Aeronca Collection

Aeronca Airplanes List

1931 Aeronca C-3 on floats

WAAAM's 1931 Aeronca C-3 on floats getting ready to be moved to a new display area in the museum.

Donation: Terry Brandt

Engine: Aeronca E-113, 36 HP

Introduced in 1931, the two-seat Aeronca C-3 was an evolution of the single-seat C-2. The C-3 has a 36 HP (later 40 HP) two-cylinder engine. A factory demonstrator was flown on a 13,000 mile, 17-state tour showing off its practicality. Often described as a powered glider, the C-3 was a hit with flying schools and private owners due to its low cost of operation. It is a gentle flyer and early owners often flew solo with as little as five hours of instruction. The shape of the fuselage of the C-2 and C-3 invoked its nickname The Flying Bathtub and the triangle-shaped upper fuselage suggested “razor-back.” Production ran from 1931 to 1937.

1932 Aeronca C-3

See a 1932 Aeronca C-3 at the Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum.

Donation: Terry Brandt

Engine: Aeronca E-113, 36 HP

Introduced in 1931, the two-seat Aeronca C-3 was an evolution of the single-seat C-2. The C-3 has a 36 HP (later 40 HP) two-cylinder engine. A factory demonstrator was flown on a 13,000 mile, 17-state tour showing off its practicality. Often described as a powered glider, the C-3 was a hit with flying schools and private owners due to its low cost of operation. It is a gentle flyer and early owners often flew solo with as little as five hours of instruction. The shape of the fuselage of the C-2 and C-3 invoked its nickname The Flying Bathtub and the triangle-shaped upper fuselage suggested “razor-back.” Production ran from 1931 to 1937.

Additional Specifications:

Cruise: 63 MPH

Top Speed: 80 MPH

Empty Weight: 466 lbs

Gross Weight: 875 lbs

Wing Span: 36'

Length: 20'

Height: 7'6"

Service Ceiling: 14,000'

Climb in 1 Minute: 500' at sea level

Approximate Number Built: 400+

(Data pulled from Joseph Juptner's U.S. Civil Aircraft series.)

1937 Aeronca LC

WAAAM's Aeronca LC flying by Mount Hood.

Donation: Terry Brandt

Engine: Warner Scarab Jr., 90 HP

A low-wing, two-seat side-by-side airplane whose design was clearly ahead of its time, WAAAM’s LC is probably the last of its type still flying. Only twenty five LC’s had been produced when the factory at Lunken Airport near Cincinnati, Ohio was inundated by the Flood of 1937. After the water receded production of the LC was not resumed. The only truly unusual features of the LC were the sharply tapered wings and the cantilever landing gear with its large streamlined "boots." Floats could be installed for water operations.

Additional Specifications:

Cruise: 108 MPH

Top Speed: 123 MPH

Empty Weight: 1034 lbs

Gross Weight: 1680 lbs

Wing Span: 36'

Length: 24'4"

Height: 7'

Service Ceiling: 15,500'

Climb in 1 Minute: 650' at sea level

Approximate Number Built: 25

(Data pulled from Joseph Juptner's U.S. Civil Aircraft series.)

1938 Aeronca KCA "Chief"

See a 1938 Aeronca KCA Cheif at the Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum.

Donation: Terry Brandt

Engine: Continental A-50, 50 HP

Designed as the model K with a 2-cylinder Aeronca E-113 engine, the airplane became the KC when it used the Continental A-40 and the KCA with the Continental A-50 engine. Aeronca’s product line was evolving quickly in 1938 so the KCA was built for less than a year.

Additional Specifications:

Cruise: 90 MPH

Top Speed: 100 MPH

Empty Weight: 630 lbs

Gross Weight: 1080 lbs

Wing Span: 36'

Length: 20'7"

Height: 6'6"

Service Ceiling: 14,000'

Climb in 1 Minute: 550' at sea level

Approximate Number Built: 62

(Data pulled from Joseph Juptner's U.S. Civil Aircraft series.)

1941 Aeronca 65-TAL Defender

WAAAM's 1941 Aeronca 65_TAL Defender out during a Second Saturday event.

