Ford Flivver
Encyclopedia
The Ford Flivver was a single-seat aircraft introduced by Henry Ford
as the "Model T of the Air". After a fatal crash in the prototype, production plans were halted.
was Henry Ford's first successful commercial aircraft venture in 1925. Following the Model T as a "everyman's" vehicle, the Ford Flivver was designed to be a mass-produced "everyman's" aircraft. The idea was first proposed to William Bushnell Stout
, manager of Ford's acquired aircraft division in 1926. Stout and Mayo wanted nothing to do with the aircraft and it was built in a nearby museum building. The single seat aircraft was designed with Mr. Ford's instructions that it "fit in the size of his office". The first example was displayed at the 1926 Ford National Reliability Air Tour
. The press and public flocked to see "Ford's Flying Car". A single seat aircraft that had very little in common with the popular Model T "Flivver". Comedian Will Rogers
posed for press photos in the aircraft (although he never flew one). A New York Evening Sun columnist wrote the following poem showing excitement for the future flying Fords.
I dreamed I was an angel
And with the angels soared
But I was simply touring
The heavens in a Ford.
. Brooks flew the Flivver regularly from his home garage to work. He once flew the aircraft in a race against Gar Wood in Miss America V on the Detroit River during the Harmsworth Trophy Races
.
Charles Lindbergh flew the Flivver on a visit to Ford field August 11, 1927, and was the only other pilot to fly the Flivver prototype. He later described the Flivver as, "one of the worst aircraft he ever flew".
A third prototype, tail number
3218, was built to win a long distance record for light planes in 440 to 880 lb (199.6 to 399.2 kg) "C" class. The race was set from Ford Field in Dearborn Michigan to Miami, Florida
. A first attempt in 1928, witnessed by Henry Ford, landed short in Asheville, North Carolina
. A second attempt, witnessed by Edsel Ford, landed 200 mi (321.9 km) short in Titusville, Florida
, but still won a record.
Flying the second prototype from a winning record attempt four days earlier on February 21, 1928, Brooks crashed into the ocean off Melbourne, Florida
. Investigation of the wreckage disclosed a matchstick had been plugged into the gas cap vent hole, causing an engine stoppage.
Following the death of Brooks, Henry Ford was distraught, and light airplane development was stopped under the Ford brand. In 1931 a new "Air Flivver" or Sky Car
was marketed by the Stout division of Ford. Ford went back into light plane development in 1936 with the two seat Model 15-P. The prototype crashed during flight testing and did not go into production.
A surviving Flivver resides in the Henry Ford Museum.
In 1991 EAA
Chapter 159 from Midland, Michigan
donated a replica to the EAA Airventure Museum
. The replica was built from careful inspection of the original prototype and advice from Otto C. Koppen
, the original designer.
Henry Ford
Henry Ford was an American industrialist, the founder of the Ford Motor Company, and sponsor of the development of the assembly line technique of mass production. His introduction of the Model T automobile revolutionized transportation and American industry...
as the "Model T of the Air". After a fatal crash in the prototype, production plans were halted.
Development
The Ford TrimotorFord Trimotor
The Ford Trimotor was an American three-engined transport plane that was first produced in 1925 by the companies of Henry Ford and that continued to be produced until June 7, 1933. Throughout its time in production, a total of 199 Ford Trimotors were produced...
was Henry Ford's first successful commercial aircraft venture in 1925. Following the Model T as a "everyman's" vehicle, the Ford Flivver was designed to be a mass-produced "everyman's" aircraft. The idea was first proposed to William Bushnell Stout
William Bushnell Stout
William Bushnell Stout was an inventor, designer whose work in automotive and aviation fields was notable. Stout designed an aircraft that eventually became the Ford Trimotor and was an executive at the Ford Motor Company.-Early years:William Bushnell Stout was born March 16, 1880 in Quincy,...
, manager of Ford's acquired aircraft division in 1926. Stout and Mayo wanted nothing to do with the aircraft and it was built in a nearby museum building. The single seat aircraft was designed with Mr. Ford's instructions that it "fit in the size of his office". The first example was displayed at the 1926 Ford National Reliability Air Tour
Ford National Reliability Air Tour
The Ford Reliability Tour, properly called "The National Air Tour for the Edsel B. Ford Reliability Trophy", was a series of Aerial Tours sponsored in part by Ford from 1925 to 1931 and re-created in 2003. Top prize was the Edsel Ford Reliability Trophy. Henry and Edsel Ford were shareholders in...
. The press and public flocked to see "Ford's Flying Car". A single seat aircraft that had very little in common with the popular Model T "Flivver". Comedian Will Rogers
Will Rogers
William "Will" Penn Adair Rogers was an American cowboy, comedian, humorist, social commentator, vaudeville performer, film actor, and one of the world's best-known celebrities in the 1920s and 1930s....
posed for press photos in the aircraft (although he never flew one). A New York Evening Sun columnist wrote the following poem showing excitement for the future flying Fords.
