Ryans, Ryans and more Ryans ...

[Mark Allen M]

Per request. Start off with some PT-22's at the Ryan plant in San Diego CA c 1940. Sources: Library of Congress archives, SDASM archives.
Please correct me if I get any information wrong.

Part 1
















Ryan PT-25's c 1942


Ryan STM for the Dutch Navy


Ryan STM

Last edited by Mark Allen M on Fri Feb 07, 2014 9:54 pm, edited 2 times in total.

[Mark Allen M]

Part 2


Ryan PT-25 c. 1942


Ryan PT-25 c. 1942


Ryan PT-25 c. 1942


Ryan PT-25 c. 1942


Ryan PT-25 c. 1942


Ryan STM c. 1940


Ryan STM c. 1940


Ryan STM c. 1934


Ryan STM at Lindbergh Field c. 1940

[Mark Allen M]

Part 3

The Ryan YO-51 Dragonfly was an observation aircraft designed and built by Ryan Aeronautical for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). A single-engine parasol wing monoplane, it was designed for optimum STOL capability, but although three prototypes proved highly successful in testing, the Stinson YO-49 was judged superior and no production contract was placed. Wiki

[Mark Allen M]

Part 4

The Ryan XF2R Dark Shark was an experimental aircraft built for the United States Navy that combined turboprop and turbojet propulsion. It was based on Ryan's earlier FR Fireball, but replaced the Fireball's piston engine with a General Electric T-31 turboprop engine driving a 4-bladed Hamilton Standard propeller.

The turboprop made for much improved performance over the Fireball, but the Navy showed little interest in it; by that time, they had abandoned the idea of the combination fighter and were instead looking into all-jet fighters.

The United States Air Force, however, showed a little more interest; they were at the time evaluating the Convair XP-81 of similar concept, and asked Ryan to modify the XF2R to use the Westinghouse J-34 turbojet instead of the General Electric J-31 used previously. Modifications to the prototype created the XF2R-2, with the jet intakes moved to the sides of the forward fuselage with NACA ducts instead of the inlets in the wing leading edge used before.

Although the Dark Shark proved to be a capable aircraft, it never got further than the prototype stage; all-jet aircraft were considered superior. Wiki

[Mark Allen M]

Part 5

The Ryan FR Fireball was a mixed-power (piston and jet-powered) fighter aircraft designed by Ryan Aeronautical for the United States Navy during World War II. It was the Navy's first aircraft with jet propulsion.[1] Only 66 aircraft were built before Japan surrendered in August 1945. The FR-1 Fireball equipped a single squadron before the end of the war, but did not see combat. The aircraft ultimately proved to lack the structural strength required for operations aboard aircraft carriers and was withdrawn in mid-1947. Wiki

[The Inspector]

I've read that FIREBALL pilots loved pulling even with some other piston powered airplane, flying tip to tip, then feathering the piston engine and pulling ahead and flying away.
Only 5 PT-25's built using the DURAMOLD process for the fuselage.

[AvroAvian]

This ex-Dutch East Indies Ryan STM is airworthy with Gary D. Kozak, Downers Grove IL.

From Geoff Goodall's website goodall.com.au....

c/n 457 STM-S2 Floats S-21, A50-30, VH-BBJ, VH-BXN, (VH-RUM), N8146

.40 Built at San Diego, California by Ryan Aeronautical Co.
STM-S2 to the order of Netherlands Navy/Marine Luchtvaart Dienst

MLD serial S-21
18.11.40 Shipped to Netherlands East Indies ex Los Angeles on MV Hoegh Silver Dawn, arrived
Sourabaya 3.1.41
2.42 All available MLD Ryans were prepared for shipment to Australia ahead of the Japanese advance through NEI.
17.2.42 Shipped to Australia from Sourabaya NEI on board MS Tjinegara
27.8.42 Brought on RAAF charge as A50-30. Received ex NEI and allotted to Australian National Airways, Mascot for assembly
25.6.43 Assembly stopped at ANA awaiting parts
30.6.44 Assembly and minor repairs progressing
23.7.44 Received 2AP Bankstown ex ANA Mascot
31.7.44 Received 1AOS ex 2AP
15.9.44 Survey report: flown 631:15 hrs since new, serviceable for ferrying
27.11.44 Received 2AD Care & Maintenance Section, Evans Head ex 1AOS: held for storage
12.2.45 Received 1AOS Store Evans Head ex 2AD C&M
20.2.45 Included in Commonwealth Disposals Commission aircraft disposals list No.1. Located at RAAF Evans Head
9.3.45 Tender submitted by Brown & Dureau Pty Ltd, Melbourne Vic has been accepted by Commonwealth Disposals Commission
7.4.45 Major damage at RAAF Evans Head when cyclone caused hangar housing 9 Ryans to collapse
16.4.45 Issued to Brown & Dureau, sales voucher signed by W/Cdr Meehan
19.4.45 Struck-off RAAF charge

Brown & Dureau moved damaged Ryans and spares from Evans Head to their maintenance hangars at Geelong Vic by rail.



