Posted on September 24th, 2009 by Most people remember the late Peter M. Bowers as the designer of experimental aircraft, an eminent aviation historian and the writer of “Of Wings & Things” in General Aviation News. He is perhaps best remembered for the single-place FlyBaby, but... Continue Reading →
Travel Air
Posted on June 23rd, 2006 by Peter M. Bowers
This is a classic Of Wings & Things from the 1980s. GAN continues to run the late Mr. Bowers’ columns for the enjoyment of his readers. Continue Reading →
Novel idea: Loening builds amphibian that outperforms its predecessors
Posted on February 17th, 2006 by Peter M. Bowers
Aeronautical engineer and manufacturer Grover C. Loening came up with a novel idea for a military amphibian in 1923. Using the same engine, his amphib could outperform the standard two-seat observation planes that the U.S. Army and Navy were using.... Continue Reading →
A powerful decision
Posted on December 16th, 2005 by Peter M. Bowers
This is a classic Of Wings & Things from the 1980s. GAN will continue to run the late Mr. Bowers’ column for the enjoyment of his readers. Continue Reading →
Neither rain nor sleet…
Posted on October 21st, 2005 by Peter M. Bowers
Regularly scheduled air mail service was inaugurated in Europe in March 1918, and in the United States, two months later, on May 15. While international operations didn’t get under way in the Western Hemisphere until 1920, the first officially recognized... Continue Reading →
A simple matter? Building a reduced-scale replica presents its own challenges
Posted on September 9th, 2005 by Peter M. Bowers
One of the popular areas of the homebuilt aircraft movement is the designing and building of reduced-scale replicas. Continue Reading →
Shark attack: Marking airplanes with a shark mouth used by both sides during both World Wars
Posted on August 5th, 2005 by Peter M. Bowers
Since the start of World War I, one of the most popular “extra” markings on military aircraft (aside from the standardized nationality and unit markings) has been the application of a mouth (sometimes a whole face) with very prominent painted-on... Continue Reading →
The Navy’s Curtiss Hawks
Posted on July 8th, 2005 by Peter M. Bowers
The first Curtiss Hawks for the U.S. Navy were nine F6C-1s, direct equivalents of the Army P-1s, and were delivered late in 1925. The designation meant a fighter model (F), the sixth ordered from Curtiss. The –1 identified the initial... Continue Reading →
Curtiss Hawk
Posted on June 3rd, 2005 by Peter M. Bowers
The Curtiss Hawk line of fighters for the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy and export was one of the best-known single-seat biplanes in the years between the two world wars and is still a favorite with model builders. The many configuration... Continue Reading →
‘Tailwind vs. Cougar’
Posted on May 6th, 2005 by Peter M. Bowers
Throughout the homebuilt movement many designs have a strong resemblance to others. The all-time toppers in this area are the Wittman “Tailwind” and the Nesmith “Cougar.” Continue Reading →
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