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Automobiles and airplanes both developed around the turn of the
century and it's always been a desire of some aviation dreamers to
combine the two. One of the most successful designers to do just that
was Moulton B. Taylor of Longview, Washington, who built a number of
successful flying "Aerocar" flying automobiles in the late 1940's and
for twenty years thereafter refined his initial design. Extremely
rare today, this restored Aerocar is believed to be the only flyable
example presently being flown.
This restored Aerocar is one of five Aerocars presently known
to exist. Three are presently in museums- Smithsonian, EAA museum at
Oshkosh, and the Boeing Museum in Seattle, WA. There is one other
flyable aircraft located in Denver, CO but is not flown there due to
the altitude.
Aerocar Model III
Flying car, 1949
Development:
Aerocar was developed as an attempt to create a flying automobile. The first
prototype was finished in 1949. The first model to fly was Aerocar Model I which
took into the air on December 13, 1956. The fuselage was stretched and the design
was improved in Model III which first flew in June of 1968. The design was further
improved in Model IV and several were built by Taylor and Reihe Aircraft.
Modifications:
Service:
Aerocar Model III and Model IV were used by a few individuals.
Data for Model III
See also: AIR & SPACE, Smithsonian - January 1996,
"AUTO PILOTS, What has four wheels and flies? The dream
of a roadable airplane continues." by John Grossmann,
pp. 68-77.
Official AEROCAR Page