Franklin Engine Company
Encyclopedia
The Franklin Engine Company was a manufacturer of aircraft engines, formed as the H. H. Franklin Co.
in 1902, located in Syracuse, New York
, United States
. Barely surviving bankruptcy in 1933, the company was purchased by a group of ex-employees and renamed Aircooled Motors in 1937
. While the company kept the name of "Aircooled Motors," their engines continued to be marketed under the Franklin name. Engineers Carl Doman and Ed Marks kept the company alive through the depression by manufacturing air-cooled truck and industrial engines.
During World War II
Aircooled Motors was very successful producing helicopter and airplane engines. Several aircraft carried their engines including the Aero-Flight Streak
, Bartlett Zephyr
, Bell 47
, Bellanca Cruisair
, Brantly B-1
, Goodyear Duck
, H-23 Raven, Hiller 360, Seibel S-4
, Sikorsky S-52
, Stinson Voyager, Taylorcraft 15, Temco TE-1B, and the YT-35 Buckaroo
.
Aircooled Motors was purchased by Republic Aviation Company
in 1945
to produce engines for its Republic Seabee light amphibious aircraft. After the war demand for the engines dropped dramatically and Republic was unsure of the company's future.
In 1947 Aircooled Motors was purchased for the price of $1.8 million by the Tucker Car Corporation
to produce an engine for the (in)famous 1948 Tucker Sedan
. After purchasing Aircooled Motors, Tucker cancelled all of the company's aircraft contracts so that its resources could be focused on making automotive engines for the Tucker Corporation. This was a significant event, since at the time of Tucker's purchase Aircooled Motors held over 65% of postwar U.S. aviation engine production contracts. For this reason when the Tucker Car Corporation failed amidst allegations of stock fraud, Aircooled nearly failed with it.
Tucker and the Tucker family held onto the company until 1961
, when it was sold to Aero Industries who officially renamed it the Franklin Engine Company.
In 1975
the government of Poland purchased the company and relocated production to Rzeszów
, originally under the name PZL-Franklin, and later simply PZL-F.
Franklin (automobile)
The Franklin Automobile Company was a manufacturer of automobiles in the United States between 1902 and 1934 in Syracuse, New York. Herbert H. Franklin, the founder, began his career in the metal die casting business before establishing his automobile enterprise.Franklin founded the H. H. Franklin...
in 1902, located in Syracuse, New York
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Barely surviving bankruptcy in 1933, the company was purchased by a group of ex-employees and renamed Aircooled Motors in 1937
1937 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1937:- Events :* The Hawker Hurricane enters service as the Royal Air Forces first monoplane fighter....
. While the company kept the name of "Aircooled Motors," their engines continued to be marketed under the Franklin name. Engineers Carl Doman and Ed Marks kept the company alive through the depression by manufacturing air-cooled truck and industrial engines.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Aircooled Motors was very successful producing helicopter and airplane engines. Several aircraft carried their engines including the Aero-Flight Streak
Aero-Flight Streak
The Aero-Flight Streak was an American two-seat light aircraft built in 1946 by Aero-Flight Aircraft Corporation at Buffalo, New York. Advanced for its time, it was of all-metal construction with tricycle undercarriage, and accommodated the pilot and passenger in tandem beneath a sliding, bubble...
, Bartlett Zephyr
Bartlett Zephyr
|-References:* Photo: img src="http://www.bannerbob.net/Babcock%20LC13-1r.JPG"-See also:...
, Bell 47
Bell 47
The Bell 47 is a two-bladed, single engine, light helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. Based on the third Model 30 prototype, Bell's first helicopter designed by Arthur M. Young, the Bell 47 became the first helicopter certified for civilian use on 8 March 1946...
, Bellanca Cruisair
Bellanca Cruisair
The Bellanca 14-7 Cruisair and its successors were a family of single-engined light aircraft manufactured in the United States from the mid 1930s onwards.-Design and development:...
