Post by Bookman on Apr 26, 2008 19:58:36 GMT -5
Well, not able to resist a challenge, I researched the Kellett that Byrd used at Little America and look what I was able to discover!
Byrd returned to Boston from his first expedition during 1930, the first year of the Depression, with a determination to return to the Antarctic. Despite the fact that in 1933 he had little money of his own and only a few financial supporters, Byrd and his assistants tenaciously sought out and acquired all supplies and equipment needed to take on a second Antarctic expedition in the fall of that year.
One very special piece of equipment secured by Adm. Byrd was a Kellett K-3 Autogyro. Apparently only six K-3 Autogyros were built and with its new engine, the K-3 could takeoff in just 165 feet and with a skilled pilot aboard, could land in between five to 35 feet. And the most famous K-3 Autogyro was NR12615 which was purchased by the Pep Boys (Manny, Moe, and Jack) automotive chain in Philadelphia and named Pep Boys Snowman. The Pep Boys then loaned this aircraft to Admiral Byrd for his second Antarctic Expedition of 1933-1934…and it became the first rotary-wing machine to operate from the South Pole.
Once in Antarctica, the craft was used for short-range reconnaissance and was usually flown by W.S. McCormick but was also piloted by Byrd. The craft performed numerous useful flights but crashed on 28 September 1934 and was destroyed. The remains were left on site and are probably still there - covered in ice and snow.
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The Kellett K-2 had an empty weight of just 1518-lb and of that, the rotor tipped the scales at 331-lb. Of this, the blades weighed 278-lb and the rotor hub (Model 400 - built by Autogiro Specialties Co.) chipped in at just 53-lb. These figures were quite similar to the Autogiros being produced by Pitcairn. Some K-2s, starting in July 1932, were reengined with the Continental R-670 of 210-hp and were redesignated K-2-A. One K-2 was demonstrated to the Air Corps in late 1931 at Wright Field, Ohio.
Note:
I've emailed the Pep Boy's Corporation to see if they can provide information concerning the actual colors of the aircraft.
Anyone interested in repainting it for FS?
KB
Byrd returned to Boston from his first expedition during 1930, the first year of the Depression, with a determination to return to the Antarctic. Despite the fact that in 1933 he had little money of his own and only a few financial supporters, Byrd and his assistants tenaciously sought out and acquired all supplies and equipment needed to take on a second Antarctic expedition in the fall of that year.
One very special piece of equipment secured by Adm. Byrd was a Kellett K-3 Autogyro. Apparently only six K-3 Autogyros were built and with its new engine, the K-3 could takeoff in just 165 feet and with a skilled pilot aboard, could land in between five to 35 feet. And the most famous K-3 Autogyro was NR12615 which was purchased by the Pep Boys (Manny, Moe, and Jack) automotive chain in Philadelphia and named Pep Boys Snowman. The Pep Boys then loaned this aircraft to Admiral Byrd for his second Antarctic Expedition of 1933-1934…and it became the first rotary-wing machine to operate from the South Pole.
Once in Antarctica, the craft was used for short-range reconnaissance and was usually flown by W.S. McCormick but was also piloted by Byrd. The craft performed numerous useful flights but crashed on 28 September 1934 and was destroyed. The remains were left on site and are probably still there - covered in ice and snow.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Kellett K-2 had an empty weight of just 1518-lb and of that, the rotor tipped the scales at 331-lb. Of this, the blades weighed 278-lb and the rotor hub (Model 400 - built by Autogiro Specialties Co.) chipped in at just 53-lb. These figures were quite similar to the Autogiros being produced by Pitcairn. Some K-2s, starting in July 1932, were reengined with the Continental R-670 of 210-hp and were redesignated K-2-A. One K-2 was demonstrated to the Air Corps in late 1931 at Wright Field, Ohio.
Note:
I've emailed the Pep Boy's Corporation to see if they can provide information concerning the actual colors of the aircraft.
Anyone interested in repainting it for FS?
KB
