FALLEN FLAGS TOUR
April 1--June 30, 2008

The term Fallen Flag is usually used when referring to those railroads (and railways--there's a difference) that have receded into the past and are most often found in the pages of some obscure history book or in the fading memories of a diminishing number of retired and aging employees.   I'm going to use the same term, but give it a somewhat different twist.  In this tour you will fly to, and hopefully learn a little about, some of the "Fallen Flags" of aviation history.  Take the time to explore the links and learn a little about the aviation company found near your destination airports.  The sites can be visited in any order you desire, and there's not really any time limit.  The sites you will visit are just a small sample of the many historically important aviation pioneers who contributed so much to the world of modern aviation.

Dig out that old leather helmet in the back of the closet, break out the silk scarf and learn to yell "contact!!"  Place a small open dish of diesel fuel under your flight sim chair for additional realism.

Welcome to the Fallen Flags Tour.  To open any link, right click on the link and choose from a menu.

Links you might need:

    Airnav

    Avsim-on-Line

    Defunct Aircraft Manufacturers

    U.S. Naval Archive 1922-1962

I  KMTN  Martin State Airport, Baltimore MD (7000X180 ft. paved).  Martin Field is the site of the Glenn L. Martin Company test field where many famous Martin aircraft were flight tested, including the huge Martin Mars flying boat.  Glenn L. Martin opened his Baltimore factory in 1928 and opened the airport in 1929.  The airport was sold to the state of Maryland in 1975 so that Baltimore MD could have a close-in GA airport facility.
              Learn more about the Glenn L. Martin Company now

              Martin State Airport History
              Consult Airnav for several fun to learn STARS for Martin State.

              Avsim Online has avalable an upgraded KMTN.  Search for jrm_kmtn.zip

II  KILG New Castle Airport Wilmington DE (7200X150 ft)  You'll need to rent a car at your FBO upon arrival because you will need to drive

the short distance to New Castle to visit this site.  Tour one of the perhaps now lesser known, but hugely famous at the time, aircraft manufacturers at this location, the Bellanca Aircraft Corporation.  Prepare to be wowed by aircraft that devoured miles in huge chunks, and some of the most luxurious aircraft for their time.  Again, consult Airnav for approach plates, STARS, etc.  Several files for Bellanca Aircraft can be found at Avsim-on-Line, Search the library using the key word Bellanca.  At present, Bellanca spares and some other production are being handled by Alexandria Aircraft LLC of Alexandria MN.

            Bellanca Aircraft Corp history

            Lionheart Creations Bellanca

            A upgraded KILG is available at Avsim Online.  Search for afcads2007.zip or tmkilg.zip

III KTEB Teterboro NJ (7000X150 ft) and WV66 Glen Dale WV (2600X100 ft grass)  The Atlantic Aircraft Corporation began operation in 1924 and closed in 1930.  While you might not recognize the name immediately, the company was owned initially by Fokker Aircraft, of Holland.  Fokker was well known for several famous German fighter aircraft of WW I, including the Triplane three winger.  Fokker produced several well known passenger aircraft in the 1920's, including a tri-motor similar to the Ford Tri-motor.  Check Airnav for approach plates, STARS, & SIDS for Teterboro.  Things are somewhat more relaxed at Glen Dale WV.  You can find several Fokker trimotor airplanes at Avsim-on-Line, enter the words Fokker Trimotor in the library search box.

           Learn more about the Atlantic Aircraft Corp.

           Search Avsim Online for afcads2007.zip for this airport.

IV KELM Elmira NY (7000X150) and 23NY Jolamtra Landing Area (1900X100 grass)  The Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Co. was created in 1916 by the union of the Curtiss Aeroplane Co. (Hammondsport NY) and the Curtiss Motor Co. (Bath NY).  Although the company owned plants in Hammondsport and Buffalo NY, I have selected the Hammondsport site for our visit.  The Curtiss Aeroplane & Motor Co. produced the famous Curtiss Jenny (JN4D) during WW I as well as the NC-4 , the first airplane to fly the Atlantic (1919).  If you land at Elmira you will need to rent a car and drive the 50 miles to Hammondsport, but the drive will give you a chance to enjoy the wonderful Finger Lakes scenery.  If you decide to land at 23NY, be advised that no fuel or services are available.

The Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company became part of the Curtiss-Wright Corp in 1929.
Several repaints for the default FS 9 Curtiss Jenny can be found at Avsim-on-Line by searching the file library for "Curtiss Jenny" (no quotes)
KELM is available at Avsim Online by searching for afcads2007.zip

V KBVY Beverly MA (5000X150)  Renting a car for the short but busy drive to Marblehead MA will allow a visit to the site of the
Burgess Company the first licensed aircraft manufacturer in the U.S.  Burgess built Wright Aircraft under license, but quickly broke the agreement by fitting pontoons to some of the airplanes they produced.  In 1914 a Burgess-Wright biplane was the first to demonstrate successful air to ground radio communications for the Army Signal Corps.  The site was destroyed by fire in 1918.  Check Airnav for
approach plates, SIDS and STARS before entering in this busy and crowded air space.

VI KBAF Westfield/Springfield MA (9000X150)  Once upon a time there were five brothers who built a series of racing airplanes.  The airplanes were very fast, but lacked something called handling, perhaps due to the extreme (for the time) power the airplanes had.  Several pilots were killed or injured before the airplanes were no longer used.  Their factory was in operation for five short years (1929 to 1934), but the Granville Brothers , and their Gee Bee Racers have never been forgotten.  Consult Airnav before flying into the busy Springfield air space for STARS, SIDS, and approach plates.  You can find a Gee Bee Racer at Avsim-on-Line by searching the library for "Gee Bee Racer" (no quotes).

VII KTTN Trenton NJ (6000X150) or 2NJ3 (2000X100 grass, private field, phone ahead for permission)  Donald Luscombe began aircraft production in 1933 in Kansas City, MO, but moved to Trenton NJ during the winter of 1934-35 and produced airplanes there until moving to Dallas TX during WW II.  The company was closed in 1960.  Among other airplanes, Luscombe produced the Model 8F Silvaire in 1948.
Check Airnav for approach plates and STARS for KTTN.  Be sure to phone ahead for permission to land at 2NJ3.

        An excellent Luscombe Model 8A by Bill & Lynn Lyons can be found at Avsim Online by searching the library for lusc8a.zip.  Other         Luscombe files can be found simply by using the search term "Luscombe" (no quotes).
        KTTN can be found at Avsim Online by searching for njaptsej.zip

VIII KBFD Bradford PA (6000X150) or KLHV Lock Haven PA (3800X100) C.G. and G.A. Taylor founded the Taylor Brothers Aircraft Manufacturing Co. in Rochester NY in 1927.  After the death of G.A. in 1928 in an airplane crash the company was induced to move to Bradford PA by local oilman William T. Piper .  After a series of personal and business clashes, Piper bought out C.G. Taylor in 1935 and by late 1937 all traces of the Taylors were wiped out when the company was renamed to Piper Aircraft Corp.  Although having undergone several reorganizations and relocations, Piper Aircraft still is an active aircraft manufacturer.

        An excellent 1932 Taylor Cub can be found at Avsim Online , search for taylore2.zip  Several repaints can be found at the same site         simply by searching for "taylor cub" (no quotes).
        Note:  I found the Lock Haven airport in FS 9 to extend into a near-by river.  The runway is usable, but somewhat unattractive.

IX KLUK Cincinnati OH (6100X150) and KMWO Middletown OH (6100X100) The Aeronca Aircraft Corp was founded in 1928 in Cincinnati and quickly introduced it's famous C-2 monoplane (the Flying Bathtub), a design perhaps based loosely on the Demoiselle , a very early design built and flown by Brazilian inventor/pilot Alberto Santos-Dumont.  After a massive 1937 flood at Lunken Airport (KLUK), Aeronca moved to Middletown OH and has remained there ever since.  Aeronca now builds components for several aircraft manufacturers such as Boeing and Lockheed at the Middletown facility but ceased light aircraft production in 1951

        Consult Airnav for approach plates, SIDS & STARS for these airports.
        Avsim Online has a variety of Aeroncas available, search the library for "Aeronca" (no quotes).

Well, that's about enough to keep the average pilot busy for a few days.  I hope you will enjoy flying to these historic sites and learning a little about the airplanes that flew in the early,and golden, days of aviation.