The Bellanca Viking and Super Viking are a series of single-engine, four-seat, high performance, retractable gear aircraft manufactured in the USA during the 1960s and 1970s. The aircraft developed through modifications of classic 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 ...

. A total of 1,356 Vikings have been produced with most production between 1968 and 1975 (1019 planes).

Development and design

The Viking is a derivative of the

Bellanca Cruisair The Bellanca 14-7 Cruisair and its successors were a family of single-engined light aircraft manufactured in the United States from the mid-1930s onwards.Palmer 2001, p. 51. Design and development Bellanca established itself in the market for ...

, a retractable gear taildragger with two extra vertical fins on the tips of the horizontal stabilizer. The 14-13 Cruisair series was developed into the larger, more powerful 14-19 Cruisemaster in the early 1950s. After the original Bellanca company went out of business, Downer Aircraft took over the type certificate and built the 14-19-2 Cruisemaster by mating the airframe with a Continental O-470 of 230 hp. In 1958, Downer redesigned the airplane with a nosewheel and fuel injected IO-470 of 260 hp, and redesignated it the 260. The 14-19-3 260 retained the wire-braced triple tail into the 1962 model year. After that year the triple tail design was modified to a single tail with the same aggregate surface area, and manufactured as the Model 260A. The later Vikings retain the oversized vertical fin that contributes to the distinctive flying characteristics of the aircraft. The Viking model was born out of discussions at Downer for a bigger version of the "Model 260" with at least 300 horsepower. The company was based in Minnesota and 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

Over the years there were a number of refinements to 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. After several years of financial losses, Viking sales became profitable again in 1978. In 1979, 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 The Continental IO-550 engine is a large family of 9 liter fuel injected six-cylinder, horizontally opposed, air-cooled aircraft engines that were developed for use in light aircraft by Teledyne Continental Motors. The first IO-550 was deliver ...

was made available as an option. 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. They provide technical support and parts to owners and A&Ps in the field. They have sold one new aircraft, manufactured in 2005. The aircraft fuselage is constructed from tubular steel overlaid with fabric while the wings are fashioned from spruce with a plywood skin. Bill Cox, an 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."

Variants

;17-30 Viking 300: Four-seat light cabin aircraft, powered by a 224-kW (300-hp)

Continental IO-520 The Continental O-520 is a six-cylinder, horizontally opposed aircraft engine produced by Teledyne Continental Motors. First run in 1963 as a development of the IO-346, it has been produced in versions incorporating fuel injection (IO-520), tu ...

-K piston engine. ;17-31 Viking 300: Four-seat light cabin aircraft, powered by a 224-kW (300-hp)

piston engine. ;17-31TC Viking 300: Four-seat light cabin aircraft, powered by a 224-kW (300-hp)

piston engine, the aircraft is fitted with turbocharger. ;17-30A Super Viking 300A: Four-seat light cabin aircraft, powered by a 224-kW (300-hp)

-K piston engine. ;17-31A Super Viking 300A: Four-seat light cabin aircraft, powered by a 224-kW (300-hp)

-K1E5 piston engine. ;17-31ATC Turbo Super Viking 300A: Four-seat light cabin aircraft, powered by a 224-kW (300-hp)

-K1E5 piston engine, the aircraft is fitted with two Rajay turbochargers.

Specifications (1976 17-30A Super Viking 300A)

Notes

References

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External links