The Bellanca 14-7 Cruisair and its successors were a family of single-engined light aircraft manufactured in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
from the mid-1930s onwards.
[Palmer 2001, p. 51.]
Design and development
Bellanca established itself in the market for 6-8 seat aircraft, but believed that it could also successfully sell smaller 3-4 seat aircraft. To fill this niche Bellanca designed The '14-7 Cruisair' as a modern, low-wing
cantilever
A cantilever is a rigid structural element that extends horizontally and is supported at only one end. Typically it extends from a flat vertical surface such as a wall, to which it must be firmly attached. Like other structural elements, a canti ...
monoplane with a
fuselage
The fuselage (; from the French ''fuselé'' "spindle-shaped") is an aircraft's main body section. It holds crew, passengers, or cargo. In single-engine aircraft, it will usually contain an engine as well, although in some amphibious aircraft t ...
intended to contribute lift to the design. Although the prototype flew with fixed
tailwheel undercarriage
Conventional landing gear, or tailwheel-type landing gear, is an aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air. It counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynami ...
, the 14-9 production version was the first US light aircraft to be mass-produced with retractable undercarriage, the main wheels rotating aft into wheel-wells in the wings, with approximately 50 produced before production was interrupted by
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
.
![Bellanca 14-13-2 C-FGGX 03](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/10/Bellanca_14-13-2_C-FGGX_03.JPG)
After WWII Bellanca resumed production with the up-dated Bellanca 14-13 Cruisair Senior, retaining the Bellanca 14-7's basic design, featuring an enlarged cabin, a
horizontally opposed Franklin 6A4-335-B3 engine
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert one or more forms of energy into mechanical energy.
Available energy sources include potential energy (e.g. energy of the Earth's gravitational field as exploited in hydroelectric power gen ...
in place of the earlier models' Le Blond
radial
Radial is a geometric term of location which may refer to:
Mathematics and Direction
* Vector (geometric), a line
* Radius, adjective form of
* Radial distance, a directional coordinate in a polar coordinate system
* Radial set
* A bearing f ...
and an oval vertical endplate on each
horizontal stabiliser
A tailplane, also known as a horizontal stabiliser, is a small lifting surface located on the tail (empennage) behind the main lifting surfaces of a fixed-wing aircraft as well as other non-fixed-wing aircraft such as helicopters and gyroplan ...
. This latter feature gained the type the affectionate nickname "Cardboard Constellation", because the arrangement is similar to the contemporary
Lockheed Constellation
The Lockheed Constellation ("Connie") is a propeller-driven, four-engined airliner built by Lockheed Corporation starting in 1943. The Constellation series was the first pressurized-cabin civil airliner series to go into widespread use. Its press ...
airliner.
[ ''1978 Aircraft Directory'' 1977, p. 20.]
The naming convention for Bellanca aircraft was followed with the Cruisair series, with the first number giving the wing area in square feet, (dropping the final digit), while the second number is the aircraft's horsepower, (again dropping the final digit).
Construction of the series is fairly conventional with wings constructed of spruce with plywood skin and
fuselage
The fuselage (; from the French ''fuselé'' "spindle-shaped") is an aircraft's main body section. It holds crew, passengers, or cargo. In single-engine aircraft, it will usually contain an engine as well, although in some amphibious aircraft t ...
s built up from a welded steel-tube framework with a fabric covering.
A constant process of refinement led to many variants, sometimes given new names but retaining the same structure differing only in powerplant, minor details and furnishings. The only major variations were the introduction of a single swept fin and tri-cycle retractable undercarriage. Production was carried out at a variety of companies, including
Bellanca
AviaBellanca Aircraft Corporation was an American aircraft design and manufacturing company. Prior to 1983, it was known as the Bellanca Aircraft Company. The company was founded in 1927 by Giuseppe Mario Bellanca, although it was preceded by p ...
,
Downer,
Aviabellanca,
Northern Aircraft and Inter-Air, with little variation other than powerplant and furnishings.
