Epps 1907 Monoplane
| 1907 Monoplane | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Epps 1907 Monoplane replica at Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum. | |
| Role | Experimental |
| National origin | United States |
| Designer | Ben T. Epps |
| First flight | October 1907 |
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The Epps 1907 Monoplane was a pioneering aircraft built and flown in 1907 by Ben T. Epps of Athens, Georgia from an original design. The aircraft consisted of an open framework suspended below a wire-braced monoplane wing. The undercarriage consisted of three bicycle wheels,[1] one at the front of this frame, and two behind it. A buggy seat[1] was located beneath the wing for the pilot. A 15-horsepower (11 kW) two-cylinder Anzani[2][3] motorcycle engine[4][5] was mounted behind the seat and drove a two-bladed propeller from an exhaust fan[4] mounted pusher-fashion behind the wing's trailing edge. A biplane elevator unit was carried on struts at the front of the aircraft, and a single rudder on struts to its rear. The airframe was made from scrap timber collected from a sawmill,[4] with the flying surfaces covered in cotton.[4] Only the undersurfaces of the wings were covered.[6]
Inspired by the Wright Brothers[4][7] and pioneering European aviators,[4] Epps first conceived of the design at the age of sixteen.[8] In 1907, he built the aircraft in the workshop of his bicycle, electrical contracting, and automobile repair business on Washington Street, Athens.[1]
In October 1907, he flew the machine from a cow pasture[5] near Brooklyn Creek.[4] After rolling downhill,[1][4][5] Epps took off and flew around 100 yards (90 metres) at a maximum altitude of around 50 feet (15 metres).[1][5] The flight ended in a crash,[6][7] but made Epps Georgia's first aviator.[5][7] In 1949, Lola Trammel told The Atlanta Journal Magazine that Epps had already made a successful flight in the machine prior to the public demonstration, testing the machine by moonlight with the help of friends at two o'clock in the morning.[9]
The Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum in Titusville, Florida has a replica of the aircraft on display.[10] Bearing the registration N1907, it was constructed by John D. Pruett.[11]
Specifications
Data from The Georgia Historical Society et al 2007
General characteristics
- Crew: One pilot
- Wingspan: 35 ft 0 in (10 m)
- Powerplant: 1 × 2-cylinder Anzani, 15 hp (11 kW)
Notes
References
- Aued, Blake (14 October 2007). "Ben Epps' milestone turns 100". Athens Banner-Herald. Retrieved 2010-03-01.
- Cleland, Max (23 October 1985). "Epps launched aviation in Georgia, a little late". The Rockmart Journal: 4B. Retrieved 2010-03-06.
- Epps Aviation: Above and Beyond (PDF). Epps Aviation. Retrieved 2010-03-06.
- "Epps, Ben T.". Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2010-03-01.
- FAA Registry search for N1907, retrieved 2010-03-06.
- The Georgia Historical Society, Athens–Clarke County Government, Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame, and the Epps Cousins Club (2007). First Flight in Georgia: Ben Epps' Garage (Historical Marker 29-5, located 120 E. Washington Street, Athens, Georgia — 33°57.533′N 83°22.617′W / 33.958883°N 83.376950°W ).
- Hudson, Paul Stephen (6 December 2002). "Ben Epps (1888-1937)". The New Georgia Encyclopedia. Athens, Georgia: Georgia Humanities Council. Retrieved 2010-03-01.
- McMichael, Pate (2007). "A Wing and a Prayer". Aviation Gazette (Center of Innovation for Aerospace): 1, 7. Retrieved 2010-03-06.
- Nelson, Don (28 October 2001). "Epps, pioneer of Georgia aviation, was an Athenian". Athens Banner-Herald. Retrieved 2010-03-01.
- "Photos from 1999 Bulletins". Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum. Archived from the original on June 14, 2009. Retrieved 2010-03-06.
- "Who Was Ben Epps?" (PDF). Athens–Clarke Heritage Foundation. Athens, Georgia: Athens–Clarke Heritage Foundation. 1 October 2009. Retrieved 2010-03-01.
External links
- Digitized copy of the Benjamin Thomas Epps Scrapbook 1904–1963, Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, University of Georgia
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