28.4.47 Registration VH-BBJ allocated by DCA to Brown & Dureau for Ryan previously A50-30
4.7.47 Registered VH-BBJ Brown & Dureau Pty Ltd, Melbourne Vic
Identity quoted as "ex A50-30"
29.7.47 B&D wrote to DCA stating that they do not wish to register this aircraft. It has not been prepared for CofA. Remained stored at Belmont Common airfield, Geelong Vic
31.10.47 Struck-off Register as owner's request



4.9.57 Restored to Register as VH-BXN Gordon A. Hale, Sydney NSW
Identity quoted as "487"
24.12.58 Change of ownership: Cecil A. Swift, “Wongavale”, Lismore NSW
c60 Photo BXN at Broadmeadow airfield, Newcastle
22.4.61 Change of ownership: John L. Swanson, Mareeba Qld
c63 Forced landing on beach, south of Mackay Qld
c63 moved by road to Mackay Qld
64 stored dismantled at Mackay Qld

Reported sold to USA
24.3.65 Struck-off Register: withdrawn from service
66/68 Under rebuild at Brisbane-Archerfield Qld
6.66 VH-BXN noted Archerfield under overhaul at Rex Aviation, reportedly owned by an
employee of Simpson Motors, Brisbane, due to fly 4.68
68 Reportedly owned by Barry G. Anderson, Brisbane Qld: rebuild project
69 Registration VH-RUM allocated, not taken up
19.6.69 noted Bankstown, dismantled in hangar, Air Express consignment notice
1.72 USCAR: N8146 not allocated
c72 Registered N8146

Registered as a ST-A Special c/n 457
ST-A allows registration in Standard Category, rather than STM which requires Experimental Category for ex-military types
73 N8146 based at Lake Bluff airstrip Illinois, flying as MLD “S-21”
7.73 visited fly-in Oshkosh WI, painted as MLD “S-21”
75 Owner Robert Friedman, Highland Park IL
7.86 Advertised for sale in Trade-A-Plane: Ryan ST-M S-21 completely restored, Menasco engine
96 Owner James O’Donnell. Naperville IL

restored, reportedly using parts of STM c/n 463
11.6.99 Change of ownership: Gary D. Kozak, Downers Grove IL

Flown by Kozak as MLD “S-21”
31.7.08 N8146 visited fly-in Oshkosh WI, painted as MLD “S-21”
7.10 Gary Kozak will have N8146 at Oshkosh. Polished metallic, “S-21”, imported from Australia 1969
8.10 N8146 "S-21" visited Brodhead WI antique aircraft fly-in

Currently registered to Gary Zozak



Great photos as usual Mark! Thanks for posting.

Last edited by AvroAvian on Sat Feb 08, 2014 5:11 am, edited 2 times in total.

[Stoney]

How many inches did the YO-51 need to get off?

[Mike]

A really nice selection there, thanks for posting them Mark. My own personal favourite is the Dutch STM on floats - lovely!

It is interesting to see that a couple of shots show STMs with the over wing-mounted machine guns, for which some examples were built with an extra wing rib to mount the guns on.

[DH82EH]

How many inches did the YO-51 need to get off?

I was going to say that "I bet that Dragonfly could take off and land in its' own length!"

Thanks, as always Mark.

Andy

[Mark Allen M]

Your welcome as always gents and thx so much for the usual commentary. Always neat to post a vintage photo and then someone here points out that aircraft is still flying. The info you guys post is priceless.

Anyone please feel free to request a 'Ryan' and I'll see what I can find.

[John Kerr]

Great selection of photos as always. Thanks for posting.

[Mark Allen M]

Ryan FR-1 Fireball construction


Ryan FR-1 Fireball VF-66 c 1945


Ryan FR-1 Fireball VF-66 c 1945





PT-25s at Lindbergh Field C 1942

[Mark Allen M]

Ryan ST c. 1934


Ryan ST c. 1934


Ryan ST c. 1934


Ryan ST c. 1934


Ryan STM C. 1940


Ryan ST c. 1934


Ryan STM Netherlands


Ryan STM Chinese C. 1940

[Mark Allen M]

Ryan L-17 Navion's c. 1947 - 1950's (sorry for a few civies, they just look nice)