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G22 Gulfhawk II |
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Photo: Robert Deering 10/23/2006 Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Chantilly, Virginia |
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One of the most exciting
aerobatic aircraft of the 1930s and '40s, the Grumman
Gulfhawk II was built for retired naval aviator and air
show pilot Al Williams. As head of the Gulf Oil
Company's aviation department, Williams flew in military
and civilian air shows around the country, performing
precision aerobatics and dive-bombing maneuvers to
promote military aviation during the interwar years. The sturdy civilian biplane, with its strong aluminum monocoque fuselage and Wright Cyclone engine, nearly matched the Grumman F3F standard Navy fighter, which was operational at the time. It took its orange paint scheme from Williams' Curtiss 1A Gulfhawk, also in the Smithsonian's collection. Williams personally piloted the Gulfhawk II on its last flight in 1948 to Washington's National Airport. Materials: Fuselage: steel tube with aluminum alloy Wings: aluminum spars and ribs with fabric cover |
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