Donation: Judy Newman

Engine: Lycoming O-145, 65 HP

The Aeronca Tandem was designed specifically for WWII's Civilian Pilot Training Program. Aeronca had offered the Chief model for that program but the Army refused it because of its side-by-side seats. Aeronca quickly designed the Tandem as a brand new airplane, although it was clearly an Aeronca. Its most notable design innovation was positioning the rear seat five inches higher than the front for better visibility. When the U.S.A. joined the war the Tandem was renamed the Defender. This airplane was the basis for the post-war civilian Champ.

Additional Specifications:

Cruise: 87 MPH

Top Speed: 95 MPH

Empty Weight: 750 lbs

Gross Weight: 1200 lbs

Wing Span: 35'

Length: 21'10"

Height: 9'1"

Service Ceiling: 12,000'

Climb in 1 Minute: 450' at sea level

Approximate Number Built: 900+

1942 Aeronca L-3B Grasshopper

WAAAM's WWII Aeronca L-3B grasshopper flying over Hood River.

Donation: Terry Brandt

Engine: Continental A-65, 65 HP

Derived from Aeronca’s civilian Tandem Trainer and Chief models, this airplane entered Army Air Corps service in 1941 as the O-58. It was designated L-3B when the Air Corps changed its classification system. It served mostly as a trainer. In 1942 some 250 units of a glider variant were built using the same airframe and that was designated TG-5.

Additional Specifications:

Cruise: 79 MPH

Top Speed: 88 MPH

Empty Weight: 820 lbs

Gross Weight: 1325 lbs

Wing Span: 35'5"

Length: 22'4"

Height: 7'2"

Service Ceiling: 12,500'

Climb in 1 Minute: 525' at sea level

Approximate Number Built: 2000+

(Data pulled from Joseph Juptner's U.S. Civil Aircraft series.)

1948 Aeronca K

WAAAM's 1937 Aeronca K is a project on display at the museum.

Acquired with funds from museum donors.

Engine: Aeronca E-113, 40 HP

Designed with a fully enclosed cockpit and a 2-cylinder, dual-ignition Aeronca E-113C engine the 2-seat Model K "Scout" brought Aeronca into the mainstream of airplane design. The update to dual-ignition and the replacement of kingpost/wire stays with a strut-braced wing were done to meet new airworthiness regulations. The bare airframe lets you see the structure that’s ordinarily hidden by the fabric covering. This project is on display at the museum and will be restored given enough time and funding.

Additional Specifications:

Cruise: 85 MPH

Top Speed: 93 MPH

Empty Weight: 590 lbs

Gross Weight: 1040 lbs

Wing Span: 36'

Length: 20'7"

Height: 6'7"

Service Ceiling: 12,000'

Climb in 1 Minute: 450' at sea level

Approximate Number Built: 357

(Data pulled from Joseph Juptner's U.S. Civil Aircraft series.)

1951 Aeronca 15AC Sedan

WAAAM's Aeronca 15AC Sedan on display next to a video on the record-breaking-similar airplane The City of Yuma.

Donation: Wayne Greenleaf

Engine: Continental C-145, 145 HP

The name Aeronca is a contraction of its full name, the Aeronautical Corporation of America. Produced from 1948 to 1951 the Aeronca Sedan was the last airplane built by Aeronca. It is a well-behaved four seat airplane with a roomy cabin. Its large wing offers good performance for takeoff and short field operations. In 1949 two pilots in a Sedan departed Fullerton, CA en route to a 42-day endurance flight. In 1958 legendary Alaska bush pilot Don Sheldon made a famous canyon rescue by floating his Sedan backward through a rapids several times to effect a rescue.

Additional Specifications:

Cruise: 105 MPH

Top Speed: 120 MPH

Empty Weight: 1,150 lbs

Gross Weight: 2,050 lbs

Wing Span: 37'6"

Length: 25'3"

Height: 7'

Service Ceiling: 12,400'

Climb in 1 Minute: 650' at sea level

Approximate Number Built: 400-500+

(Data pulled from Joseph Juptner's U.S. Civil Aircraft series.)