Connecticut Aircraft Company & Viking Flying Boat Company

[Warbird Kid]

So my parents went to 1060 State St. New Haven today to something called Universal Hotel Liquidators today to pick up some cheap things for the house. My dad was quite surprised to see this sticking out of the side of the building.



Heres a great link to a photo essay of the building and its great art deco pieces.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/50728681@N06/5147293906/

So I started searching for that address and came up with the site that has the above photo and info bellow.

Cast concrete, ca. 1940?
1060 State Street

Carved stone pilasters, 1929
216 Crown Street

Why should all mysteries be solved? There are works of art whose only identity is place, their creators and purposes lost in the proverbial shuffle. Why not let the puzzle, unanswered, suffice? Airplanes were once manufactured, though briefly, in New Haven. The State Street building with this transcendent flying machine on its facade may have been connected to that failed experiment. But the unreal optimism of the icon is the only thing essential to its history.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/upload/2009/08/081309_Kobas_StateSt_big.JPG&imgrefurl=http://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/category/object_lessons/P30/&usg=__JMdcQpySGFnNNS8EjMV5bJ8qTfA=&h=496&w=315&sz=88&hl=en&start=2&zoom=1&tbnid=0gIAu2fp0Kxk_M:&tbnh=130&tbnw=83&ei=QslBT_ODDZPJ0AH41MXGBw&prev=/search%3Fq%3D1060%2BState%2BStreet%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Den%26tbm%3Disch&um=1&itbs=1

So I started searching for aircraft companies that were once located here in New Haven. I found not one but two examples!

The Connecticut Aircraft Company

The Connecticut Aircraft Company was incorporated in 1913 by a group of New Haven businessmen specializing in dirigibles, although the business was general aircraft manufacture. The first U.S. Navy contract was won on June 1, 1915 for a 175-foot pressure airship, the DN-1. Then came World War I. The Connecticut Aircraft Company was suddenly very busy with contracts for the Army as well as the Navy. Twenty-one balloons and two B-class dirigibles were built for the Navy, and about 100 balloons were built for the Army. Unfortunately, as the war ended, so did the lucrative wartime contracts, and Connecticut Aircraft Company closed its doors in 1921. In the meantime, work was commencing on powered aircraft in many states. The faint stirrings of a Connecticut aviation industry began at New Britain in 1911. Nels J. Nelson built, flew, and sold several Curtiss-type airplanes between then and 1914, and several other engineers rushed to complete and popularize their own aircraft designs. But no one could surpass Nelson's construction, though they failed to acquire the government contracts that would have kept them afloat. http://www.grotonnewlondonairport.com/prewar.shtml

The Viking Flying Boat Aircraft Company

As notable as Jack Tweed's role in New Haven aviation history, was the role of the Viking Flying Boat Company. Viking was also a significant part of New Haven's industrial past; during the 1930's Viking produced both the "Kitty Hawk" biplane and the "Viking Flying Boat." The roots of Lockheed Aircraft can be traced back to this New Haven manufacturer through the two brothers who originally headed the firm. Courtland and Bob Gross left Viking in New Haven for California to begin a new business venture which evolved into Lockheed. After the departure of the Gross Brothers, Viking continued production of the Flying Boat and Kitty Hawk at its manufacturing plant at 89 Shelton Avenue until 1934. Production of the "Kitty Hawk" biplane had been inherited through a merger with the Bourdon Aircraft Corporation of Hillsgrove, Rhode Island. Viking manufactured the parts at its Shelton Avenue plant and the planes were later assembled at the airport. The Company's memorable slogan for the plane was: "Flies Like A Hawk--Lands Like A Kitten." Viking also secured exclusive American manufacturing rights to the "Schreck" Flying Boat which originated in France and later became known as the "Viking Flying Boat." Of the thirty "Kitty Hawks" produced, five remain; none of the six original "Flying Boats" are still in existence.
http://www.flytweed.com/56.html

Apparently one of the aircraft that this company made is still in existence up the road at our buddy's place in NEAM.
http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/N13250.html

So my question is, does anyone have any other info on these companies and there short history? Seems a shame that this property isn't being used more towards aviation but eh, we all know about that. Anymore info on the forgotten factory and for that matter the two companies that were once apart of New haven would be most welcoming. Heres the location on Google:
http://maps.google.com/maps?client=safari&rls=en&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=hotel+liquidators&fb=1&gl=us&hq=hotel+liquidators&hnear=0x89e8091511fccd91:0x4f8a645c6ade4bf3,Trumbull,+CT&cid=0,0,8921613768901284821&ei=pc1BT6PkLKrl0QHstcnBBw&sa=X&oi=local_result&ct=image&ved=0CBkQ_BI

[The Inspector]

Here's what AEROFILES has, there is no known record of a Connecticut Aircraft Co. listed in AEROFILES but there is a VIKING which produced three different aircraft, the VIKING KITTYHAWK an average looking two seat light biplane using a 5 cylinder KINNER engine (judging by the photo was built in the San Francisco area) and a VIKING V-2 pusher biplane flying boat, two of which were sold to the USCG as OO-1's (V 152 &v V 155). Production wa absorbed by Bourdon Aircraft of Alameda, CA.