The highly responsive flying characteristics of the aircraft are evident to anyone who has flown one. Bill Cox, the well known aviation journalist at ''Plane and Pilot Magazine'' commented regarding the flying qualities of Vikings that they "have long been famous for control response and harmony that seems almost psychic in nature" , and asserted, "Owners almost unanimously pronounce the Viking the best handling airplane they've ever flown."
Pre-war development culminated in the 1941 14-12, at which point production ceased to allow Bellanca to work as a military subcontractor for the duration of the war when an attempt to market a militarized version as a trainer was unsuccessful. After the war, Bellanca returned to the design to create the
Bellanca 14-13 and its successors.
Model 14-13
The 14-13 was introduced in 1946; in its improved 14-13-3 version the aircraft remained in production until 1956.
Model 14-19
A higher performance design revision was granted FAA approval as the 14-19 Cruisemaster on September 26, 1949.
The new model featured structural upgrades, a Lycoming O435-A engine, an increased gross weight of 2,600 lbs, hydraulically operated landing gear and flaps, and a deluxe interior. 99 of these airplanes were produced between 1949 and 1951. Externally, a near-look-alike to the earlier models, this version was distinguished by its larger, oval-shaped endplates.
[Bellanca Champion Club Literature.] All production ceased in 1956 as Bellanca wound up its operations.
Model 14-19-2
The 14-19 design was revived by
Northern Aircraft and granted FAA approval on January 7, 1957 as the 14-19-2 Cruisemaster. The new model featured a
Continental O-470K engine, an increased gross weight of 2,700 pounds,
an updated instrument panel as well as new paint and upholstery schemes.
[1957 Bellanca 14-19-2 Owners Manual.] 104 of these airplanes were produced between 1957 and 1958.
The company was renamed
Downer Aircraft in 1959.
Inter-Air acquired the production rights in 1962 and was renamed as the
Bellanca Sales Company, a subsidiary of
Miller Flying Service
A miller is a person who operates a mill, a machine to grind a grain (for example corn or wheat) to make flour. Milling is among the oldest of human occupations. "Miller", "Milne" and other variants are common surnames, as are their equivalent ...
.
Further development of the design by Inter-Air resulted in the modernized
Viking
Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden),
who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and se ...
series introduced in 1962.
[Palmer 2001, p. 51.]
Bellanca Viking
The Bellanca Viking and Super Viking were developed through modifications of the 'Cruisair' designs by the aviation pioneer
Giuseppe Bellanca
Giuseppe Mario Bellanca (March 19, 1886 – December 26, 1960) was an Italian-American aviation pioneer, airplane designer and builder, who is credited with many design firsts and whose aircraft broke many aviation records. He was inducted into t ...
. Derived directly from the Cruisair, the Viking introduced a swept single tail of similar area, replacing the triple-tail of earlier aircraft, initially manufactured by Downer Aircraft as the Model 260 starting around 1958. The Viking model was born out of discussions at Downer for a bigger version of the "Model 260" with at least 300 horsepower. The
Minnesota
Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
based company employed skilled craftsman who manufactured the wing from spruce and the new 300 hp model was named the "Viking" in respect to the many Scandinavians of the area.
The first Model 17 Viking appeared in 1967 called the "17-30" it was powered by a 300 hp
Continental IO-520-K. In 1969 a Viking powered by a 290 hp (later 300 hp)
Lycoming IO-540
The Lycoming O-540 is a family of air-cooled six-cylinder, horizontally opposed fixed-wing aircraft and helicopter engines of displacement, manufactured by Lycoming Engines. The engine is a six-cylinder version of the four-cylinder Lycoming ...
was introduced, either normally aspirated (17-31) or turbocharged (17-31TC).
