Curtis Pitts
Encyclopedia
Curtis Pitts of Stillmore, Georgia
, was a design
er of a series of popular aerobatic biplane
s, known as the Pitts Special
. He also designed the Pitts Samson, built in 1948 for aerobatic pilot Jess Bristow. The Samson was destroyed in a mid-air collision around 1950.
Curtis grew up in Americus, Georgia
and his first airplane was a Waco
F
.
The Smithsonian Institution
's National Air and Space Museum
in Washington, DC has called the plane Pitts created in 1943 "revolutionary because of its small size, light weight, short wingspan and extreme agility".
Curtis Pitts died of complications from a heart valve
replacement.
Stillmore, Georgia
Stillmore is a town in Emanuel County, Georgia, United States. The population was 730 at the 2000 census.It is the home to David Emanuel Academy and the David Emanuel Academy Eagles who won the State GISA Basketball Championship in 2007.-Geography:...
, was a design
Design
Design as a noun informally refers to a plan or convention for the construction of an object or a system while “to design” refers to making this plan...
er of a series of popular aerobatic biplane
Biplane
A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two superimposed main wings. The Wright brothers' Wright Flyer used a biplane design, as did most aircraft in the early years of aviation. While a biplane wing structure has a structural advantage, it produces more drag than a similar monoplane wing...
s, known as the Pitts Special
Pitts Special
The Pitts Special is a series of light aerobatic biplane designed by Curtis Pitts. It has accumulated many competition wins since its first flight in 1944...
. He also designed the Pitts Samson, built in 1948 for aerobatic pilot Jess Bristow. The Samson was destroyed in a mid-air collision around 1950.
Curtis grew up in Americus, Georgia
Americus, Georgia
-Early years:Americus, Georgia was named and chartered by Sen. Lovett B. Smith in 1832.For its first two decades, Americus was a small courthouse town. The arrival of the railroad in 1854 and, three decades later, local attorney Samuel H. Hawkins' construction of the only privately financed...
and his first airplane was a Waco
Waco Aircraft Company
The Waco Aircraft Company was an aircraft manufacturer located in Troy, Ohio, USA. Between 1919 and 1947, the company produced a wide range of civilian biplanes....
F
Waco F series
-External links:*...
.
The Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
's National Air and Space Museum
National Air and Space Museum
The National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution holds the largest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft in the world. It was established in 1976. Located in Washington, D.C., United States, it is a center for research into the history and science of aviation and...
in Washington, DC has called the plane Pitts created in 1943 "revolutionary because of its small size, light weight, short wingspan and extreme agility".
Curtis Pitts died of complications from a heart valve
Heart valve
A heart valve normally allows blood flow in only one direction through the heart. The four valves commonly represented in a mammalian heart determine the pathway of blood flow through the heart...
replacement.
External links
- Budd Davisson's website - Source for Pitts information.
- Pitts Specials Formation Aeroabtic Team - A father and son Pitts team. They fly formation aerobatics, as well as inverted formations.