Byrd South Pole Airplane

This aircraft is a Fairchild FC-2W2, serial number 140. It was manufactured in August 1928 by Fairchild Airplane Manufacturing Corp., Farmingdale, NY. It came from the factory equipped with a 400 HP Pratt & Whitney Wasp B engine, S/N 817. It weighed 5,500 pounds.

The airplane sold in August 1928 to Richard Evelyn Byrd, 9 Brimmer St. Boston, MA: an unusual airplane for an unusual owner. It was otherwise a standard FC-2W2, except with passenger seats removed and an extra 40-gallon gas tank in each wing, and a 72-gallon tank in the cabin. I was constructed especially for a ski undercarriage with 10-foot landing gear spread. It was to be used, “for scientific Antarctic exploration.” It was named: “Stars & Stripes.” All totaled, three of Byrd's arctic exploration aircraft landed at the Davis-Monthan Airfield and are cited in the Register. They are NX4204, the "Josephine Ford", NC8006, the "Stars & Stripes" and NC4453, the "Virginia".

Many books, including Byrd’s, have been written about his arctic exploits. Some allude to his mendacity, and cast doubts on his navigation and explorer skills, and whether he ever did make it to the Poles. But, that’s not a subject for this page, which belongs to the airplane and not the man. This airplane did fly on the Antarctic continent.

The next record we see about the airplane is an 8/2/35 affidavit by Byrd stating, “All papers pertaining to this ship have unfortunately been lost or have disappeared.” Regardless, as of 8/8/35 the airplane was sold to Alton H. Walker of Kansas City, MO.

That same month, Walker had the plane at the Fairchild factory in Hagerstown, MD, where it was, “modified to comply with ATC 61.” Part of the record is an affidavit dated 9/28/35 from the Kreider-Reisner Division of the Fairchild Aviation Corp. on the work performed. It states new fuselage, fuselage doors, windows and fairings were installed, along with a new set of wing and stabilizer struts. New landing gear, wheels, brakes, tires and tubes, fairing, tail skid and wheel, and rubber shock rings were installed.

The factory also repaired wings, ailerons, wing flaps and tail surfaces in accordance with recommendations made by Fairchild inspectors. The entire airplane was re-covered and refinished, including all cowlings and metal fairings. A new engine (P&W 9-cylinder 420 HP Wasp B) and three-bladed propeller, battery, starter, flares and landing lights were installed as provided by the new owner. It was assembled, rigged, inspected, test-flown and the extra gas tanks in the wings were disconnected and sealed off. It was approved for an “NC” registration as a seven-place airplane (six passengers plus pilot). This was an extensive and professionally done refurbishment.

The airplane landed at Tucson, after the refurbishment, at an unspecified date in 1936, but it was probably mid-February. Robert L. Myrick was the pilot carrying Mr. & Mrs. Alton H. Walker as passengers. Their homebase was cited as Kansas City, MO, but their field of origin and destination were unspecified. Even with its new configuration, it was recognized and a marginal note in the Register identifies the airplane as, "Byrd South Pole Plane ‘Stars & Stripes’".

Walker sold the airplane on 6/11/37 to Fairchild Aerial Surveys, Inc. of Los Angeles, CA. It was modified as a camera plane with the extra wing fuel tanks reconnected. A Pratt & Whitney Wasp SC-1 450 HP engine was installed (S/N 1616). It was designated a three-place airplane because of the weight of extra fuel and camera equipment.

In December 1938 it was set up for a proposed flight from the U.S. to Guatemala and return, via Mexico, for the purpose of engaging in an aerial survey operation. There is no record if this flight was made.

In February 1940 a request was submitted for a flight from Cleveland, OH to Ottawa, Canada to demonstrate solar navigation to the Canadian Institute of Surveyors meeting in Ottawa 2/7-8/40, and possible demonstration to Canadian officials, which might require approximately 30-days in Canada. Permission was granted, but no official record of the flight in the airplane records.

Through WWII and after there is a 14-year gap in the record, but on 9/9/54 the airplane was sold to Nevapair, Tonopah Municipal Airport, Tonopah, NV. Then, on 6/12/65, there is record of transfer to the Fairchild Corporation, Long Island, NY. In 1990 it was reported owned by the National Air & Space Museum, but on indefinite loan to the Virginia Aviation Museum, Richmond, VA, where it can be seen today.

UPLOADED: 07/26/05 REVISED: