Sorry if my pronunciation is poor in this one, was feeling a little under the weather. F.A.Q Section Q: Do you take aircraft requests? A: I have a list of aircraft I plan to cover, but feel free to add to it with suggestions:) Q: Why do you use imperial measurements for some videos, and metric for others? A: I do this based on country of manufacture. Imperial measurements for Britain and the U.S, metric for the rest of the world, but I include text in my videos that convert it for both. Q: Will you include video footage in your videos, or just photos? A: Video footage is very expensive to licence, if I can find footage in the public domain I will try to use it, but a lot of it is hoarded by licencing studies (British Pathe, Periscope films etc). In the future I may be able to afford clips :) Q: Why do you sometimes feature images/screenshots from flight simulators? A: Sometimes there are not a lot of photos available for certain aircraft, so I substitute this with digital images that are as accurate as possible. Feel free to leave your questions below - I may not be able to answer all of them, but I will keep my eyes open :)

Got to admit, that is a pretty spectacular looking aircraft, especially the twin-engine variant. And it's flying specs, especially carrying capacity and range, are quite impressive for it's period. Thanks for another gem, Rex.

I live in New Castle, Delaware, which is where Bellanca had their aircraft factory. Only one hanger remains, housing the Bellanca Air Museum. It has a large collection of artifacts, memorabilia, and documents, as well as many airplane models. I even donated a model of the 77-140 Bomber in its land plane version. There is a lot of local lore here in New Castle about Bellanca. I had a supervisor who was a kid in the 1930s and he told a very interesting story about Bellanca flight testing. The main street in New Castle is Delaware Street, which ends at a wharf on the Delaware River from which many of the local lads would fish. Once, one of Bellanca's float planes (don't know if it was one of the 77-140s) landed and pulled up to the wharf. The pilot leaned out and asked if some of the boys wanted to go for an airplane ride. A bunch of the kids jumped in and the plane took off. The boys were asked how much they weighed, then were moved back and forth in the cabin, checking out the plane's center of gravity. Once data had been collected, the plane landed and deposited the boys back on the wharf. I'm sure today the FAA would approve of such testing (LOL). If you want to know more about the Museum, go to- www.friendsofbellanca.org/index.html

The low W shape really reminds me of pterosaurs walking. So ungainly but kinda cool.

I've been told Bellanca stressed the importance of every surface contributing to lift, which might help explain the unorthodox design of the Aircruiser. Charles Lindbergh wanted to use a Bellanca for his famous solo flight but was not able to arrange satisfactory terms. That's when Ryan Aeronautical stepped in.

The twin engine version would have made a remarkable transport aircraft wherever high payload and short take offs are more important than speed. It would easily have been able to rival DHC Otters and even Twin Otters.

I got to work on one of these in the early 70's. They were great bush haulers in Canadian North.

Wow. This video brought back memories. There was a Bellanca Cruisair bas.ed at the little air port of my hometown, Jonesboro, Arkansas, USA, iin the 1950's.

Saw a lot of service in the Canadian north. There’s one CF-AWR at the Western Canadian Aviation museum in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The one pictured at 4:42 CF-BTW is in the Erickson Aircraft collection in Oregon.

Bellanca was resurrected and made aircraft in the late 50's to mid 70's. In the late 70's I flew a 4 seat Bellanca Super Viking 30-A. It was a great civil aircraft; they are still around although less than 2,000 were made in Minnesota.

A very interesting aircraft. This is the first I have ever heard of one. The shape of the aircraft, is rather fascinating.

A demi-biplane! The struts become the wing, reducing drag. Interesting compromise between a monoplane and a biplane.

Don't know if you remember the children's cartoon " Clutch Cargo' back in the early 1960's but he flew around in a Bellanca Airbus on his adventures on TV.

