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Maj. Gen. Thomas P. Kane (Commander 60th Air Mobility Wing, Travis AFB, Calif 1999-2001 currently Director of Plans and Programs, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill) and Dr. Gary Leiser (Curator Travis Air Museum) dedicating the Cessna AT-17 exhibit.
Cessna AT-17 Exhibit - Dedication by Maj. Gen. Thomas P. Kane
Inter War Years
The Inter War Years covers the history of during the period between World War I and World War II. The exhibits show the evolution of aircraft from biplane to monoplane designs and fabric covered to metal skinned aircraft.
Topics such as Flights Over the Grand Canyon, Billy Mitchell’s Bombers, and a fully restored Cessna AT-17 Bobcat give a revealing glimpse into this era.
1919 Flight over the Grand Canyon
In 1927, Scenic Airlines obtained the mail contract,
as well as beginning sightseeing tours at the Grand Canyon.
Ralph O. Searle is credited with being the first to fly over the Grand Canyon in February 1919. He was born in St. Paul, Minnesota on November 12, 1889 and died in San Francisco on February 1, 1968. He was a member of the Leggett Valley Legion Post from 1950 until his death. This story is found on page 10 of the Foundation’s Travis Air Museum NEWS (December 1999).
Billy Mitchell’s Bombers
General Billy Mitchell at Selfridge Field
Following WWI, many Air Service flyers supported the idea of a separate air arm, independent of the Army and Navy, which could carry out strategic operations against enemy industrial targets as opposed to supporting front-line troops on the battlefield. The most prominent advocate of this philosophy was Billy Mitchell.
“Spirit of St. Louis”
Spirit of St. Louis
Picture of the Spirit of St. Louis airplane on display at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC. Taken on May 22nd 2004 by Jawed Karim. The airplane is suspended from the ceiling above the main entrance.
The “Spirit of St. Louis” was a custom airplane used by Charles Lindbergh to make the first solo, non-stop trans-Atlantic flight on May 20 and May 21, 1927.
Cessna AT-17 Bobcat
Cessna AT-17 “Bobcat”
In 1939, the United States Army Air Corps published specifications for a light twin engine trainer. Cessna responded with its commercial model T-50. This design was accepted by the Army Air Corps as the advance trainer AT-8. Later, in the early part of the war, upgraded engines were added on the production line. These models were designated AT-17's. Our "Bobcat" is the AT-17 navigator trainer version.
AT-17 Navigator Trainer
The "Bobcat" has a tubular steel frame fuselage and a wooden wing. Both are covered with dope and fabric. This earned the AT-17 the nickname of the "Bamboo Bomber." Over 3,000 examples of the AT-17 were built for the Army Air Corps and the U.S. Navy.
Specifications:
- Wing Span - 41'11
- Length - 32'9"
- Height - 9'11"
- Maximum Speed - 195 M.P.H. at Sea Level
- Service Ceiling - 22,000
- Ft. Range - 869 Miles
- Crew/Passengers - 1 or 2 crew, 4 passengers
- Engines - 2 x 245 H.P. Jacobs R-775-9 radial engines
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