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The Junkers Ju 86 was a German monoplane bomber and civilian airliner designed in the early 1930s, and employed by various air forces on both sides during World War II. The civilian model Ju 86B could carry ten passengers. Two were delivered to Swissair and five to Deutsche Luft Hansa. In addition a single civilian Ju 86Z was delivered to Sweden's AB Aerotransport. In 1934, a specification for a modern twin-engined aircraft, capable of operating both as a high-speed airliner for the German airline Luft Hansa and as a medium bomber for the nascent Luftwaffe, was issued to both Junkers and Heinkel. Five prototypes were ordered from each company; the Junkers Ju 86 and Heinkel He 111. Junkers' design was a low-winged twin-engined monoplane, of all-metal stressed skin construction. Unlike most of Junkers' previous designs, it discarded the typical corrugated skinning in favour of smooth metal skinning which helped to reduce drag. The craft was fitted with a narrow track retractable-main gear conventional undercarriage with a fixed tailwheel, and twin fins and rudders. It was intended to be powered by Junkers Jumo 205 diesel engines, which although heavy, gave better fuel consumption than conventional petrol engines. The design featured the distinctive Junkers doppelflügel control surfaces on the wing, similar to those on the Junkers Ju 52. These were hinged below the wing's trailing edge, with the outboard section on each side functioning as an aileron, and the inner section functioning as a wing flap. The bomber aircraft had a crew of four; a pilot, navigator, radio operator/bombardier and gunner. Defensive armament consisted of three machine guns, situated at the nose; at a dorsal position; and within a retractable ventral position. Bombs were carried vertically in four fuselage cells behind the cockpit. The airliner version replaced the bomb cells with seating for ten passengers, with fuel tanks being moved from the fuselage to the wings. Jumo 205s were unavailable when the first prototype airframe was completed. Instead, the bomber-configured Ju 86ab1 was fitted with Siemens SAM 22 radial engines and flew for the first time on 4 November 1934. The second prototype, also a bomber, flew in January 1935. The third Ju 86, the first civil prototype, flew on 4 April 1935. Production of pre-series military and civil aircraft started in late 1935, with full production of the Ju 86A-1 bomber commencing in April 1936. Production quickly switched to the improved Ju 86D with a modified tail cone to improve stability. Early use of the Jumo-powered Ju 86 bomber in the Spanish Civil War showed that it was inferior to the He 111, with the diesel engines being unsuitable for rough treatment during combat; and production plans were cut back. One Ju 86 had already been converted to use radial engines as a testbed for possible export versions, and this showed improved reliability. Production switched to a version powered by the BMW 132 engine, the Ju 86E, with production continuing until 1938. The sudden end to production without advance warning meant that there were still enough component parts to construct a further 1,000 aircraft.[10] After the war started, the Luftflotte (Air Fleet) commanders raided their training schools for Ju 52s as transport aircraft, together with their experienced aircrew instructors. This depletion continued with the formation of special bomber crews for the invasions of Norway, the Low Countries, and Crete. This was to a severe blow to the pilot training programme, and Oberstleutnant Lt-Colonel Paul Deichmann, Chief of Staff to the Luftwaffe's Chief of Training Helmuth Wilberg suggested that Ju-86s with dual controls and instruments could be easily produced to replace the appropriated Ju 52s. However, his contention that "the need for air transport services would soon reach tremendous proportions" was simply brushed aside by Göring. Export variants Civil variants, introduced in 1936, were designated Ju 86Z in three different models differing in their engines. The Jumo-engined Ju 86Z-1 (corresponding to the former B-0 or C-1) was sold to Swissair (one), Airlines of Australia (one), and LAN-Chile (three). The BMW 132H-powered Ju 86Z-2 was sold to DLH (two) and the para-military Manchukuo Air Transport (five or more). The Pratt & Whitney R-1690 Hornet-engined Ju 86Z-7 was delivered to AB Aerotransport (ABA) of Sweden (one, for use as a mail carrier), Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano (three), and South African Airways - SAA - (17). The ABA aircraft was later transferred to the Swedish Air Force, with which it served, under the designation Tp 9, until 1958. South African Airways' original intention was to have its Ju 86s powered by 745 hp Rolls-Royce Kestrels. Six aircraft for SAA, flown with these engines, were refitted with Hornets before delivery, and the remainder were also Hornet-powered. The Ju 86K was an export model, also built under license in Sweden by Saab as the B 3 with (905 hp) Bristol Mercury XIX radial engines. Several aircraft remained in service with the Swedish Air Force until 1958. A few were converted for radio interception activities. For details of operational history and 29 variants, click here. Picture above courtesy Geoff Goodall Collection.

