Mystery plane

Air Classics, Oct 2001 by Frewin, Leon

YANKS AIR MUSEUM WOULD LIKE TO ENLIST THE HELP Of READERS IN ADDING INFORMA TION ON THIS UNIQUE AIRCRAFT

Readers of Air Classics are well-aware of the many beautiful World War Two aircraft restorations on display at Yanks Air Museum, Chino, California. As well as aircraft on display, the museum has numerous airframes currently under restoration while other aircraft are held in storage pending rebuild.

Before and after the Great War, many concerns attempted to get into the aircraft building business. A very few were successful while others turned out one or two flying machines before fading into the obscurity of time. Most of these aircraft were either destroyed in flight testing or were disassembled or scrapped after failing to find orders.

Yanks Air Museum currently has one such aircraft under rebuild at nearby Flabob Airport. However, very little is known about the aircraft - for example, it does not appear that even one photograph of the airplane exists! Needless to say, the museum is appealing to readers for possible sources of information on this rare aeronautical survivor.

The craft is a biplane flying boat that is thought to have been designed and built immediately after the Great War. The manufacturer was the Thomas Pigeon Aircraft Company and its exact location is not even known. It is thought that the trim aircraft was built in either Ithica, New York, or Boston, Massachusetts. It is not even known if more than one aircraft was built - museum restorers can not find a serial number nor any form of early registration or numbering system.

What is known is that the craft was fitted with a nine-- cylinder Gnome rotary engine capable of 100-horsepower. Also, the wooden propeller that came with the plane carries a date stamp of May 1920 but, to continue the mystery, does not have any form of maker's mark.

Because of its trim design and small size, the museum thinks that the sea plane may have been built for racing but, again, that is only speculation. The craft is basically complete and restoration is underway but the museum would certainly like to know more about Thomas Pigeon and his aircraft. Please send any leads to the Editor.