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history of the Aeronca, Bellanca, American Champion Family of Aircraft
By Tom Beamer - tom@theairport.com Page 1 - Aeronca
Beginnings Page 2 -
Aeronca/Champion/Bellanca-Champion/American Champion Models Page 3 - Early
Aircraft Designations Page 4 - The
Citabria Era Designations Page 5 - The 8
Series Page 6 - And….. Page 7 - Structure (Fuselage
and Wings) And……………………. ·
Champion 402
Lancer,
designed for the multi-engine training market, with a pair of 100 hp
Continentals, fixed pitch props, and fixed landing gear, minimum sink rate
was the best one could achieve during one engine out training. The fabric
covered Lancer was also the first of the tandem line with metal spars. The
Lancer had a control wheel in the front since the idea was to teach future
professional pilots and a stick in the rear, possibly a unique control
arrangement.
Champion
Lancer 402
Champion
Lancer 402
Champion
Lancer 402 – Interior
Champion
Lancer 402 – Interior
Champion
Lancer 402 - Interior Known
Experimental Models ·
1958, Commuter,
a two place, fabric covered, welded steel tube, helicopter. ·
1966, Champion was touring the Airshow circuit with a
single seat aircraft that had no rear seat or windows and had all of the fuel
in a rear seat area tank, this aircraft also had an oversize rudder and
spring steel gear, which was still two years away from introduction to
production aircraft. As a young 7AC instructor I remember inspecting this
very high performance airplane very closely, remember that even the 7ECA was
high performance when you spent your day in the back seat of a 7AC struggling
for altitude at 300-500 fpm. ·
1968, Citabria Pro,
essentially an open cockpit 7KCAB with 180 hp, factory documents initially
refer to it as the 9KCAB but it is then changed to 8KCAB until that is later
reassigned to the Decathlon. It initially flew with the front cockpit covered
over but was later reconfigured as a two-holer. Great looking airplane that
we drooled over at the time but it’s easy to understand that there will
always be a limited market for an open cockpit, particularly if you’ve ever
tried to operate one on an annual basis.
Bellanca Citabria Pro ·
1973, Bellanca
Trainer, a tri-cycle gear development of the 11 series Chief, 100 hp,
swept vertical fin, squared and slight swept horizontal stabilizer and
elevator, modern looking fiberglass cowl, rear window, spring steel gear. Bellanca Experimental Aerobatic Aeronca LB Aeronca Chum
Page 1 - Aeronca
Beginnings Page 2 -
Aeronca/Champion/Bellanca-Champion/American Champion Models Page 3 - Early
Aircraft Designations Page 4 - The
Citabria Era Designations Page 5 - The 8
Series Page 6 - And….. Page 7 - Structure
(Fuselage and Wings) |