The Mooney M10 Cadet is a light airplane manufactured by the Mooney Aircraft Company in 1969 and 1970. The M10 is derived from the ERCO Ercoupe, the type certificates for which Mooney purchased from the Alon Corporation in 1967. The M10 is similar to the Alon A2-A, and indeed a handful of "Mooney A2-As" were built in Kerrville in 1968 before changeover of Mooney's production line was completed. According to the FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet, the "Model 10 is similar to Model A2-A except for new design empennage, ailerons and fuel tank vent." The most obvious difference is that the M10 replaces the iconic Ercoupe-style dual vertical stabilizer with a tail designed to allow the airplane to spin. Changes to the ailerons, along with replacement of the A2-A's tail, were motivated by Mooney's intent to market the M10 as a trainer: student pilots receiving training in a non-spinnable airplane, as the Ercoupe was, were issued FAA pilot certificates carrying the restriction that they could only fly airplanes which were "characteristically incapable of spinning"; thus the spinnable tail was necessary to turn the A2-A into a general-purpose trainer. Given that they were replacing the tail, Mooney's engineers opted to give it the "backward" profile characteristic of the M20 series. Although the M10's empennage has the same silhouette as the "big Mooneys", it does not swivel the way the M20's does; the Cadet's tail is a conventional design with fixed horizontal stabilizer, hinged elevator, and trim tabs. The two type certificates that cover all Ercoupe variants, including the Mooney M10, are currently owned by Univair Aircraft Corporation, in Aurora, Colorado, USA.

The Mooney M22 Mustang is the first attempt at a pressurized single engine aircraft by the Mooney Aircraft Company of the United States. The Mustang was developed to be a top-of-the-line model to supplement Mooney's successful Mooney M20 high-performance light aircraft. It is a five-seat pressurized single-engined aircraft with a wider and longer fuselage than the M20E Super 21 and a taller fin and leading edge fillet. It is a low-winged monoplane with a retractable nosewheel undercarriage, with a similar wing to that used on Mooney's earlier M20 Ranger. The first prototype flew on September 24, 1964, with the type being certified on September 26, 1966. First deliveries commenced in 1965, continuing until 1970. 36 aircraft were completed before the line was closed. It was produced and sold at a loss, which contributed to the bankruptcy of Mooney. The "Mark 22" name had previously been applied to a 1957 Mooney M20 experimental aircraft built with twin engines, a nose cone, and an enlarged tail surface. That aircraft did not go into production. The Model 22, although produced in fairly small numbers, has been operated by private and commercial owners in several countries including the United States and Australia. Its Garrett AiResearch cabin pressurization system gives the equivalent of 11,000 feet (3,400 m) at the aircraft's operational ceiling of 24,000 feet (7,300 m). As a demonstration of its high performance, the second production aircraft was flown non-stop from New York to the Paris Air Show in June 1967, the flight taking 13 hours 10 minutes. The achievement is recorded on the display board in the accompanying photograph. The aircraft had been fitted with an extra fuel tank for the flight. A total of 36 were built. In 2001, 24 aircraft remained in service.

