Got some stick time in a '29 Ford Tri Motor at Oshkosh

[Tim Hancock]

Friend of mine hauls rides in EAA's 1929 Ford Tri Motor every year during EAA Airventure at Oshkosh. This year I got to fly as co-pilot for three rounds. I got to fly it quite a bit during these short hops. It is a big loud lumbering turd LOL. I believe there are only about 4 of these still flying.

Basically these were the first airliners and were built between 1925 and 1933 but soon became obsolete when the Douglas DC1 and DC2's came out.

Very thankful for the opportunity to get some "stick" time (actually a big round steering wheel) in such an old rare iconic bird.

[astrochex]

Super cool airplane and congrats on flying a special airplane. I made an indoor, rubber-band powered model of these when I was a lad.

What stunts did you do?

[t6dpilot]

Very cool opportunity Tim. I'll bet that was a rush for you to fly during the show. Sorry I missed you this year. The show has just become too crazy for me to enjoy flying in any longer. I think last year might have been my last. IDK we'll see...

[Tim Hancock]

Originally Posted by astrochex

What stunts did you do?

Paying passengers in the back so just some gentle turns.

Large control movements required compared to the average modern general aviation stuff I am used to flying. Once in a turn initiated with lots of rudder and aileron, I had to apply a bit of opposite aileron pressure to maintain the bank angle while continuing with rudder. Basically you don't hardly need any back pressure while in the turn like a normal airplane requires.... It was definitely odd feeling.

[Tim Hancock]

Originally Posted by t6dpilot

Very cool opportunity Tim. I'll bet that was a rush for you to fly during the show. Sorry I missed you this year. The show has just become too crazy for me to enjoy flying in any longer. I think last year might have been my last. IDK we'll see...

I looked for you Scott... but no joy.

I think it was even bigger this year than last. They have added even more additional aircraft parking and added more camping spaces across the road on the south side of Camp Scholler.

[GH85Carrera]

I suspect it was that same aircraft was in Oklahoma City, and in the pattern just in front of us, so we had to linger a little to have a clear runway. As we refueled and put our 182T in the hangar we walked over to it and got to go on board to look around. Then we took a short flight as passengers in the back. It was cool to ride in a 90 year old airplane. The guy in the hanger next to ours has a 1946 Cessna 140. He bought it just too have some tail dragger time. He also has a super nice Cessna 210.

[cgarr]

A guy in our area made the dies to roll the aluminum and corrugate it to match. I think they were rebuilding one in Kalamazoo, many years ago.

[Seahawk]

That is just so great, Tim. Thanks for the pics!

[Tim Hancock]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

I suspect it was that same aircraft was in Oklahoma City, and in the pattern just in front of us, so we had to linger a little to have a clear runway.

This is a 4AT (call sign "little Ford")... My friend also flies the Port Clinton Ohio museum's 5AT (call sign "big Ford"). The 5AT was leased to EAA for several years and it too typically hauls rides at Airventure but the lease ran out this year so EAA did not have use of it. My friend is retired and for the last couple years he has flown around the country quite a bit in both airplanes hauling rides at various airports.

I got to go for one ride right seat in "Big Ford" several years ago but only got about a minute at the controls that time.

[LWJ]

Super cool!

I see the control wheels and can only wonder what other Ford's shared parts.

Thanks for sharing!

[herr_oberst]

Damn, that's cool. What a treat for you!

[unclebilly]

It’s been a long time, but I recall a ford plane with corrugated sides (and wings?) at the Ford Museum in Dearborn… it flew to Antarctica?

https://www.thehenryford.org/collections-and-research/digital-collections/artifact/28759

Thinking back, it was 21 years ago that I was at the Ford Museum...

[Chocaholic]

Man, those radial engines are a sight (and sound) to behold. And that bird has three of them!

[URY914]

My father told me his father who used to be a salesman for a marine hardware foundry in Maine used to fly to the west coast in the '30's in tri-motors. I can't imagine flying coast to coast in one of these. The noise, the ride, the number of refueling stops, etc.
Great to see that there are a few still in the skys.

[unclebilly]

The one at Ford has a 500 HP center engine and the wing engines are 200 HP.

Flying these, what engines are primary? How do you match them? Can you control the wing engines seperately?

[Tim Hancock]

Originally Posted by unclebilly

The one at Ford has a 500 HP center engine and the wing engines are 200 HP.

Flying these, what engines are primary? How do you match them? Can you control the wing engines separately?

I believe EAA's 4-AT that I just flew in is currently fitted with three Pratt and Whitney R-985 engines (I think they are the 300hp versions). I am not too knowledgeable on radial engines.

I did not work the three individual throttle levers, but my buddy after leveling off played with them a bit to get them somewhat synced up before giving me the controls.

[pwd72s]

Back in the early 70's Harrah's automotive museum had one. Remember looking at it and wondering "People actually flew in those?"

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

Back in the early 70's Harrah's automotive museum had one. Remember looking at it and wondering "People actually flew in those?"

And they still fly in those!

[p911dad]

Very cool! I got a short right seat in a DC3 once long ago, the TriMotor is really well before that.

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

"People actually flew in those?"

At the time, only rich people flew in those and they would dress up in fancy clothes for the trip because this was an actual Big Deal and they were going to 'be seen'.