The Bellanca CD was the first aircraft designed for the Maryland Pressed Steel Company, by the aircraft designer Giuseppe Mario Bellanca. The aircraft was also called the Bellanca C.D. or the "CD Tractor Biplane".
Development
In 1916, the
Maryland Pressed Steel Company hired Giuseppe Mario Bellanca to develop a two-seat biplane with intention to sell examples to the government during the war effort.
The two seat plane was built at the Pope Avenue factory in
Hagerstown, Maryland
Hagerstown is a city in Washington County, Maryland, United States, and its county seat. The population was 43,527 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Hagerstown ranks as Maryland's List of municipalities in Maryland, sixth-most popu ...
, and test flown at Doub's Meadow field. On what is now South Hagerstown High School.
Bellanca had previously designed his own parasol aircraft in Sicily, bring the examples to New York to test fly. The Bellanca Aeroplane Company and Flying School was formed in 1911 at Mineola Long Island New York, where Bellanca taught the Mayor,
Fiorello LaGuardia
Fiorello Henry La Guardia (born Fiorello Raffaele Enrico La Guardia; December 11, 1882September 20, 1947) was an American attorney and politician who represented New York in the U.S. House of Representatives and served as the 99th mayor of New Y ...
.
Design
The Bellanca CD was a two-seat biplane using wing warping for roll control.
Operational history
Although 6 examples were built, the aircraft did not go into full production after the end of World War I brought a halt to new contracts. One employee, Lewis E. Reisner, went on to form
Reisner Aero Service Company in Hagerstown, which eventually became the
Kreider Reisner Aircraft Company.
Variants
The follow on aircraft, was the
Bellanca CE, with a 55 hp engine.
Specifications Bellanca CD
Notes
References
{{Bellanca
Aviation in Maryland