Maryland Pressed Steel Company
Encyclopedia
Maryland Pressed Steel Company was an American aircraft manufacturer of the Bellanca CD, and CE aircraft.
The New York & Hagerstown Metal Stamping Co manufactured arms for the British and was reorganized into the Maryland Pressed Steel Company in 1914. In 1916, the Poole Engineering and Machine Co acquired the company as a division. The company produced arms for the wartime effort. The company attempted to break into the lucrative aircraft production field with the foundation of their Aircraft Department.
During WWI, designer Giuseppe Mario Bellanca
was hired to build six aircraft for the company in its factory at Hagerstown, Maryland
. The two passenger 35 hp CD model biplanes were demonstrated at Towson, Maryland
in August 1918 in an attempt to win a military contract. The 55 hp CE aircraft were advertised at a cost of $3500, but only one was produced after the war's end. In 1921 The airplane business was sold to Bellanca and partner Victor Roos
from Omaha, Nebraska
forming the Roos-Bellanca Company. Bellanca left for Wright Aeronautical
updating the CF design into the famousWright WB-2, which was sold to the Columbia Aircraft Corp
. Bellanca continued to produce aircraft with his own companyAviaBellanca Aircraft
.
At the end of WWI, the company lost its contracts, switching production to wire wheels. It then went into receivership
, where it was sold to R.J. Funkhouser & Co., who subsequently sold it to the M.P. Moller Motor Car Co. The 355000 square feet (32,980.6 m²) Hagerstown plant had a series of previous owners including the Crawford Bicycle Co, American Bicycle Co., Pope Manufacturing Company
, and Montrose Metal Casket Company.
The New York & Hagerstown Metal Stamping Co manufactured arms for the British and was reorganized into the Maryland Pressed Steel Company in 1914. In 1916, the Poole Engineering and Machine Co acquired the company as a division. The company produced arms for the wartime effort. The company attempted to break into the lucrative aircraft production field with the foundation of their Aircraft Department.
During WWI, designer Giuseppe Mario Bellanca
Giuseppe Mario Bellanca
Giuseppe Mario Bellanca was an Italian-American airplane designer and builder who created the first enclosed cabin monoplane in the United States in 1922. This aircraft is now on display at the National Air & Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.-Biography:He was born on March 19, 1886 in...
was hired to build six aircraft for the company in its factory at Hagerstown, Maryland
Hagerstown, Maryland
Hagerstown is a city in northwestern Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Washington County, and, by many definitions, the largest city in a region known as Western Maryland. The population of Hagerstown city proper at the 2010 census was 39,662, and the population of the...
. The two passenger 35 hp CD model biplanes were demonstrated at Towson, Maryland
Towson, Maryland
Towson is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The population was 55,197 at the 2010 census...
in August 1918 in an attempt to win a military contract. The 55 hp CE aircraft were advertised at a cost of $3500, but only one was produced after the war's end. In 1921 The airplane business was sold to Bellanca and partner Victor Roos
Victor Roos
Victor H. Roos was an American founder of several aircraft companies, including Cessna aircraft.- Early life :In 1917 Roos was a distributor of Harley Davidson pedal cycles in Omaha, Nebraska becoming one of the largest distributors in the Midwest....
from Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
forming the Roos-Bellanca Company. Bellanca left for Wright Aeronautical
Wright Aeronautical
Wright Aeronautical was an aircraft and aircraft engine manufacturer located in New Jersey.-History:This American company evolved from the 1909-1916 Wright Company, which merged with the Glenn L. Martin Company in 1916 to form the Wright-Martin Aircraft Corporation. Glenn Martin resigned from...
updating the CF design into the famousWright WB-2, which was sold to the Columbia Aircraft Corp
Columbia Aircraft Corp
The Columbia Aircraft Corp was a United States aircraft manufacturer, which was active between 1927 and 1947.-Formation and operations:Columbia Aircraft was founded in December 1927 by Charles A. Levine as chairman and the aircraft designer Giuseppe Mario Bellanca as president. The initial name...
. Bellanca continued to produce aircraft with his own companyAviaBellanca Aircraft
AviaBellanca Aircraft
AviaBellanca Aircraft Corporation is an American aircraft design and manufacturing company. Prior to 1983 it was known as the Bellanca Aircraft Company...
.
At the end of WWI, the company lost its contracts, switching production to wire wheels. It then went into receivership
Receivership
In law, receivership is the situation in which an institution or enterprise is being held by a receiver, a person "placed in the custodial responsibility for the property of others, including tangible and intangible assets and rights." The receivership remedy is an equitable remedy that emerged in...
, where it was sold to R.J. Funkhouser & Co., who subsequently sold it to the M.P. Moller Motor Car Co. The 355000 square feet (32,980.6 m²) Hagerstown plant had a series of previous owners including the Crawford Bicycle Co, American Bicycle Co., Pope Manufacturing Company
Pope Manufacturing Company
Pope Manufacturing Company was founded by Albert Augustus Pope in Hartford, Connecticut. The company began with the introduction of the "Columbia High Wheeler" bicycle in 1878.-History:...
, and Montrose Metal Casket Company.
Aircraft
| Model name | First flight | Number built | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bellanca CD | 6 | Tractor Biplane | |
| Bellanca CE | Cancelled before production | Tractor Biplane | |