, Brantly B-1
Brantly B-1
The Brantly B-1 was a 2-seat, coaxial-rotor helicopter designed by Newby O. Brantly and constructed by the Pennsylvania Elastic Company, Brantly's employer.-Design and development:...
, Goodyear Duck
Goodyear Duck
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft . London: Orbis Publishing, 1985, pp. 1977–1978....
, H-23 Raven, Hiller 360, Seibel S-4
Seibel S-4
-References:***...
, Sikorsky S-52
Sikorsky S-52
|-See also:-Sources:* FAA Type Data Certificate, Helicopter Specification No. 1H2, rev. 3; 7 July 1961.* GAA Rotorcraft Flight Manual for Model S-52-3 Helicopter, Publication No. SA4045-10 Register 2, Sikorsky Aircraft Division of United Aircraft, 1952....
, Stinson Voyager, Taylorcraft 15, Temco TE-1B, and the YT-35 Buckaroo
T-35 Buckaroo
Not to be confused with the ENAER T-35 Pillán. For other uses see: T35 Not to be confused with the ENAER T-35 Pillán. For other uses see: T35 ...
.
Aircooled Motors was purchased by Republic Aviation Company
Republic Aviation Company
The Republic Aviation Corporation was an American aircraft manufacturer based in Farmingdale, Long Island, New York. Originally known as the Seversky Aircraft Company, the company was responsible for the design and production of many important military aircraft, including the P-47 Thunderbolt, F-84...
in 1945
1945 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1945:- Events :* The probe-and-drogue aerial refueling system, in which the tanker aircraft trails a hose with a stabilizing conical drogue at its end which mates to a fixed probe mounted on the receiving aircraft, is perfected...
to produce engines for its Republic Seabee light amphibious aircraft. After the war demand for the engines dropped dramatically and Republic was unsure of the company's future.
In 1947 Aircooled Motors was purchased for the price of $1.8 million by the Tucker Car Corporation
Preston Tucker
Preston Thomas Tucker was an American automobile designer and entrepreneur.He is most remembered for his 1948 Tucker Sedan , an automobile which introduced many features that have since become widely used in modern cars...
to produce an engine for the (in)famous 1948 Tucker Sedan
1948 Tucker Sedan
The 1948 Tucker Sedan or Tucker '48 Sedan was an advanced automobile conceived by Preston Tucker and briefly produced in Chicago in 1948...
. After purchasing Aircooled Motors, Tucker cancelled all of the company's aircraft contracts so that its resources could be focused on making automotive engines for the Tucker Corporation. This was a significant event, since at the time of Tucker's purchase Aircooled Motors held over 65% of postwar U.S. aviation engine production contracts. For this reason when the Tucker Car Corporation failed amidst allegations of stock fraud, Aircooled nearly failed with it.
Tucker and the Tucker family held onto the company until 1961
1961 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1961:-January:* January 3 – Aero Flight 311, a Douglas DC-3C, crashes near Kvevlax, Finland, killing all 25 people on board. An investigation finds that the captain and first officer both were exhausted for lack of sleep and drunk at the time of...
, when it was sold to Aero Industries who officially renamed it the Franklin Engine Company.
In 1975
1975 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1975:-January:* A specially modified McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle sets eight time to climb records, including one of 3 minutes 27 seconds from standstill on the runway to a height of 30,000 metres ....
the government of Poland purchased the company and relocated production to Rzeszów
Rzeszów
Rzeszów is a city in southeastern Poland with a population of 179,455 in 2010. It is located on both sides of the Wisłok River, in the heartland of the Sandomierska Valley...
, originally under the name PZL-Franklin, and later simply PZL-F.
Products
- Franklin 2A
- Franklin 4AC
- Franklin 6ACV-405
- Franklin 6A4
- Franklin 225
- Franklin 425
- Franklin O-150
- Franklin O-170
- Franklin O-175
- Franklin O-200
- Franklin O-335
- Franklin O-540
- Franklin O-805