january november american aviation pioneer state kansas beginning successfully flew design construction fully self taught aircraft designer pilot built thriving career craft known midwest established manufacturing company produced models 1920s planes regarded aviation professionals era created innovations including design semi airplane body addition independent enterprises worked years best known companies industry retirement early life born january rural cabin outside kansas known children local farmers charles young man worked hardware dealer known avid built automobiles spare parts served clay center kansas national guard capacity called assist crowd safety popular flying demonstrations june interest aircraft ignited witnessed featured airplane spin shortly takeoff crash ground year old immediately set building improved version flying machine aviation career obtained space small factory enlisted help brother friend fellow mechanic men began working design new airplane despite having prior aviation experience professional assistance trio built prototype complete secrecy wishing publicity potential failures craft transported boxes flight trial new metres long metres wingspan weighed kilograms configuration engine canvas wings debut aircraft eventually designated flew time trials beginning september days later public demonstration piloted plane brief satisfying circular pattern metres air total distance kilometres told local newspaper glad let people know built pay construction new planes factory performed frequently crowds popular attraction right nicknamed formal training pilot ended flying demonstrations years met future wife trent performing minneapolis married soon wife quickly essential member small scale airplane factory said repair plane man kansas beauty queen helped cause arena public relations historian wrote counterpart husband established firm began offering mail order designed sold different models acknowledged high quality company moderate sales fluctuating commercial success late seriously injured flying demonstration texas devoted time architecture design took time beginning america entered world war nearly years served chief inspector aircraft nation military aviation research development center field ohio returning set constructing billed new airplane known small powered cylinder radial engine fast arresting feature folding set wings turned inward fuselage plane width metres mere metres hoped buyers craft car thought ford air new products struggling company achieved national stature decade flight fuselage design commercial breakthrough liked featured design innovation reputation greatly improving day standard airplane essentially wooden frame fabric skin designed semi fuselage body formed joining halves simple aerodynamic shape halves formed hard shell strong material reinforced sides wood advanced design remarkable day presents calls world semi truly composite shell fuselage government showed interest finely general inspector navy toured factory report praised low tech manufacturing skills despite unsatisfactory equipment able produce rate fuselage inspector described phenomenal strength particularly easy build fuselage material particularly impressed navy found resistance bullets intriguing entrepreneur unable raise necessary capital begin production desired quantities navy took business later work despite prowess design work unable maintain financial business declared bankruptcy sold company assets designs new investors turn founded went work prized consultant firms including responsible numerous aviation related patents career significant work concerned process stretch forming metal assembly ready fuselage panels manufacturers benefit patent produced phantom mass produced airplane aluminum semi fuselage brought patents joined company vice president years 1930s new incarnations appeared briefly according energies financial state substantial iteration conceived solely fuselage manufacturer headquarters california long founder departure april acquired death legacy retirement moved ranch california stayed death body brought kansas buried near birthplace ranks early pioneer aviation having built flown time roughly contemporaneous wright brothers era vogue accepted exclusive pioneers club soon foundation formally added single example aircraft crashed remains permanent exhibit remains local kansas hero recognizes outstanding aviation contributions state home city celebrated kansas successful pilot aircraft manufacturer state
Albin K. Longren