Wow this design language is amazing. I'd love to see a modern take on this idea.

great series! My grandfather flew in the single engined Bellanca, and it seemed to hold a pretty special place. he would never have been the pilot, but he did fly and he knew most of the bush pilots in Western Canada in the late 30’s. I’d never seen one until this video. two airplanes I really hope you might cover are by Vickers. Those are the Vedette and the Viking. He flew in both, and had hair raising stories about crossing the prairies, often in terrible conditions. These included having to get out of the observer cockpit, climb onto the wing, insert the iron crank into the side of the radial engine, and spin it up, then engage a clutch to get it going. While in flight. More than once. I think that was the Vedette. Apparently it had almost no glide and lousy climb and poor ceiling, so a stalled engine usually marked a fairly brief period of opportunity to sort things out. Otherwise, it was a dead stick landing on a lake in the back country of Northern Manitoba, and hope help came, which also happened. the upshot is, I think they were both fairly lousy planes, but they were integral to a certain period of Canadian aviation.

WOW!! You dug up several photos I never came across in my research, very nice! Especially the interior photos inside the 77-140, as well as the enclosed nose gunner photo. And, if I may, you make me feel good about my information I compiled years ago just for my own interest in the aircraft.

Built very close to where I live; one of the old hangers is still there, as well as a small museum and a bit of the airfield.

Those of us who grew up watching the Synchro-Vox (meaning film footage of an actual, talking human mouth was superimposed over a static facial image) cartoon titled "Clutch Cargo" may recall that the title character often flew a Bellanca Aircruiser as he and his boy pal Spinner and dachshund Paddlefoot sought adventure in remote localities around the globe. Thank you for this very fine presentation on the Bellanca Aircruiser/C-27 airplane and the two-engined bomber that evolved from it.

I’ve seen the Cruiser in the Ericsson collection at Madras airport. The size and shape is a sight to behold for an airplane of the 30’s.

The example at the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada is nearly completely assembled, ready for the museum opening at the end of May.

Wow, Bellanca was a spectacular aircraft creator; I love the Viking and Cruisair designs, and now I have another Bellanca design to love! I had the opportunity to see the Aircruiser restored and now on display at the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada - I had never seen anything like it before, I was amazed.

Guiseppe Bellanca was a remarkable designer who seemed to have an intuitive understanding of aircraft function in design. In 1927 Charles Lindbergh was seriously considering Bellanca's single-engine plane before he finally settled on the Ryan Airlines designed "NYP." A short time after Lindbergh had completed his nonstop New York to Paris flight, that same Bellanca flew across with a two-man crew. In the late 1940's Bellanca marketed (with limited success) his pretty "Junior" private plane, also the sleek "Cruisair" and "Cruisemaster" single-engine private/business airplanes. In the late 1960's Bellanca Aircraft was resurrected and updated the Cruisemaster, with good success, to become the "Viking" and "Turbo-Viking" aircraft. The last Bellanca aircraft I know of were the strikingly stretchy T-tailed "Aires" and "Aires 250," produced with only limited success in the 1970's. Bellanca's designs were ever tech-forward and utterly unique.

I’m going to go ahead and Congratulate our Author on reaching 50K subscribers… ..! And thanks …those really are beautiful planes

Colombian here, i didn't know about this aircraf ever being operated here, nor expected to. I knew about some modified seversky p-35s but this was quite a twist

Anybody else getting a pterodactyl vibe off the bomber? From just the lower wing and landing gear.

i have a small scale model of this plane that I built a couple of years ago, from a scratch plan. Nice looking addition to my collection.

Giuseppe Bellanca's aircraft achieved numerous endurance and efficiency records, and his plane (WB-2) Columbia was Charles Lindbergh's first choice for a Trans-Atlantic crossing. Lindbergh was unable to secure the plane, but 2 weeks after Lindbergh's Trans-Atlantic flight Columbia was flown non-stop from New York to Berlin (3,911 miles). In 1931, Bellanca's Miss Veedol was the first plane to fly non-stop across the Pacific from Japan to Washington State (4,500 miles).

The twin engined version looks like an animated character out of a 1930s kid's story cartoon.

Excellent! Thank you for bringing these aircraft back to light.