I dreamed I was an angel
And with the angels soared
But I was simply touring
The heavens in a Ford.
Design
The aircraft was a welded steel tube fuselage, with wood wing construction with fabric covering. The steerable rudder mounted tailwheel was also the only wheel with a brake. The exhaust was routed through a special manifold to a stock Model T exhaust. The designer of the plane, Otto Koppen went on to design the Helio CourierHelio Courier
The Helio Courier is a light C/STOL utility aircraft designed in 1949.Around 500 of these aircraft were manufactured in Pittsburg, Kansas from 1954 until 1974 by the Helio Aircraft Company. During the early 1980s, new owners made an attempt to build new aircraft with direct-drive Lycoming engines,...
Operational history
Ford's chief test pilot was Harry J. BrooksHarry J. Brooks
Harry J. Brooks was an American test pilot. His crash of the Ford Flivver for the Stout Metal Airplane Division of the Ford Motor Company in 1928 was citied with the great depression as a factor in Henry Ford exiting the aviation business.....
. Brooks flew the Flivver regularly from his home garage to work. He once flew the aircraft in a race against Gar Wood in Miss America V on the Detroit River during the Harmsworth Trophy Races
Harmsworth Cup
The Harmsworth Trophy is the popular name of the historically important British International Trophy for Motorboats.The Harmsworth was the first annual international award for motorboat racing. Officially, it is a contest not between boats or individuals but between nations...
.
Charles Lindbergh flew the Flivver on a visit to Ford field August 11, 1927, and was the only other pilot to fly the Flivver prototype. He later described the Flivver as, "one of the worst aircraft he ever flew".
A third prototype, tail number
Tail number
A tail number refers to an identification number painted on an aircraft, frequently on the tail.Tail numbers can represent:* An aircraft registration number * United States military aircraft serials-See also:...
3218, was built to win a long distance record for light planes in 440 to 880 lb (199.6 to 399.2 kg) "C" class. The race was set from Ford Field in Dearborn Michigan to Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
. A first attempt in 1928, witnessed by Henry Ford, landed short in Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville is a city in and the county seat of Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. It is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the 11th largest city in North Carolina. The City is home to the United States National Climatic Data Center , which is the world's largest active...
. A second attempt, witnessed by Edsel Ford, landed 200 mi (321.9 km) short in Titusville, Florida
Titusville, Florida
Titusville is a city in Brevard County, Florida in the United States. It is the county seat of Brevard County. Nicknamed Space City, USA, Titusville is on the Indian River, west of Merritt Island and the Kennedy Space Center and south-southwest of the Canaveral National Seashore...
, but still won a record.
Flying the second prototype from a winning record attempt four days earlier on February 21, 1928, Brooks crashed into the ocean off Melbourne, Florida
Melbourne, Florida
Melbourne is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. As of 2009, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 78,323. The municipal area is the second largest by size and by population in the county. Melbourne is a principal city of the Palm Bay – Melbourne – Titusville, Florida...
. Investigation of the wreckage disclosed a matchstick had been plugged into the gas cap vent hole, causing an engine stoppage.
Following the death of Brooks, Henry Ford was distraught, and light airplane development was stopped under the Ford brand. In 1931 a new "Air Flivver" or Sky Car
Stout Skycar
-External links:*...
was marketed by the Stout division of Ford. Ford went back into light plane development in 1936 with the two seat Model 15-P. The prototype crashed during flight testing and did not go into production.
A surviving Flivver resides in the Henry Ford Museum.
Variants
The second prototype featured wing struts, a 50-gallon fuel tank, a dihedral increase, and a custom 143 cubic inch (0.0023452 m³), two-cylinder engine using Wright Whirlwind components that produced 26 hp. Crash investigations were based on the pieces of this aircraft that washed ashore.In 1991 EAA
Experimental Aircraft Association
The Experimental Aircraft Association is an international organization of aviation enthusiasts based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Since its inception it has grown internationally with over 160,000 members and about 1,000 chapters worldwide....
Chapter 159 from Midland, Michigan
Midland, Michigan
Midland is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan in the Tri-Cities region of the state. It is the county seat of Midland County. The city's population was 41,863 as of the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Midland Micropolitan Statistical Area....
donated a replica to the EAA Airventure Museum
EAA AirVenture Museum
The EAA AirVenture Museum is a museum dedicated to the preservation and display of historical and experimental aircraft located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin adjacent to the Wittman Regional Airport. Paul Poberezny proposed the idea of the EAA Air Museum-Air Education center in August 1958. The current...
. The replica was built from careful inspection of the original prototype and advice from Otto C. Koppen
Otto C. Koppen
- MIT :Koppen was the professor emeritus of aeronautical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In 1929 Koppen returned to teach stability and control at MIT, where he remained until his retirement in 1965 As part of the course, Koppen took students up in a Fairchild 24 to...
, the original designer.