The Butler Blackhawk and the Skyway from which it was developed were

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

three-seat open-cockpit single engine biplanes of the late 1920s that were built in small numbers immediately prior to having their intended production run interrupted by the onset of the

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

Design and development

The fuselage was built from chromium-molybdenum alloy steel tubing faired to shape with light wooden battens and covered in doped aircraft linen.Juptner, 1964, p.105Horsfall, January 1929, p.72 Separate cockpits were provided for the pilot, in the rear, with the two passengers up front, with a baggage compartment behind the pilot. Unusually, the pilot was provided with dual engine controls, one on each side of the cockpit. Like the fuselage, the empennage was built up from welded chromium-molybdenum alloy steel and covered in fabric with the elevators being adjustable in flight from the cockpit. The biplane wings were built up around two solid spruce spars with built-up plywood ribs forming the airfoil section.Juptner, 1964, p.106 No center section was used, as the wing panels were joined along the centerline. While the main fuel tank was in the fuselage, it was supplemented with smaller gravity tanks in each upper wing root. Frise-type ailerons actuated by push-pull tubes were fitted to the lower wings only. It was fitted with a split-axle undercarriage.

Variants

All variants were powered by a single Wright J-5 Whirlwind air-cooled radial engine, although the prototype was initially reported as having a J-5. ;Skyway ( ATC 2-49):Prototype, two built, one (msn 101) destroyed before being licensed and one (msn 100, NX7857) converted to Blackhawk standard. ;Coach:Cabin variant, one built (msn 102, NX146E). ;Blackhawk (ATC 135):Main variant, 11 built, including one converted from Skyway. ;Leuthart D:Single Blackhawk (msn 112, NC14422) renamed by purchaser.

Operational history

Butler Blackhawk NC7857 Amarillo 9 March 1930

Butler Manufacturing BlueScope Steel Limited is an Australian flat product steel producer that was Corporate spin-off, spun-off from BHP, BHP Billiton in 2002. History BlueScope was formed when BHP, BHP Billiton Corporate spin-off, spun-off its steel assets on 15 ...

were producers of pre-fabricated steel buildings, including aircraft hangars who decided to expand into aircraft construction, however shortly after they begin production, the

1929 Stock Market Crash The Wall Street Crash of 1929, also known as the Great Crash, was a major American stock market crash that occurred in the autumn of 1929. It started in September and ended late in October, when share prices on the New York Stock Exchange colla ...

and the onset of the

began to severe impacted their profitability, both with their main line of business, and with regards to aviation and they almost immediately shut down their production line to preserve their core business. As a result, only 13 serial numbers were allocated. Art Goebel, known as the winner of the disastrous

Dole Air Race The Dole Air Race, also known as the Dole Derby, was a deadly air race across the Pacific Ocean from Oakland, California to Honolulu in the Territory of Hawaii held in August 1927. There were eighteen official and unofficial entrants; fifteen of ...

in which many of the entrants failed to survive, and for the

aerobatic Aerobatics is the practice of flying maneuvers involving aircraft attitudes that are not used in conventional passenger-carrying flights. The term is a portmanteau of "aerial" and "acrobatics". Aerobatics are performed in aeroplanes and glid ...

routines he carried out in a

Waco ATO The Waco 10/GXE/Waco O series was a range of three-seat open-cockpit biplanes built by the Advance Aircraft Company, later the Waco Aircraft Company. Design and development The Waco 10 was a larger span development of the Waco 9, both single-eng ...

, made a test flight from

Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City (abbreviated KC or KCMO) is the largest city in Missouri by population and area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 508,090 in 2020, making it the 36th most-populous city in the United States. It is the central ...

to San Antonio, Texas in a Blackhawk, and liked it enough to buy one for his personal use. Hoot Gibson, a famous 1920s and 1930s

cowboy A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the '' vaquer ...

actor, bought BlackhawkJuptner, 1964, p.105 NC730K serial 105, however, it was while flying a similar Swallow biplane borrowed from a friend that he crashed at the

National Air Races The National Air Races (also known as Pulitzer Trophy Races) are a series of pylon and cross-country races that have taken place in the United States since 1920. The science of aviation, and the speed and reliability of aircraft and engines grew ...

in Los Angeles on 3 July 1933, and not the Blackhawk. Some examples began being used as crop dusters at the end of the 1930s.

Operators

; * National Airlines operated NC599H (msn 106) briefly, and mainly as a trainer. ; * Compañía Aeronáutica del Sur operated the first prototype (msn 100) as X-BAHH.Pentland, 2014

Surviving aircraft

*msn 110 N593H is currently registered and airworthy by a private owner with the FAA in Rockton, Illinois, and as last seen was painted black with yellow wings at the Kelch Aviation Museum in

Brodhead, Wisconsin Brodhead is a city in Green County, Wisconsin, Green and Rock County, Wisconsin, Rock counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 3,274 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. In February 2000, the city annexed a portion of l ...

. *msn 111 NX299N is currently on display at the

Science City at Union Station Science City at Union Station is a family-friendly interactive science center that features traveling exhibitions, The Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium, City Extreme Screen theatre, and more than 120 hands-on displays. It is located inside Union Station ...

, suspended over the atrium and painted orange with cream wings and control surfaces.

Specifications (Butler Blackhawk ( 135) )

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

* * * *{{cite web, last=Pentland, first=Andrew, title=Golden Years of Aviation Civil Aircraft Register - Mexico, url=http://www.airhistory.org.uk/gy/reg_XA-.html, website=www.airhistory.org.uk, location=Leeds, UK, date=13 June 2014, accessdate=24 April 2020

External links

Blackhawk msn 110 N593H having engine run up
Butler aircraft 1920s United States civil aircraft Agricultural aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1928 Biplanes Civil utility aircraft Single-engined tractor aircraft United States civil aircraft