The Bellanca Aircruiser was built in New Castle, Delaware in 1938 by the Bellanca Aircraft Corporation. Many pilots consider it to be the most efficient single-engine airplane ever built. It was originally intended for commercial airline service, but regulations did not allow single-engine commercial transport planes. Thus, the Aircruiser was used for bush transport. The Aircruiser in the Erickson Aircraft Collection in Madras, Oregon is the only Aircruiser still flying.
According to the Museum:
“The long and spacious cabin has room for fifteen passengers and when the seats are removed, enough floor space to carry over two tons of cargo. It is one of the few aircraft that can carry its own weight in cargo, because of its large lower stub-wings and the large airfoil wing struts. Every square foot of airframe is devoted to some useful purpose. Even the stub-wings, which assist with lift and are strong anchoring points for the landing gear, have storage area for baggage and cargo.”
As a bush plane, the Aircruiser’s wheels could be replaced with floats or skis.
The Aircruiser has a maximum speed of 165 mph, a cruising speed of 155 mph, a range of 700 miles and a ceiling of 16,000 feet.
More from the Erickson Aircraft Collection
Erickson Aircraft: Lockheed P-38 Lightning (photo diary)
Erickson Aircraft: Douglas DC-3/C-47 Skytrain (photo diary)
Erickson Aircraft: Vaught F4U-7 Corsair (photo diary)
Erickson Aircraft: Grumman F8F-2 Bearcat (photo diary)
Erickson Aircraft: Grumman FM2 Wildcat (photo diary)
Erickson Aircraft: Ag Cat (photo diary)
Erickson Aircraft: Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa/Oscar (photo diary)
Erickson Aircraft:Focke-Wulf 190 (photo diary)