8 Sport Aerobatics October 2015 Pitts Pilots Gathered on Boeing Plaza for a Group Photo

EVAN PEERS EVAN PEERS 8 Sport Aerobatics October 2015 Pitts pilots gathered on Boeing Plaza for a group photo. Their baseball caps signify their special place among an elite group of pilots. www.iac.org 9 The Pitts Replicas at EAA AirVenture 2015 EVAN PEERS 10 Sport Aerobatics October 2015 A 70th anniversary celebration by Francois Bougie The Pitts Replicas at EAA/IAC AirVenture 2015 At this year’s EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, the IAC Pavilion was “Pitts-centric.” Celebrating the 70th anniversary of the biplane first flown by Curtis Pitts in 1945, an exhibit retraced its history, from the first flight of the original Pitts Special, NX52650, up to the current Pitts super biplane deriva- tive, as flown by Sean Tucker and Skip Stewart.Dated August 28, 1945, the first Pitts flight entry in Curtis’ logbook indicates that the flight lasted 20 minutes. In the re- marks column he inscribed, “Test Hop (What a Day).” This first flight would eventu- ally change the aerobatic land- scape in the United States and spread worldwide. The only way one can really un- derstand Curtis’ first logbook entry is to build a replica of a Pitts from that era. During the convention, dis- played outside the IAC Pavilion were replicas of Pitts No. 1 and Pitts No. 3. Inside was housed the replica of Pitts No. 2, appropriately described by IAC President Mike Heuer as “the crown jewel of our Pitts exhibition.” Pitts replica No. 3, N8M, represents the aircraft flown by Caro Bayley in 1951. It won the award for Best Homebuilt Pitts IAC Air- Venture 2015. Pitts replica No. 2, NX86401, replicates the configuration built by Curtis before being Pitts replicas around the IAC Pavilion. modified into N22E by Betty Skel- ton. Pitts replica No. 1, NX528, represents the first Pitts biplane NX52650, flown by Curtis in 1945. www.iac.org 11 Caro Bayley with the Pitts S-1. These replicas represent the Betty Skelton’s Little Stinker. Airshow”) announced, “You’re earliest Pitts DNA. They were “It was a dream to fly from the watching Miss Caro Bayley, one built by passionate individuals or very first takeoff,” said Caro, and of America’s greatest precision groups, who each have their own she persuaded her father to make a aerobatic fliers. She’s flying like story and degree of obsession deal with Curtis. magic. .yes. .Black Magic.” with research and details. This third Pitts was specifically “A perfect triple snap roll at the built for Caro in 1950, and the top half of a loop,” he boomed over N8M: Pitts No. 3 horsepower race was on from the the public address system. Later, and Caro Bayley very beginning. Pitts No. 1 was he would describe the event: “The Born in 1922, Caro Bayley was powered by a Lycoming O-145 65- trim, high-performance swept originally from Springfield, Ohio. hp engine; Skelton’s Pitts No. 2 by wings flashed in the brilliant Flor- After graduating from Saint Mary’s a Continental C-90 (95 hp at 2625 ida sunlight as the pilot ‘triggered’ College in Raleigh, North Carolina, rpm); and Caro’s Pitts by a Lycom- the screaming machine into a fury her father encouraged her passion ing O-290-D 125 hp, fitted with an of rolling, snapping, flying action.” for flying by paying for her initial Ex-Cell-O fuel-injection system. Having competed against Betty flight training. When the Women “I had a hard time keeping Curtis Skelton in the past, Caro Bayley Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) and Phil [Quigley] working,” Caro believed that not only did she need program was put into place, she once recalled. “I sat with them, a Pitts to beat her in competition, joined Class 43-W-7 and trained brought water, food, and promised she also needed more horsepower! in Sweetwater, Texas. She flew the if they got to a certain point, they “I never won until I had Curtis Pitts SBD Dauntless, SB2C Helldiver, could go fishing on Sunday. Phil and build me a Pitts Special,” said Caro. AT-6, AT-7, AT-11, BT-13, PT-17, I had an argument of who got to fly After three days of “exact- P-47, B-25, and B-26…all between it first. When he laid down his tools ing” competition, Caro Bayley the ages of 21 to 23! and walked away is when I finally was crowned winner of the 1951 In 1945, when she started fly- agreed that he could go first.” Women’s International Aerobatic ing aerobatic competitions in From her first flight, Caro and Championship, a yearly feature Florida, Jess Bristow noticed her N8M became one. of All-American Air Maneuvers skill and made her part of an All Commenting on her appear- staged in Miami, Florida. Caro won Women’s Air Show by flying a ance at the 1951 Women’s Inter- the crown only hours after her al- glider routine. This was when she national Aerobatic Championship, titude record-breaking flight…in a first had the opportunity to fly Bill Sweet (“They call me Mr. Piper Super Cruiser. 