Thomas-Morse C2 "push-pull" cabin biplane (1919)

Hood

Hood

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Hood said:
Just came across an interesting design by William C. Thomas on the TGPTNW Facebook group.
Click to expand...

You didn't. That's by William T. Thomas. It even says so clearly in the link!

William T. founded the Thomas Bros. Co. in Hammondsport in 1910 with his brother Oliver W.
The company soon moved to Hornell, N. Y., then Bath. They founded the Thomas School of Aviation at Cayuga Lake, N. Y., and in 1913 their company became the Thomas Bros. Aeroplane Co. in Ithaca., then the Thomas Aeromotor Co. in 1915.
Coincidentally, the company's main designer was B. D. Thomas, who was British, had previously worked with Curtiss, and was not related to the brothers.
In 1917, a merger and recapitalization resulted in the creation of the famous Thomas-Morse Aircraft Corp., which eventually became the Thomas-Morse Division of Consolidated Aircraft in 1929 before being discontinued for good in 1934.

This being said, your find is VERY INTERESTING ALL THE SAME... EVEN MORE SO!
Indeed, the date and the location (Ithaca, N. Y.) confirm that this C2 is a previously unknown Thomas-Morse project, so thanks a lot for sharing.
 
Apologies, I had indeed switched T for C accidentally during my search which threw me off course! Proof that even basic errors can easily mislead into dead ends.

Not being an expert in US aviation, I wasn't sure if this was a Thomas-More project or an independent design by him, so thanks for confirming that.
 
Nice find my dear Hood,

and can we transfer this topic to a proper section ?.

Oops. Done!
 
Skyblazer said:
...Coincidentally, the company's main designer was B. D. Thomas, who was British...
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Marginally relevant? Something about the designer Benjamin Douglas Thomas from The Aeroplane, January 6, 1915

"A Likely Source of Supply.

The Thomas Bros. Aeroplane Co. (Incorporated) have recently moved their plant to considerably larger premises at Ithaca, New York, where not only is there considerably more room for the production of aeroplanes, but there is excellent land and water for flying schools at hand. The firm's latest
production is a military tractor biplane which appears to be a very interesting machine.

The firm frankly admit that this machine is of British origin for the brothers W. T. and O. W. Thomas are mechanical engineers who received their training at South Kensington, and, in addition, the firm has recently secured the services of another British aeronautical engineer, Mr. B. D. Thomas,
who was formerly with Vickers Ltd. and later with the Sopwith Company. The Thomas aeroplanes have been very successful in the past, having on various occasions beaten American records, and their types now include flying boats and, tractor and pusher biplanes."

Completely OT, does anyone know what B. D. Thomas did at Vickers and Sopwith before he left for the US?
 
Offline nglt
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Re: Thomas-Morse S-series
« Reply #14 on: January 22, 2011, 04:09:30 am »
Quote
Hello and greetings from Cornwall,
I came across your site after googling Benjamin Douglas Thomas. He emigrated to the US in 1914 to join Curtiss and in 1916 my great great Aunt joined him and married him in Manhattan. They had two boys but his wife tragically died in 1920.
I am researching his life but I know very little. I know he was recruited by Glen Curtiss and then joined the Thomas brothers. I also know that his eldest son died in California in 2004.
Does anyone have any further information about him or can point to any sources?
With thanks!
Nigel Turner
 
Jan den Das said:
Curtiss and involved in design Curtiss J
Click to expand...

I mentioned that briefly in the first post (he also worked on the Model H America), but that's not what Apophenia was asking. He was asking about what B. D. Thomas had done in ENGLAND before leaving for the U. S.

Jan den Das said:
I came across your site after googling Benjamin Douglas Thomas. He emigrated to the US in 1914 to join Curtiss and in 1916 my great great Aunt joined him and married him in Manhattan. They had two boys but his wife tragically died in 1920.
I am researching his life but I know very little. I know he was recruited by Glen Curtiss and then joined the Thomas brothers. I also know that his eldest son died in California in 2004.
Click to expand...

Very interesting first-hand document. Thanks for sharing! I haven't researched Curtiss (one of my pet topics) for a long while, but I seem to recall that B. D. Thomas returned to Britain and helped Felixstowe with the reverse-engineering and improvement of the Curtiss Large America series (which in turn was of course further reverse-engineered and re-engined by the U. S. Navy as the F-5L).
 
An interresting detail no one mentioned, in 1920 flown the M.B.4 push and pull engines.
 
Hood said:
Just came across an interesting design by William T. Thomas on the TGPTNW Facebook group.
The C.2, a twin 80hp Le Rhone 4-seat passenger aircraft of push-pull configuration with tailbooms and biplane wing, also featuring an enclosed cockpit. Plans dated 1 December 1919.

Post can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10209563053393466&set=pcb.10156521389479784&type=3&theater
Click to expand...
Fascinating!
Pleasantly surprised that Thomas built streamlined ... long teardrop ... tail booms that early.
Meanwhile other early twin-boom pushers looked like they were designed by bridge girder salesmen!
Hah!
Hah!
 
Hi are there any dimensions known of the C.2 ?
 
Jan den Das said:
Offline nglt
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Re: Thomas-Morse S-series
« Reply #14 on: January 22, 2011, 04:09:30 am »
Quote
Hello and greetings from Cornwall,
I came across your site after googling Benjamin Douglas Thomas. He emigrated to the US in 1914 to join Curtiss and in 1916 my great great Aunt joined him and married him in Manhattan. They had two boys but his wife tragically died in 1920.
I am researching his life but I know very little. I know he was recruited by Glen Curtiss and then joined the Thomas brothers. I also know that his eldest son died in California in 2004.
Does anyone have any further information about him or can point to any sources?
With thanks!
Nigel Turner
Click to expand...
Did you ever find family?
 
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