![SuperVikingAtCentennial](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0d/SuperVikingAtCentennial.jpg)
Over the years there were a number of refinements in the aircraft. The original hydraulic gear and flap actuation system was redesigned in 1968 introducing electric flaps. In 1969 the FAA issued Type Certificate A18CE and the aircraft built under that design were designated the "A" series "Super Vikings". Aside from refinements already made to late Viking 300 models, the new 300A Vikings (17-30A, 17-31A and 17-31ATC) had a gross weight increase to 3,325 lbs. The original complex fuel system with five tanks and two fuel selectors allowing eight possible combinations of selector settings was simplified to a left, right and auxiliary system in 1974. In 1979 the Continental powered Vikings sported a fully enclosed nosewheel thanks to a redesign of the engine mount. This necessitated the use of cowl flaps for the first time on the Viking but resulted in a 12 mph increase. In 1979 production of the Lycoming powered 17-31A ceased. In 1996, the Continental IO-550 was made available as an option.
Operational history
Designed and produced in the post-World War II era, the Bellanca 14-13 Cruisair Senior was aimed at a general aviation market. Pilot/owners were offered a combination of performance, low engine power and a modest price of $4500. Its performance and structural strength also made it attractive for utility work, but in many ways the Bellanca design was an anachronism, relying on a
conventional landing gear
Conventional landing gear, or tailwheel-type landing gear, is an aircraft undercarriage consisting of two main wheels forward of the center of gravity and a small wheel or skid to support the tail.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Term ...
configuration and wood and fabric construction that harkened back to an earlier age. Postwar economics along with a glut of surplus military aircraft precluded heavy sales although about 600 were produced.
Despite its introduction into a period where private aircraft sales were stagnant, the aircraft remained popular through all of its incarnations and today is considered a classic cabin monoplane and is much in demand.
"Bellanca 14-13 Cruisair history."
''Pilotfriend.com'', 2009. Retrieved: May 17, 2009.
Since 2002 the company has been operated by a group of six Bellanca enthusiasts who bought the company from the state of Minnesota and established Alexandria Aircraft Co. LLC, providing technical support and parts for owners and maintenance organisations in the field. New aircraft have been available from Alexandria Aircraft Co., who have sold one new aircraft manufactured in 2005.
Variants
;Junior 14-7
:Prototype with fixed undercarriage and LeBlond 5
The LeBlond radial engines, later produced under the name Ken-Royce, were a family of 3-cylinder, 5-cylinder and 7-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines for aircraft, built in the 1930s by the LeBlond Aircraft Engine Corporation until the operatio ...
E radial piston engine.
:: 14-7L - 14-7 with Lenape LM-5 engine.
;14-9
:Main production version with retractable undercarriage and Ken-Royce 5F radial piston engine.
:: 14-9L - Fitted with a Lenape Brave engine.
;14-10L - fitted with a 100 hp (75 kW) Lycoming engine.
;14-12 - with Franklin 6AC
The Franklin O-335 (company designations variations on 6A and 6V) was an American air-cooled aircraft engine of the 1940s. The engine was of six-cylinder, horizontally-opposed layout and displaced . The power output of later variants was .
...
engine
;14-13
:Initial model introduced in 1946, type approved September 25, 1946.
::14-13-2 - Improved model introduced in 1947. Featured a longer span stabilizer with smaller endplates and an external baggage door, type approved June 2, 1947.
::14-13-3 - Improved model introduced in 1948, type approved October 25, 1948, which remained in production until 1956
::14-13W - Wagon version with plywood
Plywood is a material manufactured from thin layers or "plies" of wood veneer that are glued together with adjacent layers having their wood grain rotated up to 90 degrees to one another. It is an engineered wood from the family of manufactured ...
-lined cabin and removable rear seats.[Bridgman 1951, p.204c]
;T14-14
:Militarized trainer version (single prototype only).
;14-19
: version introduced in 1949
::14-19-2 - version introduced in 1957
::14-19-3 - tricycle gear
Tricycle gear is a type of aircraft undercarriage, or ''landing gear'', arranged in a tricycle fashion. The tricycle arrangement has a single nose wheel in the front, and two or more main wheels slightly aft of the center of gravity. Tricycle g ...
version introduced in 1959 by Downer Aircraft
;Downer 260
: 14-19-3 production by Downer Aircraft Industries Inc.
;Miller 260A
:Further production of the 14-19 by Miller Flying Service
A miller is a person who operates a mill, a machine to grind a grain (for example corn or wheat) to make flour. Milling is among the oldest of human occupations. "Miller", "Milne" and other variants are common surnames, as are their equivalent ...
