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Globe BTC-1

Bennett BTC-1
Bennett BTC-1 Executive.jpg
Role Eight-seat light transpoort
Manufacturer Bennett Aircraft Corporation
First flight 1937
Retired 1948
Number built 1

The Bennett Aircraft Corporation Bi-motored Transport Commercial Number One (BTC-1) Executive was a 1930s American eight-seat light transport aircraft built by the Bennett Aircraft Corporation. In the ten-year span of its known life, the Bennett BTC-1 was identified in print by four different names: the Bennett, the Breese Bennett, the Bowlus Bennett and the Globe BTC-1.

The BTC-4 was conceived by the aviation entrepreneur F. C. "Bub" Merrill. He sensed there was a need for an airplane with competitive performance; an appealing price; smaller, less expensive engines; and made of low cost wooden construction, with little need for expensive tooling. Unfortunately, Merrill did not have the financial resources to turn his concept into reality.

In late 1935, he turned to Frank C. Bennett, then President of Bennett Oil Corporation, President of Federal Oil of Houston, Texas, and Vice-President of Bennett Oil and Gas of Lake Charles, Louisiana. Merrill's choice of Bennett as an investor was no accident or stroke of luck, as he knew that it was common for oil companies to invest in the development of airplanes, and frequently sponsored flights and other events to highlight the performance of their products. After Merrill’s convincing presentation, Bennett joined Merrill in forming the Bennett Aircraft Corporation of Wilmington, Delaware. The aircraft was to be a twin-engine (called bimotored in the 1930s), eight-place mid-wing monoplane with a conventional tail unit and retractable landing gear. It was powered by two wing-mounted Jacobs L-6 engines. The passenger cabin for six passengers was behind the two-crew flight deck.

Using Belgian chemist Dr. Leo Baekland's patented carbolic acid and formaldehyde phenolic resin compound marketed as "Bakelite", Dr. Robert Nebesar patented a process where bakelite-bonded fine grain plywood was formed under pressure and heat to produce a strong light weight curved panel. The process was marketed under the trade name "Duraloid."

Merrill's original concept called on Nebesar's patented Duraloid shapes to form the BTC-1 monocoque fuselage and tail surfaces. The combination of the skills of Baekland and Nebesar made possible the development of what can be considered the forerunner of today's composite aircraft.

Merrill put together a team of aircraft designers and builders to put his plan into action. Art Mankey from the Glenn L. Martin Company was Chief Engineer, Walter Chaffee, from Douglas Aircraft, a qualified test, and William Hawley Bowlus of San Fernando, California the designer and builder of gliders and sailplanes since 1911 which were mostly constructed using bent and formed wood.


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