Quite beautiful actually. When these came out they must have looked like they were from 100 years in the future

With a long range and fuel efficiency, would have made a nice submarine hunter.

I was always fascinated by the Bellanca Aircruiser and its nice there are two still around. The Aircruiser's DNA was still evident in later Bellanca designs, like the post-war light single engine Cruiser (am I correct?) and the 1970's Bellanca Viking. A local ski hill operator showed his very low hours ( 8-9 hours) new toy to us, Hmmm new car- I mean airplane smell.

Adds a bit of lift, a bit of stability, a bit of strength, and a huge amount of drag.

Love these videos. Comprehenxive coverage of almost unknown types which is most welcome.

I've heard of the Bellancas, but knew next to zero about them so it's great to get some detailed information (despite the paucity of source material.) My first thought is: considering how many under-performers came along during the 20s and 30s it's nice to see an example that bucks that trend! It's a shame the maritime bomber/patrol model didn't pass muster with the USN, but I'm guessing Consolidated had that market sewed up by that time.

Silver red air cruiser looked fantastic. The restoration photo showing all of the structure was fascinating as well.

superb video well organized highly informative excellent photos of the plane and its variants. Thank You.

One of these aircraft is hangared in Madras, Oregon, and still flies with the Erickson Aircraft Collection.

Clutch Cargo's airplane!

Cheers Rex! Love your videos. I grew up geeking out over planes and this is just my kind of content.

Someone needs to recreate this but with a modern engine. The fuel efficiency combined with the new range the engine offers would be insane.

Imagine the pilots looking out at the nose gunner as he gets colder and colder and eventually becomes a popsickle.

Thanks for this. That wing configuration has seemed like a good design for an alt history late interwar design. The asymmetric airflow over the lower wing on the 2-engine version would offer superb low-speed lift for short takeoff. I hadn't realized anyone had made such an aircraft.

Joseph Juptner's History of US Civil Aircraft series of books goes into great detail on the complete line of Bellanca aircraft development. His books also cover all aircraft both known and obscure that received an ATC number from post WW1 up to the 1950s. I suggest you check them out, if you haven't already.

OMG- What BEAUTIFUL aircraft. Nothing follows...

Always worth watching, and I like your humor.

Awesome research for this video! 👏

Not sure if these are biplanes, or if they are just really large support strut monoplanes.

Your sarcasm never ceases to amaze me. Keep it up

Your output is superb: excellent quality and interesting presentation. Also SO MUCH OF IT! You must work very hard on this.

Even the fuselage is designed to provide lift. No to shabby for the 1930s.

I was just at the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada in Winnipeg on Monday August 1st 2022 and the individual aircraft from the Eldorado mine is on display there. Dark green metallic paint with gold lettering.

(Only recently found your channel, am slowly working through the back log) One thing that struck me about the bomber, especially on floats, is that it could've made a hell of a sub hunter for it's day.

Why do I feel this is why the Corsair had gull wings

Rex, Thanks for digging up another interesting aircraft. I knew of the Bellanca Viking from the 1970s, but had no idea the company built these unique biplanes from the 1930s. Thanks

1st airplane that could carry its own weight in cargo.

It's interesting seeing this and then seeing the X-66 experimental airliner. Some design concepts like the lifting wing struts seem to have come full circle.

I appreciate the content of what you do, Rex!

That art deco bomber looks amazing

I found your channel a few days ago. I'm glad I did, great content my friend.

That was excellent! They also played with Radium ore in Washington Pa. They used a ride on a streetcar to haul it around!

I have loved anything 'Aviation' for 70 of my 80 years and yours is tops. Me and your planes are about the same age ! I like the shorter videos unless you just have to much material.

Such an interesting video, thank you for your work. Peace be unto you.