12 Sport Aerobatics October 2015 Ted Teach and N8M. EVAN PEERS She described her flight: “I took anymore, it would seem certain - Upper wing is 17 feet 6 inches, off, had oxygen and a barograph, that Curtis made some sketches compared to an S-1C plan that is was up for about four hours, came and drew detailed plans before 17 feet 4 inches. down, then did my aerobatic act. attempting the construction. - Lower wing is 15 feet 4 inches, The temperature was 90 on the Plans dated September 11, 1945, compared to an S-1C plan that is ground and was 34 degrees below in the title block came after the 15 feet 6-3/4 inches. zero at altitude. The Cub went up first flight of Pitts No. 1 but These differences are very small to 15 [thousand feet] nicely, but must have been drawn for Pitts and could be attributed to the ac- up to 20 it was a bit draggy. By the No. 2. Further modifications tual measurement of the airplane. time I hit 30, I stayed at one alti- making Pitts No. 3 unique (such - Length, at 15 feet 1 inch com- tude for a long time.” as the aileron extending to the pared to an S-1C that is 14 feet The Miami paper reported wing tip) haven’t surfaced yet, 3 inches (short fuselage) and “Blonde Sets New Altitude Mark,” and were apparently destroyed in an S-1S that is 15 feet 6 inches at an actual altitude of 30,203 feet. a shop fire. (long fuselage), is different. But The Fédération Aéronautique In- In addition to photographs of this measurement of the S-1C ternationale (FAI) recognized her Caro and N8M, the May 1951 issue side view is from the edge of the achievement as a world record for of Air Trail magazine published a rudder to the tip of the spinner. Class 11 aircraft (gross weight be- detailed three-view of the airplane. A measurement of the fuselage is tween 1,102 and 2,204 pounds). This three-view drawing is, to more comparative. Her record held until 1984, when the best of my research, very ac- The Air Trails issue describes a it was broken by a 210-hp Mooney. curate, representing the size and longer fuselage, bigger spinner, color of N8M, except for the mis- and square-cut pants. The Design of N8M spelling of Caro’s last name! Measurement of the AT three- Each early Pitts incorporated This three-view compares to the view scale drawing is 10 feet 2 modifications and refinements early set of plans drawn by Curtis inches from the tail post to the over the previous airplane. Al- Pitts on September 11, 1945, with line of the firewall/cowling. The though the original drawings for some drawing sheets traced by S-1C drawing plan of the fuselage Pitts No. 1 don’t seem to exist H.A. Megary. indicates 10 feet 2-1/2 inches www.iac.org 13 Three-view from Air Trails Magazine, May 1951. from the firewall to the back of in a pan, after her 1951 title, sar Creek Soaring Club and told her the tail post. Since the rudder ap- “Caro flew her last air show the that he was building a Pitts. Caro pears to be of similar size, the dif- week before she got married in supplied some photographs for ref- ference is in the firewall-forward September 1951 at the age of 29. erence. Around 1997-98, Ted even- (engine/engine mount/propeller/ She quickly had four children in tually acquired the original N8M spinner) configuration. five years and gave up her beloved registration that was on a Pitts in While this can’t be confirmed Pitts Special, something she re- Cape May, New Jersey. After listen- for all of Curtis-built prototypes, grets to this day,” recounted Kate ing to Ted’s story about his replica for the Model 11 Super Stinker Landdeck after an interview with project, the owner transferred the and the Model 12, Curtis built the Caro. The grounded Pitts was sold N8M registration to him. whole fuselage, fabric-covered with to Frank Gibson in June 1953 but Although Ted loved building, his everything assembled in between, was destroyed shortly after by a progress was slow. After 29 years then weighed it. He would also fire caused by a gas leak. he contacted Kenny Blalock of weigh the engine with all accesso- When Curtis released the S-1C Conway, Arkansas, to complete the ries and propeller.

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