Antique Attic
“It is a sweetheart of an airplane, and I think everybody should own one”, wishes Nathan Rounds, one of the pilots of Greg Herrick’s Ford 4-AT N1077 (c/n 10), the oldest surviving example of a breed that ruled the skies in the late 20s.
One of the most recognized icons of early commercial aviation, the familiar “Tin Goose”, was originally an eight-passenger, single-engine, all-metal transport plane dubbed the Air Pullman. Designed by William B. Stout, President of the Stout Metal Airplane Co., of Detroit, one example of this ungainly machine was built in 1924.
No matter how ugly, the Stout caught the eye of Henry Ford, who acquired the Stout Company and incorporated it as a division of the Ford Motor Co.
After a deep revision of the original concept, the airplane became the 4-AT -for Air Transport-, a much improved tri-motor version of the Pullman. Introduced in early June 1926, seventy-nine 4-ATs were built until 1931.
The model 5-AT, a somewhat larger version of the model 4, was designed in 1928 at the express request of Charles Lindbergh, who saw the need for more power and greater seating capacity to compete with the Fokker F-10. One hundred twenty Ford 5-ATs were built in 1928-1933, and were the backbone of the U.S. airlines until superseded by more capable designs, such as the Boeing 247 and the Douglas DC-2.
Nonetheless, the vision of Greg Herrick’s Ford Tri-motor is as electrifying as it was 80 years ago. Ford’s 4-AT-A C1077 rolled out of the Dearborn, Michigan, factory of the Stout Metal Airplane Co. on August 30, 1927. As a demonstration airplane, it was copiously documented in the company brochures and advertising. After being involved in a series of well-publicized flights, C1077 was delivered on May 21,1928, to Sky View Line Inc., of Detroit, which used it intensively during the summer on pleasure flights over Niagara Falls.
When the Great Depression pushed Sky View Lines out of business, the Ford came up for sale. Sir Harry Oakes, a major investor in Sky View Lines sold it to Grant McConachie, a bush pilot operating United Air Transport, an on demand airline operating in the Canadian North.
On November 21, 1936, while landing at Telegraph Creek, the ship nosed over. Though the fuselage was buckled and cracked, the tri-motor continued to fly until it was finally grounded by a Canadian aviation inspector on August 24, 1937. It was subsequently abandoned at the Carcoss, Yukon, Airport graveyard, its engines removed. Gene Frank of Caldwell, Idaho, purchased G-CARC in 1956, hauling the largest pieces down the Alaskan Highway, and coming back in 1984 for the remnants. Originally intending on returning the plane to flying status, he considered parting with it some 10 years later.
In 1996, he finally agreed to entrust Greg Herrick with the plane. The 4-AT was in very rough shape, and would require a very significant commitment to fly again. Looking for the best outfit to do the job, Greg selected Hov-Aire, of Vicksburg, Michigan. Maurice Hovious had been involved in the restoration of the Kalamazoo Air Zoo Ford Tri-Motor. One choice had to be made early in the process, as the airplane had been modified numerous times over the years. After discussing it with Maurice Hovious, Greg chose to have it brought back to its December 19, 1927 -the day Mrs. Evangeline Lindbergh departed Dearborn to visit her son for Christmas in Mexico City- configuration. Hov-Aire began to work on 1077 in the fall of 2000 and the project was completed in the summer of 2004.
The first post-restoration flight took place on July 21, 2004, out of the Kalamazoo airport, and the plane has been flown since by the little team of pilots assembled by Greg Herrick, including Nathan Rounds, who explains how he got the job: “I was born in the antique airplane world. I have about 23,000 hours total time, of which are over 5,000 on tailwheel airplanes on some 140 types. One day, Greg and Brent Taylor literally landed in my backyard with the Paramount Cabinaire and the engine quit upon taxi. The airplane sat on my airstrip for some time before Greg took the decision to give the restoration to me.” One thing leading to another, he was invited to fly some of Greg’s airplanes during the 2003 National Air Tour, and has been kept on the flying roster since. He evaluates the tri-motor for us:
“The Ford flies like a three engine Cub, but requires a lot of muscle. The airplane has the original Johnson bar for brakes, and you need three hands when you taxi or in crosswind: one on the yoke, one on the throttle and one on the brakes. The plane will take off very short. Once you push the power up and lift the tail, it already wants to fly. We have Wright J-6-9s (R-795) engines on the airplane, so there is excess power. Take-off setting is about 1900 rpm, and once we reach about 900 ft, we pull the power back to 1800 rpm. The airplane cruises at 85/90 mph at that setting. The airplane is quite stable in smooth air, but if it gets a little rough you have to tangle with it. The ailerons are not very effective, and most of the work is handled by the rudder. On final the airplane is about 70/75 mph, and when you cross over the fence you pull the power all the way back for a wheels landing, as the tailwheel is the weak link in the Ford. It settles at 45/50 mph, rolls straight and stops short with no brakes. It is a very forgiving airplane in flight and on the ground.”
Since its restoration, C1077 has been flying like everyday is December 19, 1927. No need to send a time capsule in space, for nobody to see, we have one right at home.
By Gilles Auliard