Identify this ... aircraft?!

[Pilawt]

I came across this photo while rummaging through old storage bins in the hangar the other day.

No, I don't know what it is. I was hoping someone here would know.

The photo was taken at Brown Field, San Diego (KSDM) in 1978. This ... whatever it is ... taxied across the ramp near where we were parked. This is the only photo I have of it. The print was scanned, and digitally enhanced about as much as it'll go.

There appears to be a registration number on the tail, but I can't make it out. It almost looks like "N254W", but that's an unassigned number, now at least.

Any ideas?

 

[denverpilot]

I know what it is! It's fugly.

 

[poadeleted21]

Did somebody leave the twin bee, skymaster and J3 alone in the hangar?

 

[Cap'n Jack]

Looks like it oughta be in a Mad Max movie!

 

[Dan Thomas]

Maybe Kaman Helicopters tried their hand at fixed wing?

Dan

 

[MSPAviator]

Homebuilt experimental?

 

[Sac Arrow]

It looks like an ultralight with a built-up fuselage surrounding it.

 

[Geico266]

Something tells me it's a one of a kind.

 

[Tex_Mike]

That does look a lot like the transavia airtruck uses in MAd Max......but different.

Looks like fun to fly.

 

[Dan Thomas]

I'm wondering what the black mechanism is in the struts behind the cabin. Another engine? radiator? The pic is too fuzzy.

Dan

 

[Richard]

William Hawley Bowlus was the chief designer of Lindbergh's Spirit Of Saint Louis. By the 1930s he had designed and built his own travel trailer which featured a semi-monocoque construction made of aluminum. He also sold plans (to home builders) for his trailer out of his Los Angeles office.

Wally Byam bought Bowlus' design and formed the Airstream company.

I wonder if the fuselage is a Byam teardrop. Given the location where Jeff spotted the aircraft maybe....

 

[tonycondon]

William Hawley Bowlus was the chief designer of Lindbergh's Spirit Of Saint Louis. By the 1930s he had designed and built his own travel trailer which featured a semi-monocoque construction made of aluminum. He also sold plans for his trailer out of his Los Angeles office.

Wally Byam bought Bowlus' design and formed the Airstream company.

I wonder if the fuselage is a Byam teardrop. Given the location where Jeff spotted the aircraft maybe....

and designed and built several sailplanes, including the iconic Baby Albatross

 

[Skylane81E]

I'm wondering what the black mechanism is in the struts behind the cabin. Another engine? radiator? The pic is too fuzzy.

Dan

Wondering the same, looks like it has 4 cylinders but it's mounted near vertical.

 

[Richard]

Quite right. In fact Chas. Lindbergh set a distance record for soaring in that airframe. His departure point was out of Torrey Pines. I have heard his wife, Anne, also flew one.

EDIT: Wiki says during WWII Byam went to work for Lockheed and Curtis Wright building aircraft.

 

[Richard]

Wondering the same, looks like it has 4 cylinders but it's mounted near vertical.

Fuel tank with radial engine for fuel transfer pump? For W&B purposes, of course.

The twin rudders look upside down.

 

[tonycondon]

Quite right. In fact Chas. Lindbergh set a distance record for soaring in that airframe. His departure point was out of Torrey Pines. I have heard his wife, Anne, also flew one.

EDIT: Wiki says during WWII Byam went to work for Lockheed and Curtis Wright building aircraft.

http://www.charleslindbergh.com/history/gliders.asp