I was allowed to enter and examine the Bellanca Aircruiser in Medcord Oregon when the the Erickson collection was based there. Beautiful airplane. If it looks good? It will fly good. Said some famous person somewhere at some time. It was set up to haul either horses or mules at that time. There was a large strong wooden bar to attach the the reins of the animals to for the flight. Although I was biased. I owned a Bellanca 300 HP Lycoming Viking personal airplane that I really enjoyed. I flew it all around the US. I wouldn't have wanted to have been the pilot or horse/mule wrangler when the Aircruiser was being flown

The between-wars Bellanca's are some of my favorite aircraft. The first aircraft to fly from Tokyo to Seattle (well, Wenatchee) was a Bellanca, Lindburgh originally wanted a Bellanca for the trans-Atlantic flight. In my mind some of the loveliest aircraft of the era . . .

Thanks! Such an odd but capable aircraft

So interesting. Thank you. Happy landings......

Great video of a plane with awesome design and flight performance. One funny point in the video is around 6:40, where you mention the wing span of 77 feet, just in the moment when the plan shows 76 feet 🙂

I have never been interested in airplanes but I love these videos they are so good!

The Bellanca at RAMWC (Winnipeg, Manitoba) is now complete and on display in the museum's new building.

Great channel!

Great video!

And Thanks Again! Great History! :D

Excellent.

Good info, thanks!…..I’ve never heard of these Bellanca aircraft.

Always enjoy your content. It must take you an age to collate all this information and so often too. I would contribute, but sadly without a job, so unable due to financial constraints. I can only say your hard work is much appreciated.

I have in my possession a picture of my grandfather (RCAF pilot) standing in the main cargo door of an unidentified aircraft during WWII. As an aviation buff and pilot it drove me crazy for years that I couldn't figure out what aircraft it was. Then one day I ran across an article on Aircruisers. I did some research and figured out that he must be standing in the doorway of an Aircruiser. I sent my picture to the air museum in Canada that is restoring "Radium Express." They concluded that due to the door configuration, the aircraft in my picture is the only other Aircruiser left CF-BTW which is shown in the video at 4:46. It now resides in the Erickson museum. It brought a smile to my face that the old bird is still out there.

I got to see the air cruiser fly into the hood river fly-in a few years ago. It was quite a sight to see, but didn’t know the history behind it. Very interesting!

Great job. Never even new those plane existed

A fascinating insight to an aeroplane type which is totally new to me. The name caught my attention, because I I used to fly an aeroplane called the Victa Airtourer. I gained aerobatic certification (endorsement), it was a two-seater low wing monoplane powered by a flat four cylinder Lycooming 280. If you can find one - it would make an interesting video. The Airtourer was a beautifully responsive craft to fly - but had a slow rate of climb, and the flaps and ailerons worked as a single unit. Never use full flap configuration until you are definitely intend to land very shortl!

That's nice looking aircraft

Thanks!

that bomber is gorgeous

For all the info on bellanca aircraft. Visit the friends of bellanca muesum in New castle Delaware. It is in the original hangar used by the factory.

Cool, thanks

In our recent reopened aviation museum in Winnipeg we have the Eldorado Express. It mentioned the uranium it carried was used for Manhattan Project. I have a picture if you want.

God forbid if the Ju 87 and F4U had been seen with an extra pair of upper wings. They would probably die of shame!

Hmm , it just looks far to Busy in its looks as a Float plane it looks great ..Good one Rex.

Great presentation as always, my wife and love your style and look foreword to each new video!

I absolutely love these. I don't care what anybody says. These are just beautiful.

this is i think the third time Edmonton (my city) has come up on your channel and its cool cause its not very often you find Edmonton on the internet unless you're looking for it

At 1:20 That a/c looks like it's got an inverted Ranger L-440 6 cylinder powerplant installed. I like the aerodynamic streamlined looks of it over the Radials.

Very cool aircraft!

Great video! You should take a look at the Staggerwings for a future video.

Great Video... Kinda Special Planes... Just Bad Timing for Sales. Thanks for Sharing

nice video

Thanks for all of your excellent research and video,amazing.....Shoe🇺🇸

Thank you

Fabulous looking aircraft. TFP

Looks good in modern photographs