Clark GA-46 (Fairchild F-46) duramold aircraft

[tallguy]

I've been lookin for more info on the Clark ga-46. Anybody?

 

[Stargazer]

The Clark GA-46 (also known as the Fairchild F-46) was an attempt to build a general aviation aircraft in lean years using the then-revolutionary Duramold process.

Like so many other general aviation types of the immediate post-war era, it never found the market it was created for, because of the surplus in military trainers, observation and utility types that could be acquired for much cheaper.

Here is a series of pictures I have... As you can see, the aircraft was tested with both a radial and an inline engine.

 

[VictorXL188]

Further to the above I have found on http://aviadesign.online.fr/manufacturers/fairchild/pages/f-46.htm, that this rare bird has been restored by Big Sky Stearman company, see also http://deluxe_o_rama.tripod.com/fairchild46/. There has been a fair bit of termite damage leading to sections like the fuselage having to be rebuilt!

 

[VictorXL188]

Also I came across yet another picture, from NASA/NACA archives

 

[riggerrob]

Fairchild also built 175 AT-21 “Gunner” gunnery trainers.Their entire airframe was Duramold powered by a pair of Ranger inverted V engines.
From a distance, AT-21 resembled the NAA B-25 Mitchell medium bomber. By the time Fairchild ramped up AT-21 roduction in 1944, Mitchell’s were coming off production lines so fast that they replaced most light twin trainers.

Meanwhile, Canada built hundreds of Duramolded Avro Anson light twin trainers that served the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan.

 

[Apophenia]

... Meanwhile, Canada built hundreds of Duramolded Avro Anson light twin trainers that served the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan.

Actually, the Anson Mk.V fuselage was based on Eugene Vidal's Weldwood moulding process. There's detail differences with Fairchild's Duramold process but both are basically bagged, low-temperature mouldings. Duramold also used outside-surface moulding while Vidal used inside-surface moulding. Most sources attribute Anson V production engineering to Vidal's Aircraft Research Corporation as well. I think that's because of the 1941 'Vidal Anson' prototype conversion (RCAF 8649, based on the components of Mk.I 6013).

Engineering work for the Mk.V was really done by Universal Molded Products Corporation (which was related to Monocoupe in convoluted ways). Universal built the first 100 fuselages in Rochester, NY - although Universal's own factory seemed to be in PA Those Universal fuselages were followed by around 950 more Anson V fuselages done by Cockshutt Moulded Aircraft Ltd (Brantford, ON) before they shifted to providing Mosquito components.

In part, the Anson Mk.V was the outcome of NRC's research into wooden aircraft structures (there was also work done on substitute wooden structures for Hurricanes (abandoned) and Harvards (replacement rear fuselage flown). But that's another story ...

 

[riggerrob]

Dear Apophenia,

Thanks for filling in those gaps in the story of Canadian Car and Foundry's Avro Anson Mark V production line.

As an aside, has any company offered a sub-scale model of Anson Mark V?

 

[VictorXL188]

No Mark V model kit as far as I know, but there is an excellent 1/48 one that you can build as the later Mark 12, 19 through to 22.

 

[Aubi]

In 1/72, there's old Airfix kit of Anson I, Mk.V shoudn't be externally much different. There's also much newer kit of Anson Mk.I from Special Hobby. In 1/48, there's Classic Airframes Anson I, vacuform of Anson 19/22 from Sanger, and again Anson I from Special Hobby.

 

[tallguy]

Anybody have wing area for Fairchild 46?

 

[nacnud777]

Anybody have wing area for Fairchild 46?

This plane is now sitting in the WAAAM museum in Hood river OR waiting for a full restoration. They will have it in the air again some day. I'm sure if you call them they can measure the wing for you. 541 308 1600

 

[Aeroweanie]

From the WAAM web page:
"This project is on display for all to enjoy and will be restored given enough funding and time. It is the first successful aircraft built with the molded plywood process named “Duramold” that was invented by Virginius E. Clark and jointly developed by Fairchild Aircraft and Haskelite Manufacturing. The F-46A is a low wing, cabin type airplane with seating for five. The fuselage is formed of Duramold and the wings use a conventional plywood-covered wood structure. In 1939 Howard Hughes bought the right to use the Duramold process to build his H-4 Hercules, the “Spruce Goose.” The F-46 was first fitted with a Ranger SGV-770 inverted, geared V-12 engine but in 1947 that was replaced with a Pratt & Whitney R-985 and flew with the radial engine for another ten years."