaders, S-21 was crated along late winter/early spring 1942. Force 1st Air Observer School and with 33 other Ryans and evacuated The other 48 were operated by the 1st Bombing and Gunnery School. aboard the MS Tijnegara, which Marine Luchtvaart Dienst (MLD, In April 1945, a major storm bat- sailed for Australia on February 17, Naval Air Service), mostly from its tered the NSW coastline, destroy- 1942, and managed to evade Japa- main base at Morokrembangan, ing five of the stored Ryans and nese air and naval forces. The crates near Soerabaja, on the Island of damaging many more. At war’s end, lingered on the Sydney docks while Java. Serial numbered S-11 to S-58 the surviving aircraft were sold the negotiations between the Aus- (STM-2 c/n 447-494), most of these by the Commonwealth Disposals tralian government and the NEI airplanes survived the Japanese in- Commission for an average price of authorities in exile for the acqui- vasion and were evacuated to Aus- 400 Pounds (200 without engine, sition of the Ryans were ongoing. tralia before the March 8, 1942, equivalent to about $1,600 and Following its purchase by Australia, surrender of Java. $800 respectively) and released to s/n 457 finally arrived in its crate After protracted negotiations, the civilian market. at Mascot Aerodrome, near Sydney, the aircraft were impressed into ser- Never a cheap airplane, the sur- on August 27, 1942. vice with the Royal Australian Air viving Ryans are now the pride and It appears that the plane had Force (RAAF) as trainers or station joy of their owners in Australia, New to be rebuilt from its original fu- hacks and allocated serials A50-1 Zealand, and in the United States. selage and spare parts from parts 10 APRIL 2009 In the markings of the Dutch East Indies MLD, S-21 flew from the base at Morokrembangan, Java, during 1941. of s/n 463, as s/n 457 was either nal MLD markings. The first post- challenges that go with antique air- improperly crated or damaged dur- restoration test flight took place on plane ownership. Then, during a ing transit. Assigned serial A50-30, July 10, 1970, revealing only a mi- flight on June 13, 2003, things got it served with the RAAF until Feb- nor need to adjust the rigging of very interesting: ruary 12, 1945, at which date it the airplane. “The engine started running was put in storage at Evans Head. This accomplished, the Ryan was very rough and could barely pro- Damaged again during the storm presented at EAA Oshkosh 1970 duce enough power to hold alti- that hit this RAAF station on April and the Antique Airplane Associa- tude. There was belching smoke and 4, 1945, it was rebuilt and sold to tion convention, where it was voted blowing oil all over the plane. This Brown and Dureau Ltd. on April “Best Open Cockpit Ryan” and “Best led to a partial dismantling and in- 19, 1947. Acquired by the Newcas- Original Ryan” by the public. spection of the engine. The culprit tle, NSW, Aero Club on July 7 of Sold in June 1971 to Robert was a blown supercharger seal that the same year, it became VH-BBJ “Bob” Friedman of Highland Park, allowed large quantities of oil to be on the Australian register. Illinois, the Ryan was substantially ingested by the engine. After a lapse in registration, it was damaged—again—in a ground col- “I talked to Brad Ball, in Cali- sold to G. Harle, of Newcastle, NSW, lision with another airplane in Bel- fornia—the guru of Menasco en- on June 9, 1957, who obtained the videre, Illinois, on June 21, 1975. gines—who told me that, in order new VH-BXN identity for the Ryan. Returning it to flying status, Bob to get to the seal, I would have to John Swanson, of Mareeba, North Friedman enjoyed the airplane until dismantle a large portion of the en- Queensland, one of the following his untimely death in an unrelated gine, including the accessory case owners, had to resort to a forced airplane accident.

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