Travel Aire Mystery Ship

[dave burns]

Hi All,
My name is Dave Burns, from Sydney Australia - just joined GSN yesterday - hope you are all doing ok?

I want to put a question out there if OK, I am trying to find a set of plans or partial wood kit for a Travel Aire Mystery Ship R - somewhere around the 3 meter mark.

I know many years ago Fred Reese in the USA produced a small Mystery Ship, I think was a .60 size. But I want to do a large scale version of this great racer
There might be a full kit somewhere ( but I don't think so as been searching for awhile...) but the shipping etc. from USA or Europe to Auss is absolutely horrendous, so trying for a plan or partial only set.

Any help would be appreciated
Best Regards from Auss
Dave

 

[pawnshopmike]

Welcome to GSN. Hopefully someone can help you find what you're looking for.

 

[dhal22]

There is a Travel aire build on RCSB. Not sure on the model. Let me find a link. You have to be a member there.

 

[dhal22]

This?

 

[WMcNabb]

Welcome to GSN Dave!

One of my favorite racers.
Don’t have any info on plans but do have a ton of photos of the full scale.

 

[sailr]

Welcome to GSN Dave!

One of my favorite racers.
Don’t have any info on plans but do have a ton of photos of the full scale.

View attachment 118521

The Travel-air factory was in my home town of Wichita, KS. Incredible number of aircraft built there over the years. Mr. Beech of Beechcraft fame was the originator of Travel-air also. Fun Fact: More airplanes have been built in Wichita, KS than the rest of the world combined. Good luck with your search!!

 

[WMcNabb]

The Travel-air factory was in my home town of Wichita, KS. Incredible number of aircraft built there over the years. Mr. Beech of Beechcraft fame was the originator of Travel-air also. Fun Fact: More airplanes have been built in Wichita, KS than the rest of the world combined. Good luck with your search!!

Great aviation history in Wichita, KS!

Fun Fact: The Mystery Ship photo was taken in front of the Beechcraft Heritage Museum, which is located in Tullahoma, TN. In addition to the 1st Mystery Ship, the 1st Travel Air, and the 1st Beechcraft reside there, along with an amazing aircraft collection.

 

[dave burns]

Hi Guys,
Thanks for the replies, any help towards a plan or whatever would be appreciated.
Personally I think the Mystery Ship is one of the nicest in the Golden Age of air racing.
Really surprised how little MODELLING info there is - but I will keep looking
Maybe when we ( Aussies) can travel internationally again ( supposedly Dec or Jan at the earliest) I can get over your way.

Regards
Dave

 

[WMcNabb]

Hi Guys,
Thanks for the replies, any help towards a plan or whatever would be appreciated.
Personally I think the Mystery Ship is one of the nicest in the Golden Age of air racing.
Really surprised how little MODELLING info there is - but I will keep looking
Maybe when we ( Aussies) can travel internationally again ( supposedly Dec or Jan at the earliest) I can get over your way.

Regards
Dave

The model shown above and the corresponding thread on RCSB is scratch built 1/4 scale. Since so little info is available, perhaps the best bet would be to contact the designer/builder.
All of his design work was done in CAD. Yes, this is the inline engine version, but modifications to the radial engine variant should be straightforward.

Link to thread HERE

 

[sailr]

Interesting info about the museum in Tullahoma. How did it manage to be built there? Is there a link to Olive Ann Beech or...? I spent several days in Tullahoma in the early 70s or late 60s as Tactical Air Command project officer at the Air Force model airplane event. Stayed at the Officer's club at Arnold AFS by the lake. Fun time.