I'm thinkin' I'd be grabbing that pilaster if it's not too pricey

[Jerry O'Neill]

Chris;
I've been meaning to photograph that building for years but never seem to get around to it!
It was a machine parts company that supplied a lot of parts (obviously) to the aircraft industries in CT.
They didn't make any aircraft there. Viking started on the East shore of New Haven harbor building float planes. There is no physical evidence of their building or seaplane ramp because the shore line on the harbor was increased and fill added that covered the area. There is, however, a landmark that was there when Viking was building and active. The "New Haven Terminal" building can still be seen. It's a big, brick structure with it's name on a big sign on top. That was directly south of Viking's company and ramp. The water at that time (mid 20's to mid 30's) came up almost to this building.

Viking later moved to the New Haven Airport (Tweed) and was absorbed into the Lockheed Corporation shortly there after. I have some films of the flying boats and aviation activities in the New Haven Harbor area. When I get a chance to edit them, I'll post a few.

BTW, NEAM has a Viking Kittyhawk biplane. It was one display for a long time, but is in need of new fabric and some TLC so it's in storage at the moment.
Jerry

[kittyhawk]

There is a thorough and factually accurate history of the brief life of Bourdon Aircraft and its successor, Viking Flying Boat Company. It was written by Ev Cassavgnes (apologies for murdering his last name). It is available online for $5.00 as a .pdf download. I just googled Bourdon Kitty Hawk and found the link to Ev's article. I am restoring NC975M, a B-8 Kitty Hawk manufactured in 1931, crashed in mid-1970's and passed around a bit until I purchased it. Brad Ball has the R-56 now for overhaul. Building new wings and repairing the fuselage.

[Jerry O'Neill]

Great to hear you're restoring a Viking product!
Ev Cassegneres just past away in early June. I knew him since the mid 1980's and he lived about 1.5 miles from me. I went to the estate sale a few weeks ago, but most of his collection had already been dispersed. I picked up a couple of items, some books and a set of blueprint drawers. He will be missed around here.
Good luck on the Viking!
Jerry

[crerus75]

I happened across this forum as I was investigating the building at 1060 State Street. I went past the building a couple of days ago and, after seeing the artwork, did some investigating. It appears that a company by the name of The M B Manufacturing Company, Inc. resided here for some time (most likely the company Mr. O'Neill referenced in an earlier post). A google search turns up several reports from the 1940s and 50s, though I didn't see anything current in my limited search. One document appears to be an account of a labor dispute between MB and United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America, Local #243. I didn't read the abstract or decision, but a quick search will turn up the document as a pdf. Several people are named in the document, so if someone were so inclined, they could probably dig up more information on the company and building. If I find anything interesting, and if it interests anyone, I'll post the results here.

[Cherrybomber13]

Please do!

[crerus75]

I did a little more digging after I posted. Apparently, MB was a relatively large company, about 1300 employees by one account. Googling shows that they were given a joint Army/Navy "E" (efficiency) award for their manufacture of items for the war effort. They also advertised in Popular Mechanics during the war. The two ads I've seen so far mention high-precision manufacturing, and are looking for personnel, ideas, inventions, products, and sub-contracts in that field. Looks like they were pulling out all the stops for the war.

A blurb in an old Cal Tech newsletter mentions that MB was a subsidiary of Textron American. Googling that brings up a bunch of hits, but the only Textron American I saw came about from a merger from two textile companies in the 1950s. The only other Textron I know of is Textron-Lycoming, which sold their turbine division to Allied Signal (later Honeywell) in Stratford, CT. Textron-Lycoming still manufactures piston aircraft engines in Williamsport, PA, or at least they did a decade ago when I lived there. I can't find any connection between them and MB, but I don't know for sure. A few disjointed bits and pieces of information out there, but I haven't been able to find out what this company actually made. Looking at that building gives me the same feel I get when I look at the old Colt building in Hartford: "If these walls could talk..."

[kittyhawk]

Suggestion for those truly interested in the art deco aviation building decorations: Visit the Floyd Bennett Field National Park, off Flatbush Ave, Brooklyn, NY and on Jamaica Bay. There are some beautiful aviation facades and mysterious fading signage on the crumbling hangars, identifying aircraft manufacturers and operators from the 1920's and 30's. Living, though crumbling example of one of America's most famous early airports. It is a National Park with primitive camping available - right in one of NYC's most populous Boroughs. The terminal is under restoration and will display the history of the field when open.

[Cherrybomber13]

Can you land there?

[Jerry O'Neill]

Only with prior permission and with a good reason for that. The Berlin Airlift C-54 winters there for maintenance, but other than that only special occasions.
Jerry

[Baldeagle]

Thanks to Bob I got to put Floyd Bennett in my logbook, in the 1911 Curtiss, in May 2011. Here's Bob over the field:




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