Nicholas-Beazley Pobjoy Special

Pobjoy Special
Pobjoy Special Replica displayed in the EAA Museum at Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Role Racing aircraft
National origin U.S.
Manufacturer Nicholas-Beazley Airplane Company
Designer Robert T. Jones
Introduction 1930
Status unknown
Number built 1


The Nicholas-Beazley Pobjoy Special aka the Nicholas-Beazley Phantom I, aka the Wittman Phantom, aka the Flagg Phantom,[1] aka the Reaver Special was a world record holding air racer of the 1930s

Development

The Nicholas-Beazley Airplane Company had imported a Pobjoy engine with a gear reduction unit for use in its new design the Nicholas-Beazley NB3. Designer Robert T. Jones computed the weight and balance for the setup and proposed a new design as an air-racer. Claude Flagg and H. F. Landis built the aircraft in their spare time and patented the wing design.[2]

Design

The fuselage is welded steel with fabric covering. The wings used an early application of lightweight aluminum construction with U shaped cantilever spars with wire bracing and fabric covering. The aircraft used wheels with small tires and without brakes. The cockpit was open and the engine was fully cowled.

In 1932 the Pobjoy P engine was replaced with a Pobjoy R of 75 hp. The cockpit was also enclosed. In 1933 Wittman lengthened the fuselage by 21 inches, removed the engine cowling and modified the rudder. In 1946 The engine was replaced with a Continental C-85.

Operational history

In 1932 Ownership passed to Air Racer Steve Wittman. An Air Commerce inspector fronted the money, and had Wittman race the aircraft to avoid a conflict of interest. The Pobjoy Special is the only racer Wittman raced that he did not build or design himself. In 1937 the Pobjoy Special is flipped on its back. It was rebuilt sold, and stored until the end of WWII.[2] John Reaver entered the aircraft as the Reaver Special in the new Goodyear Formula One races.

In 1936 the 200ci class is eliminated, making the Pobjoy Special obsolete for racing.

Variants

Specifications (Pobjoy Special)

Data from Sport Aviation

General characteristics

Performance


Bibliography

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nicholas-Beazley Pobjoy Special.
  1. Skyways. January 1999. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. 1 2 Sport Aviation. November 1998. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. Job Conger. Springfield Aviation.
  4. Skyways: 18. January 1999. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. Ogden, 2007, p. 560
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