Fleetwings
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace, Aircraft manufacturing |
| Founded | 1926 |
| Defunct | 1962 |
| Fate | Factory closed and demolished |
| Headquarters | Bristol, Pennsylvania , United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Carl de Ganahl, Cecil de Ganahl, Frank de Ganahl, Henry J. Kaiser (owner from 1943) |
| Products | Aircraft, stainless-steel welded aircraft components |
| Owner | Kaiser Industries (from 1943) |
| Parent | Kaiser Industries |
Fleetwings, subsequently known as Kaiser-Fleetwings, was a U.S.-based aircraft manufacturer active during the 1930s and 1940s.
History
Founded in 1926, Fleetwings initially concentrated on a patented mechanical timing apparatus designed for automated welding processes. The company then broadened its scope to include welding services and specialized in stainless-steel welding techniques. In 1929, it reorganized as Fleetwings, Inc. located in Garden City, New York, with a focus on producing stainless-steel structures for aircraft.
The firm supplied components such as ribs and control surfaces to other aviation manufacturers, including the Ireland "Privateer" amphibious aircraft and parts for the Grover Loening Aircraft Company. Operations were initially conducted from a hangar at Roosevelt Field on Long Island before moving in 1934 to the former Keystone Aircraft plant situated along the Delaware River in Bristol, Pennsylvania. The de Ganahl family held significant influence over the company’s leadership, with Carl, Cecil, and Frank de Ganahl each serving as president at different times.
In March 1943, ownership transferred to Kaiser Industries, led by Henry J. Kaiser, prompting a name change to Kaiser-Fleetwings. Under this banner, the company developed the XBTK-1 attack aircraft and submitted it for a United States Navy competition; five prototypes were flown. Despite this effort, the contract was ultimately granted to the Douglas AD-1 Skyraider and Martin AM Mauler models.
By 1951, it appears that flight operations had ceased. Nevertheless, Kaiser-Fleetwings continued producing aerospace parts at its Bristol facility, including manufacturing the launch canister for the Echo 1 balloon satellite as late as 1960. The factory was closed in 1962 and later demolished to make way for residential development.
Aircraft
| Model name | First flight | Number built | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fleetwings 33 | 1940 | 1 | Single-engine monoplane trainer |
| Fleetwings Sea Bird | 1936 | 6 | Single-engine monoplane flying boat utility aircraft |
| Fleetwings BT-12 Sophomore | 1939 | 25 | Single-engine monoplane trainer |
| Fleetwings PQ-12 | 9 | Single-engine monoplane aerial target | |
| Fleetwings BQ-1 | 1944 | 1 | Flying bomb |
| Fleetwings BQ-2 | 1943 | 1 | Flying bomb |
| Kaiser-Fleetwings A-39 | N/A | 0 | Unbuilt single-engine monoplane attack aircraft |
| Kaiser-Fleetwings BTK | 1945 | 5 | Single-engine monoplane torpedo bomber |
See also
Bibliography