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The Gwinn Aircar Company of Buffalo, NY was formed in 1935 by Joseph M Gwinn, Jr, former Chief Engineer at Consolidated Aircraft Corporation. The 'Aircar' was designed as a 'foolproof' airplane that would be simple and, above all, safe to fly since it would neither stall nor spin. The aircraft first flew in early 1937 and received Civil Aeronautics Authority Approved Type Certificate 682. Gwinn hired Frank Hawks, racing pilot and record setter, and Nancy Love, another famous pilot, to tour the country demonstrating the aircraft. On 23 August 1938, Hawk failed to clear high tension power lines while taking off in the Aircar and was killed in the resulting crash. Gwinn suspended production and closed the Aircar plant.
NASM.XXXX.0064
Gwinn Aircar Co.
1936-1937
No donor information, gift, unknown, XXXX-0064, unknown
2.18 Cubic feet ((2 records center boxes))
National Air and Space Museum Archives
This collection consists of drawings of the Gwinn Aircar. It includes engineering and production drawings for the aircraft.
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
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Aeronautics
Aeronautics, Commercial -- United States
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Drawings