, which had acquired the rights for manufacture from International Aircraft Mfg Inc. (Inter-Air)
;Aviabellanca 260C
:Model 14-19-3C version built in the late 1960s by Inter-Air with revised empennage and 260 hp (194 kW) Continental IO-470
The Continental O-470 engine is a family of carbureted and fuel-injected six-cylinder, horizontally opposed, air-cooled aircraft engines that was developed especially for use in light aircraft by Continental Motors. Engines designated "IO" ...
-F engine
; 17-30 Viking 300
: Four-seat light cabin aircraft, powered by a 224-kW (300-hp) Continental IO-520-K piston engine.
:: 17-30A Super Viking 300A: Four-seat light cabin aircraft, powered by a 224-kW (300-hp) Continental IO-520-K piston engine.
::'' 17-31 Viking 300'': Four-seat light cabin aircraft, powered by a 224-kW (300-hp) Lycoming IO-540
The Lycoming O-540 is a family of air-cooled six-cylinder, horizontally opposed fixed-wing aircraft and helicopter engines of displacement, manufactured by Lycoming Engines. The engine is a six-cylinder version of the four-cylinder Lycoming ...
piston engine.
:: 17-31A Super Viking 300A: Four-seat light cabin aircraft, powered by a 224-kW (300-hp) Lycoming IO-540
The Lycoming O-540 is a family of air-cooled six-cylinder, horizontally opposed fixed-wing aircraft and helicopter engines of displacement, manufactured by Lycoming Engines. The engine is a six-cylinder version of the four-cylinder Lycoming ...
-K1ES piston engine.
:: 17-31ATC Super Viking 300A: Four-seat light cabin aircraft, powered by a 224-kW (300-hp) Lycoming IO-540
The Lycoming O-540 is a family of air-cooled six-cylinder, horizontally opposed fixed-wing aircraft and helicopter engines of displacement, manufactured by Lycoming Engines. The engine is a six-cylinder version of the four-cylinder Lycoming ...
-K1ES piston engine, the aircraft is fitted with two Rajay turbochargers.
:: 17-31TC Viking 300: Four-seat light cabin aircraft, powered by a 224-kW (300-hp) Lycoming IO-540
The Lycoming O-540 is a family of air-cooled six-cylinder, horizontally opposed fixed-wing aircraft and helicopter engines of displacement, manufactured by Lycoming Engines. The engine is a six-cylinder version of the four-cylinder Lycoming ...
piston engine, the aircraft is fitted with turbocharger.
Specifications (14-13-3)
See also
* Giuseppe Mario Bellanca
Giuseppe Mario Bellanca (March 19, 1886 – December 26, 1960) was an Italian-American aviation pioneer, airplane designer and builder, who is credited with many design firsts and whose aircraft broke many aviation records. He was inducted into t ...
References
;Notes
;Bibliography
* Bridgman, Leonard. ''Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1951/52'', London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, Ltd., 1951.
* Davisson, Budd. "We Fly the Cardboard Constellation" ''Air Progress Vintage Buyer's Guide'', 1989.
* Mondey, David. ''The Complete Illustrated Encyclopedia of the World's Aircraft''. Secaucus, NJ: Chartwell Books Inc, 1978. .
* Palmer, Trisha, ed. "Bellanca Viking Series". ''Encyclopedia of the World's Commercial and Private Aircraft''. New York: Crescent Books, 2001. .
* "Plane and Pilot." ''1978 Aircraft Directory''. Santa Monica, CA: Werner & Werner Corp, 1977. .
*
* Taylor, Michael J. H. ''Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation''. London: Studio Editions, 1989.
* ''World Aircraft Information Files''. London: Bright Star Publishing. p. File 890 Sheet 24.
External links
aerofiles.com
Bellanca Aircraft Official Site
The Bellanca Super Viking
{{Bellanca
1930s United States civil utility aircraft
Cruisair
Low-wing aircraft
Single-engined tractor aircraft
Aircraft first flown in 1937