New England Museum of Aviation

[Tailspin]

I had to travel to Hartford Connecticut on business this week, and I had a chance to visit the museum. There are two replica WW1 machines: an ex-Rhinebeck Fokker DR1 and a Sikorsky S-16. The Fokker is painted red overall and looks very nice. The Sikorsky, for those who don't know this machine, looks a lot like the Bristol Scout, with a single Vickers offset to the left side of the cowling. One interesting feature is the four wheel main landing gear. It's clear doped and marked for the Imperial Russian Air Service. In the civilian side of the museum is a Bleriot XI and an old Curtiss Pusher. There are lots of other aircraft from later periods of aviation history, especially on the civilian side of the museum. There are also extensive model airplane displays, a Hispano-Suiza engine, and some amazing displays of World War Two warplanes. It's an enjoyable place to spend an afternoon, if you find yourself in Central Connecticut or Western Massachusetts.

Tom

The Sikorsky S-16 fighter/scout, part of the "S" series of Sikorsky designs, was the first Russian designed and built fighter aircraft. It had a 27' 6" span and was 20' 4" in length and was powered by an 80hp Gnome engine.

Early models had an equal upper/lower wingspan with ailerons on both wings. Later models had an unequal wingspan with ailerons on the upper wing only. The later models also had a fin profile that was curved as opposed to the long tapered profile that was on the earlier models. The aircraft had the landing gear arrangement you describe with one short axle and two wheels mounted on each set of landing gear struts (LH & RH).

The aircraft was said to be very maneuverable and on par with other fighters of the early war years. The S-20 was another Sikorsky fighter that also saw service during the Great War.

--willyj