The Miles M.11 Whitney Straight was a 1930s twin-seat cabin monoplane designed and produced by the British aircraft manufacturer Miles Aircraft. It was named after Whitney Straight, a Grand Prix motor racing driver, aviator and businessman. The aircraft was the first to combine a side-by-side seating arrangement with an enclosed cockpit for the general aviation sector. The Whitney Straight was developed after F.G. Miles and Straight recognised that they had similar ambitions to develop modern aircraft suited to flying clubs and private owners alike, and thus decided to collaborate on its production. On 14 May 1936, the first prototype conducted its maiden flight at Woodley Aerodrome; quantity production commenced shortly thereafter. Whitney Straights were used in various roles within the civil market, such as air racing and aerial topdressing. Approaches were also made by Miles to introduce the Whitney Straight into the military market. While not selected as an army cooperation aircraft for the British Army in the pre-war years, numerous civil aircraft were impressed into military service during the Second World War, the type being largely operated as a communications aircraft. While production ended in 1937, several Whitney Straights remained in an airworthy condition into the twenty first century. A total of 50 aircraft were built. The Miles M.11 Whitney Straight was a twin-seat monoplane specifically built for use by flying clubs and private owners. Its construction was primarily composed of wood, including spruce frames and three-ply birch covering. The Whitney Straight featured a fixed main undercarriage complete with aerodynamic fairings, along with a fixed tailwheel. Relatively comfortable accommodation for its pilot, a single passenger and their luggage, was provided within an enclosed 'side-by-side' cockpit. The cockpit was covered by a single-piece canopy comprising molded Perspex. The wings of the Whitney Straight were relatively thick for the era; considerable effort had been put into their design to carefully define their drag properties. The wings were fitted with vacuum-operated split flaps; these were attributed as having enabled the type's relatively low takeoff speed of 50 mph, as well as the aircraft's high rate of climb. An alternative flap arrangement, that was noticeably more efficient and produced less drag while increasing lift coefficient, was experimented with during the later years of the prototype's flying career; it directly influenced the design of several subsequent aircraft. For more details of development, design and operational history, click here. Variants M.11 M.11B the sole M.11B was powered by a 135 hp (101 kW) Amherst Villiers Maya I engine, adding 10 mph (9 kn; 16 km/h) to its maximum speed and 200 ft/min (1.0 m/s) to its rate of climb. M.11C the sole M.11C was powered by a 145 hp (108 kW) de Havilland Gipsy Major II engine driving a variable-pitch propeller.

The Lockheed Altair was a single-engined sport aircraft produced by Lockheed Aircraft Limited in the 1930s. It was a development of the Lockheed Sirius with a retractable undercarriage, and was the first Lockheed aircraft and one of the first aircraft designs with a fully retractable undercarriage. Lockheed designed an alternative wing fitted with a retractable undercarriage for the Lockheed Sirius as a result of a request from Charles Lindbergh, although Lindbergh in the end chose to buy a standard Sirius. The first Altair, converted from a Sirius, flew in September 1930. Like the Sirius, the Altair was a single-engined, low-winged monoplane of wooden construction. The undercarriage, which was operated by use of a hand crank, retracted inwards. Four Altairs following the prototype were converted from examples of the Sirius, with another six Altairs built from scratch: three by Lockheed, two by the Detroit Aircraft Corporation, and one by AiRover. The AiRover Altair, dubbed The Flying Testbed, was powered by a Menasco Unitwin engine, which used two engines to drive a single shaft. The Unitwin was used in the Vega Starliner, which never went into production. The prototype Altair was purchased by the United States Army Air Corps and designated Y1C-25, with a second Altair, fitted with a metal construction fuselage was also purchased by the Army as the Y1C-23 and used as a staff transport, as was a single similar aircraft operated by the US Navy as the XRO-1. Altairs were used to carry out a number of record-breaking long-range flights. One aircraft, named Lady Southern Cross was used by Australian aviator Charles Kingsford Smith to carry out the first flight between Australia and the United States between October 20 and November 4, 1934. Kingsford Smith was killed in the early hours of November 8, 1935, flying Lady Southern Cross during an attempt on the record for flying between England and Australia. Two Altairs were used by the Japanese newspaper Mainichi Shimbun as high-speed passenger and cargo aircraft, one remaining in use until 1944. Variants 8D Altair Two-seat long-range high-performance sports aircraft, fitted with a retractable undercarriage, powered by a 500 hp (373 kW) Pratt & Whitney SR-1340E Wasp radial piston engine; One prototype, four converted Sirius aircraft, six production aircraft. 8G Altair One aircraft built by the AiRover Company as a testbed for the Menasco Unitwin 2-544 engine, intended for the Vega Model 2 Starliner. Sirius 8 Special One aircraft built for the Australian aviator Charles Kingsford Smith, it was converted into an Altair 8D aircraft, later named the Lady Southern Cross. DL-2A Two Altair 8Ds built by the Detroit Aircraft Corporation. Y1C-23 Specifications below. The second Altair 8D was purchased by the US Army Air Corps, it was used as a staff transport aircraft. Later redesignated C-23. Y1C-25 The Altair 8D prototype was purchased by the US Army Air Corps, powered by a 450 hp (336 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1340-17 Wasp radial piston engine. XRO-1 One Altair DL-2A acquired by the U.S. Navy, it was used as staff transport aircraft.