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The Bird Wing Commercial
Ship built by the Bird Wing Commercial Aircraft Company, St. Joseph, Missouri. 
   St. Joseph goes on record in the establishing of 
Aircraft manufacturing and School of Aviation. A commercial airplane has been designed and built by a well-known Aeronautic Engineer, R. T. McCrum, who designed a pusher type of Biplane as early as 1911. Aluminum tubing believed to be first used with cast fittings, aluminum in ribs, wings, spars and control groups covered with linen, were in this Biplane type which was modeled along the lines of the early Curtiss. Wing dope was not know at the time, starch was used. 
   Mr. McCrum has designed and built several successful Biplanes in the last five years. A production ship was completed in sixty-two days from the time it was started, on May 2. This Biplane, according to the company, has been thoroughly tested by twelve of the best well-known military and civilian pilots including Colonel Chas. A . Linbergh. It has a number of exclusive engineering features.
   The Bird Wing Commercial Aircraft Company was organized in May, financed by some of the most prominent business men in St. Joseph. This organization is now increasing it capital to $100,000 and going into the production of this type of airplane. It will be able to make delivery in a period of sixty days. 
   In addition to the manufacturing plant a school of Aviation will be established using competent instructors and teaching young men and women to build airplanes. St. Joseph enjoys advantages over other cities, especially in its location in the center of the United States and its climatic conditions. It has one of the most ideal landing fields for the training of students both day and night. It is a flat country affording landing fields in every direction in case of forced landing. It is the intention of this company to give a complete course of flying instructions equal to any school in the United States. 
             General--
Type               Tractor Biplane
Use                Commercial  
Length over all    23ft., 6 inches
Height over all    9ft., 8 inches
Spread over all    31 ft., 8 inches
Crew & passenger   3
             Power --
Type               OX5
Make               Curtiss
Rated H. P. &      90 H.P. at 1400
  R. P. M.           R. P. M.
Cooling            Water
             Wing 7 Tail Data --
Curve
Sweepback
Dihedral Upper
   Wing
Dihedral Lower
   Wing
Staggeer
Gap
Angle incid.
   Upper Wing
Angle incid.
   Lower Wing
Chord Upper Wing
Chord Lower Wing
Spread Upper Wing
Spread Lower
   Wing
          Weight --
Empty              1235 lbs.
Gas and Oil        35 gas-4 oil
Useful load        1000 lbs. 
Gross total        1544 with oil, water 
                     & 35 gallon of gas
            Performance
Lbs. H. P.           23.15 Fully Loaded 
Lbs. Sq.             6.08
High speed, sea 
  level              90 miles per hour
Low speed, sea level 30 miles per hour
Climb to 1000 ft.    1 minute, 12 seconds 
Climb to 2000 ft.    2 min. 40 sec.
Service ceiling      16,000 ft. 
Endurance, full 
 throttle            4 hours