American Aircraft & Engine Corporation Model 200

[memaerobilia]

Looking for input, comments, clarifications etc?

I find this topic interesting because I just found a stack of Original 1931 factory blueprints, for what I had "thought" was likely to be a Pilgrim 100. Closer inspection revealed that these blueprints are for the American Aircraft & Engine Corporation Model 200 (and one for the Model 150 fusleage. Likely to be the General Aviation GA-43, and later the North American Aircraft GA-43 prototype built for Japan!?) With the history of the Fairchild Aircraft Corp involving some 20 different names, during its evolution., things get a bit confusing. It is stated (I Forgot the Intenet source, in all the confusion?) that the AEE Corp Model 150 eventually passed to North American Aircraft, as the very first aircraft they produced?
I can find nothing on the Model 200, with drawings that are mostly dated from Sept -Dec 1931. for the fuselage, tank, landing gear, wings, surfaces and other dwgs. These blueprints are up to a very large 7 foot long, so partial scans are not helpful or clear. I know that the few American Aircraft and Engine Corp, AND the Fairchild Pilgrims, were all Model 100 (with letter suffixes).

In 1929 Fairchid was acquired by AVCO, and eventually, reformed to American Aircraft & Engine Corp. in 1931, and then, back to Fairchild Aircraft in 1934-(*AFTER a stint as Kreider-Reisner Aircraft, -Div. of Fairchild..from 1931!)

So, for now..I am in the dark as to the American Aircraft & Engine Corp. Model 200, except for these dwgs. It was probably not a large iarcraft, as the fuel tank dwg is for 116 gallons. (Dwg looks to be a main tank and not a wing tank, but will have to check..?)

 

[hesham]

Hi Memaerobilia,


that's mean the Model 200 was developed from Pilgrim Model 100 ?.

 

[Stargazer]

Hi Joe! Making me jealous... as usual! LOL

The American "Pilgrim 150" (American being a subsidiary of Fairchild) was indeed the Clark design that became the General Aviation GA-43, soon called a North American product.

I think it is not quite accurate to say that the GA-43 was "built for Japan", although it's true the prototype was eventually purchased by Japan.

• c/n 1500 [X775N] was the open cockpit Pilgrim 150 prototype which was later fitted with an enclosed cockpit. It was delivered to the Mitsui Bussan company in 1934, then passed on to Nakajima and re-registered as J-BAEP.
• Aircraft c/n 2202 [X82Y] was sold to Swissair (which operated it as CH-169) then made available to the Spanish Republican forces through a French deal.
• Aircraft c/n 2204 [NC13903] was first operated by Western Air Express.
• Aircraft c/n 2205 [X13904 > NC13904] it was purchased by Pan Am's Aviation Supply Corporation and operated in Colombia by SCADTA and christened "Bolivar", the only Hornet-powered machine of the lot and the only one to be fitted with floats, granting it the special designation GA-43-J.
• Another aircraft (possibly c/n 2203) also ended up in Switzerland as HB-ITU.

Also I have never ever heard of a Model 200! Was it to be much different from the Model 150? You got me reaaaaaal curious!

 

[Stargazer]

Hi Memaerobilia,


that's mean the Model 200 was developed from Pilgrim Model 100 ?.

The Pilgrim 100 was an earlier design. The GA-43 was not developed from it.

Fairchild 's Pilgrim 100 and subsequent American Pilgrim 100A and Pilgrim 100B (one of which was evaluated as the YC-24A) were earlier, high-wing designs. The GA-43, however, was a modern and revolutionary design by Dan Beard.

Fairchild's Pilgrim 95, oddly enough, was not marketed under the American subsidiary but as a Kreider-Reisner and was purchased by the USAAC as the XC-31.

Please note that "Pilgrim" was never ever the name of the company.

 

[hesham]

Please note that "Pilgrim" was never ever the name of the company.

I know that very well Stargazer.

 

[memaerobilia]

Hi Stephane. (Please forgive if I have the name wrong, as I am TERRIBLE at remembering names (while having somewhat of a "Photographic memory" for numbers)
I'm happy to share mysteries, as they come up..

Well, there are only seven of these of these 1931 Original AA&E blueprints. And only one is for the monococque fuselage of the Model 150, which IS, of course, a very different airplane from the AA&E/Fairchild Model 100s. I have NO indication what type of plane the AA&E Model 200 was, as there are no blueprints for general arrangement, or large section dwgs?

I doubt it was a development of the Model 100. (just my Hunch-nothing to back that up..yet..) But I'd have to sit down, for some hours, and do some comparisons for the components I do have, and there is STILL not much that I have even for the 100. I am sure the people who have restored one of the Pilgrims, would have additional info.