Navy's Inflatoplane Becomes Amphibious, Akron, Ohio Part 1

Description

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE INDEF OFFICE OF PUBLIC INFORMATION THE PENTAGON, WASHINGTON 25, D.C. - LIBERTY 5-6700 AUDIO-VISUAL DIVISION - RAD10-TV-NEWSFILM SECTION ROOM 2E791 - EXTENSION 75111 (B) Release No. 80-58 DUPE NEGATIVE TO: Footage: 350' FINE GRAIN TO; Fox Movietone Release 28 April Fox-UP NAVY'S INFLATOPLANE BECOMES AMPHIBIOUS WINGFOOT LAKE AKRON Othia (Official Navy footage released by Dept. of Defense) The usefulness of the Inflatoplane, an air=filled rubber aircraft, has been extended by fitting it with a hydroski for water operation. Mounted on a rectangular ski similar in appearance to the familiar water ski, the plane's amphibious capabilities are demonstrated by Test Pilot Dick Ulm in a series of take offs and landings at Wingfoot Lake, Akron, Ohio. Easily attached to the axle of the main landing gear, the hydroski is rigid in construction and fabricated of light weight aluminum alloy. The configuration, with its pivoted ski at the landing gear axle and elastic straps at the bow of the plane, allows the hydroski to select its own best trim angle for optimum take-off. Powered by a 44 horsepower Nelson motor, the inflatoplane's wing, tail assembly and cockpit are made of Airmot (two walls of rubberized fabric connected by nylon threads) and its cigar-shaped fuselage made of rubberized fabric. The Inflatoplane is manufactured by Goodyear Aircraft Corp. for the Office of Naval Research to study the craft's application as a research vehicle. Sequences show: (a) Goodyear Inflatoplane showing hydroski. (b) Inflatoplane taking off from water and in flight (c) Landing on water. (d) Another take off. (e) Dick Ulm, Test Pilot, assembling inflatoplane. f) Interior of cockpit. g) Taking off and in flight. Typed NOTE TO EDITORS: PLEASE CREDIT DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE IN TITLE OR COMMENTARY Priye 5-14 The fine grain master positive, released to the company designated above, is for duplication and distribution to interested TV and Newsreel pool members. It is then to be returned within 72 hours to the Film Library, Army Pictorial Center, 35-11 35th Avenue, Long Island City 1, New York. The master positive must not be cut in any manner. A dupe negative is also for release to the company designated above for distribution to pool members so desiring for duplication purposes. Within 24 hours it will be delivered to DeLuxe Laboratories, 850 Tenth Avenue, New York, N. Y., telephone Circle 7-3220 where it will be avail- able to non-pool members and other authorized organizations which make satisfactory financial arrangements with DeLuxe Laboratories. The dupe negative must not be cut in any manner. D41454

Collection

Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer

Series

Filmed News Releases