Antique Attic
The oldest “Junior”
In early 1930, the Curtiss-Wright Airplane Co. was fighting for its survival. Orders were few and far between and its highly qualified workforce was threatened with unemployment. Specializing in military contracts and big airplanes, generating a wide profit margin, Curtiss had to reinvent itself.
Seeing a way out of the slump, Walter Beech, its President, assigned project engineer Karl White the task to design: “a two-place light airplane that would have enough gas to get off a field and fly the girlfriend around a little, and sell for under $1500.”
This was a tall order of business, and White came up with the CR-1 “Skeeter,” a parasol monoplane design, closely resembling a powered glider. Its first flight took place on October 5, 1930, revealing that it had too many structural and aerodynamic problems to make it into production.
In close collaboration with Beech and test pilot H. Lloyd Child, White revisited the design. Priced at $1490, the Curtiss-Wright CW-1 “Junior”, with its Szekely SR-3-0 engine of 45 hp, was a winning combination.
Production started in early march under Approved Type Certificate (ATC) #397, obtained on January 31, 1931. By June, 125 “Juniors” had been delivered to costumers. However, the market rapidly became saturated and production slowed down, finally tapering off in 1932.
Nonetheless, the Junior had fulfilled its goal of keeping Curtiss afloat during the “perfect storm.”
Nowadays, some 34 examples are still registered. One of the most authentic Juniors still gracing the skies is still flying with its original engine at Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome.
N605EB (c/n 1025) is the oldest flying example of this endearing little machine. Accepted at the St. Louis (Robertson) factory of the Curtiss-Wright Corporation on March 12, 1931, it was the 14th Junior built and was given the sequential registration N643V.
After numerous owners and quite a few mishaps, Leland Irving DeWitt, of Portland, Oregon, acquired N643V on September 16, 1940.
In June 1941, the airplane was severely damaged in a landing accident, and extensive repairs were needed. The bill came to a total of $216.00 and DeWitt took a mortgage on the airplane. However, everybody had other preoccupations during the war years, and the Junior hung off the shop’s rafters for some time before being encased in a false ceiling and forgotten.
Finally waking up, the CAA canceled the Junior’s registration in 1948. During the winter of 1970-1971, the roof of the shop caved in under the weight of a heavy snowfall, and the airplane was rediscovered.
Walter Bullock, a well-known used airplane dealer from Lakeville, Minnesota, acquired the Junior in January 1971 for a dollar and shop fees. Applying for registration on March 25, 1971, c/n 1025 became N605EB and Bullock sold the Junior as is to Cole Palen on August 12, 1971.
Having been encased pretty much straight out of a ground up restoration, the plane was in fair shape, and Cole had little to do to bring it back to flying status. After years of service, Chad Wille, Old Rhinebeck’s Chief Mechanic, recovered the airplane, and overhauled the Szekely engine during the winter of 2006-2007. By late spring, the Junior was ready to be incorporated in the fleet of operational aircrafts participating in the show.
The CW-1 display was entrusted to Robert Refsdal, an American Airline Captain, who summarized his flying experience in these terms:
“I started flying in 1975, in Cessnas 150 and the likes. I had a lot of fun flying light aircrafts, including tail draggers such as Cubs and Citabrias. I came to Old Rhinebeck to volunteer, and I did not intend on flying any of the airplanes. Right now, I am checked on the Great Lakes, the Junior and the Spad, and I am in the process of qualifying to fly the Albatross.”
He explains what sets the CW-1 apart: “The Junior is an incredibly fun airplane as you fly by the seats of your pants. The visibility is phenomenal. You can look right up, straight down and straight ahead without anything in the way. However, it takes a little getting used to it, as you do not have any pitch reference.
It is a very slow rolling aircraft. With its glider wings, you have to be cautious in turbulent atmosphere. So I usually make only shallow turns.
The airplane will take off in a very short distance, and land even shorter. It climbs decently with one person on board. With two it probably is another story. Upon landing, as it slips beautifully, I slip the airplane and touch down at about 30 mph.”
He disputes the bad reputation of the Junior’s engine: “Like every antique engine, the Szekely needs some TLC. As long as it is properly maintained, it is quite reliable and serves the aircraft quite well.
The engine turns at 1800 rpm max, and idles at 400 or so. On takeoff I reach about 1500 rpm, and I usually cruise at 1200 rpm in level flight, which gives me a ground speed of about 50 mph.
The thing I enjoyed the most with the Junior is the fact that it flies so slow. It makes it easy for me to stay on stage for its entire exhibition, and it makes it extra fun for the crowds.”
Seeing a Curtiss-Wright “Junior” taking center stage during an aerial display is a rare opportunity that every aviation enthusiast should take advantage of while it lasts.
By Gilles