What is an Aeronca K?
(Last updated
12/22/08)
You were browsing and never heard of an Aeronca K, so you stopped to see what this
could be. What an odd name for an airplane. Aeronca is an acronym for Aeronautical
Corporation Of America, and the "K" designation was assigned to their first
(strut braced) High Wing model in 1937.
357 Aeronca Ks were build between 1937 and mid-1939. The K was preceeded by the wire
braced high wing C-2 & C-3 models and the low wing L series LA & LB Lablond
powered models and the Warner powered LC. The K was succeeded by the 40 HP Continential
powered KC, and the 50 HP Continental, Franklin, and Menasco powered models designated as
KCA, KF, and KM respectively.
Aeronca even designed their own 2 cylinder engine, known as the Aeronca E-113 series of
engines.
See the photo album to see pictures of the Aeronca K and
to hear sounds of the E-113 engine.
This Aeronca K Home Page is of interest to those who are lucky enough to own and fly an
Aeronca K, or are restoring one of these 60 year old antique aircraft.
--- Below is another review of the Aeronca K
----
Production of the Aeronca K ended in 1938, with one more being built in 1939
under special request. 357 were built. The K was
the last line of Aeroncas that used the 2-cylinder Aeronca Engine. In 1938 the
CAA mandated that engines have dual-ignition. Aeronca cobbled together a
dual-ignition design for that engine, but it was a compromise and, more
importantly, a bit too late. By then flat-four 40hp engines were entering the
market and Aeronca saw the writting on the wall; While Aeronca started at 26hp
on the original engine and eventually got to 40hp in the latest version of the
engine, they were unlikely to get much more horsepower from the 2-cyl engine.
While the 4-cyl engines from Lycoming, Continental, Franklin, and Monasco were
originally low horsepower (some starting at 40 hp) those engine manufactures
clearly had more improvements to make to get more power out of 4-cylinders.
Aeronca did not have the budget to design and test a new engine. Besides, why
should they? There are now 4 engines on the market. The only reason Aeronca
built the 2-cylinder engine in the first place was because there were no
reliable small light engines available. Now that small light aircraft engines
were being built Aeronca got out of the aircraft engine business.
The first Aeroncas to use the new flat-four engines was the CF, KC, KM, KF
and KCA which were the next evolution of the K, but with different spar
spacing, landing gear, tail wheel and cabin width. But the lines looks very
much like the original K. Then came the first of the pre-war Chief series,
50C, 65C, 65CA and so on.
As of 2008, 60 airframes are still known to exist,
with about 6 of them in restored condition. However, 5 of the 6 of those are
either in non-flying museums or have replaced the E-113 engine with a
4-cylinder. The only known actively flying K (with an E-113) that I know of
Herman Leffew.
One famous Aeronca K worth mentioning was the KS-162 used on the Ellsworth
Antarctic Expedition. The K was equipped with wheels, pontoons, skis and 2-way
radios. It was used for reconnaissance for finding passages in the ice and
places to moor the ship along the coast of Antarctica. That K still exists in
unrestored condition in New Zealand.
To answer Tom's question about the space under the engine, other than the NA-S2
carburetor, which hung well below the engine, the space was not used for
anything. The only baggage compartment was 20 LBS behind the pilot seat.
