National Air and Space Museum Archives

Gwinn Aircar Drawings

Summary

Collection ID:
NASM.XXXX.0064
Creators:
Gwinn Aircar Co.
Dates:
1936-1937
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
2.18 Cubic feet
(2 records center boxes)
Repository:

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
This collection consists of drawings of the Gwinn Aircar. It includes engineering and production drawings for the aircraft.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
The Gwinn Aircar Company of Buffalo, NY was formed in 1935 by Joseph M Gwinn, Jr, former Chief Engineer at Consolidated Aircraft Corporation. The 'Aircar' was designed as a 'foolproof' airplane that would be simple and, above all, safe to fly since it would neither stall nor spin. The aircraft first flew in early 1937 and received Civil Aeronautics Authority Approved Type Certificate 682. Gwinn hired Frank Hawks, racing pilot and record setter, and Nancy Love, another famous pilot, to tour the country demonstrating the aircraft. On 23 August 1938, Hawk failed to clear high tension power lines while taking off in the Aircar and was killed in the resulting crash. Gwinn suspended production and closed the Aircar plant.

Administration

Immediate Source of Acquisition
No donor information, gift, unknown, XXXX-0064, unknown

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on access
Conditions Governing Use
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests

More Information

General

General
NASMrev


Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Aeronautics Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Aeronautics, Commercial -- United States Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Drawings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Gwinn, Joseph M., Jr. Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Hawks, Frank Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Love, Nancy Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Gwinn Aircar Co. Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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