Pitcairn & Pitcairn-Cierva designations

The Pitcairn Aircraft Company was an American aircraft manufacturer of light utility aircraft. An early proponent of the autogyro, the company, later known as the Autogyro Company of America among other names, would remain in business until 1948.

In 1926, Pitcairn started Pitcairn Aircraft Company initially to build aircraft for his growing airmail service.
In 1929, Pitcairn formed a separate patent holding company to build autogiros, the Pitcairn-Cierva Autogiro Company, which was later renamed the Autogiro Company of America. Kellett autogyros competed with, and eventually licensed production rights from Pitcairn-Cierva Autogiro Company.
In 1931 the company was renamed to the Autogiro Company of America (ACA).
In 1933, the parent company and conventional aircraft manufacturing arm, Pitcairn Aircraft Company merged with the autogiro arm, following the end of Mailwing production, and contract air-mail flights.
In 1938, the company was renamed to the Pitcairn-Larsen Autogiro Company.
In 1940 the company was renamed to the AGA Aviation Corporation.
In 1942, Pitcairn sold his airfield and facilities to the United States military for $480,000, forming the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove. AGA Aviation was now renamed to G and A Aviation, and became part of Goodyear Firestone Tire and Rubber (oops!). The last designs of the AGA/G & A lineage appeared under the name Firestone.


Biplane aircraft

PA-1 FLEETWING (1925)
PA-2 SESQUI-WING (FLEET ARROW) (1925)
PA-3 OROWING (Type 2-20, 1925)
PA-3A OROWING II
PA-4 FLEETWING II (FLEETWING DELUXE) (Type 2-21, 1927)
PA-5 MAILWING (ATC-18, 1927)
PA-5 SPORT MAILWING (1928)
PA-5 MAILWING SPORT SPECIAL (1928)
PA-6 SPORT MAILWING (ATC-92, previously under Type 2-22, 1928)
PA-6 SUPER MAILWING same as the PA-6S? (ATC-92, 1928)
PA-6B SPORT MAILWING (ATC-196)
PA-7 SUPER MAILWING (ATC-196)
PA-7M SUPER MAILWING (ATC-196, 1929)
PA-7S SUPER SPORT MAILWING same as 'PA-7 Sport Mailwing' ? (ATC-196, 1929)
PA-8 SUPER MAILWING
PA-8M SUPER MAILWING (ATC-364, 1930)
PA-8S SUPER MAILWING (1930)


Autogiros

PCA-1A AUTOGIRO
PCA-1B AUTOGIRO ('BLACK MARIA')
PCA-2 AUTOGIRO (ATC-410, 1931)
PCA-2-30 AUTOGIRO, also known as PA-11
PCA-2 AUTOGIRO for U.S. Navy as XOP-1 (three built, A-8850,8976/7)
PCA-3 AUTOGIRO (ATC-446, 1931)
PCA-4 commercial autogiro design study (not built)
PAA-1 AUTOGIRO (ATC-433, 1931)
PAA-2 AUTOGIRO (1931)
PA-16 commercial cabin autogiro design study (not built)
PA-17 commercial autogiro design study (not built)
PA-18 AUTOGIRO (ATC-478, 1932)
PA-19 CABIN AUTOGIRO
PA-20 AUTOGIRO; modified PAA-1
PA-21 AUTOGIRO
PA-22 ROADABLE AUTOGIRO cabin autogiro
PA-23 commercial autogiro design study (not built)
PA-24 AUTOGIRO; PAA-1/PA-20 modified (ATC-507)
PA-25 commercial autogiro design study (not built)
PA-26 commercial cabin autogiro design study (not built)
PA-27 commercial autogiro design study (not built)
PA-28 commercial autogiro design study (not built)
PA-29 commercial cabin autogiro design study (not built)
PA-30 commercial cabin autogiro design study (not built)
PA-31 ambulance autogiro design study (not built)
PA-32 commercial autogiro design study (not built)
PA-33 USAAC YG-2 (one built, 35-278)
PA-34 US Navy XOP-2 rebuilt from XOP-1 (A-8850)
PA-35 ROADABLE AUTOGIRO, also known as AC-35 (not built)
PA-36 WHIRL WING¤ autogiro (one built, NX20674, one more not completed)
PA-37 commercial autogiro design study (not built)
PA-38 attack autogiro design study (not built)
PA-39* AUTOGIRO; rebuilt PA-18s for Britain (7 conversions)
PA-40 trainer autogiro design study (not built)
PA-41 commercial autogiro design study (not built)
PA-42 commercial autogiro design study (not built)
PA-43 ambulance autogiro design study (not built)
PA-44* USAAF XO-61 prototype (42-13611)
PA-44* USAAF YO-61 first service test example (42-13612)
PA-44* USAAF YO-61 service test batch (42-13613/616, not completed)
?? AUTOGIRO special version of autogiro with rockets in rotor tips
GA-45B** USAAF XR-9 (one example ?)
GA-45C** USAAF XR-9A (not built)
GA-45D** USAAF XR-9B (one built) (there exists an amount of confusion on these, check the link)
GA-50?** USAF XR-14-GA (one built, or none?, 46-527/529)
GA-50** proposed civil version (probably none built)

¤ as Pitcairn-Larsen
° as A.G.A.
* as G & A** as Firestone


Military gliders

CG-4A-GA° HADRIAN for USAAF (627 built, under subcontract for Waco)
XCG-9° cargo glider project for USAAF (not built)
XLRG-1° cargo glider project for US Navy (not built)

° as A.G.A.


Links

For the company's full story: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pitcairn_Aircraft_Company
For the biography of Harold F. Pitcairn: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Frederick_Pitcairn

In 1944 a single model 45B was ordered as XR‑9 as well as a single model 45C as XR‑9A. Both were cancelled. The 45B had a length of 35', 10.67 m.
[/size]Eventually a single XR‑9B with serial 46‑001 was ordered which on [/size]11 June 1948[/size] was redesignated as XH‑9B. The specifications apply to the XR‑9B.
[/size]
[/size]
The XR‑14 was a lightweight helicopter designed in competition with the Bell R‑15. Three were ordered with serials 46‑527/529 but these were cancelled.


The XLRG‑1 was a twin hulled amphibious glider with accommodation for a pilot and 12 troops in each hull. Development was ordered on 23 December 1941 and a 40% model flew with a civil registration. Production was considered as LR2N but the programme was cancelled in 1943.

Thanks Jos.

For more information on that, please check out the new topic devoted to the Firestone GA-45/R-9 (and its projected four-seat derivative, the GA-50/R-14) here:
http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,13358.0

From the Bernard Lindenbaum Vertical Flight Research Collection:

GA-49..........G. & A. Model 49 helicopter project, no detail (possibly a competitor of the Sikorsky S-51/R-5D)

From Aeroplane monthly 1993.