This collection contains drawings and preliminary analysis studies of the PT-6, PT-4, GA-21, PT-6F, GA-60, GA-36, GA-50, and an Experimental Observation and Training Airplane.
Biographical / Historical:
The Cunningham-Hall Aircraft Corporation was created in 1928, with Francis E. Cunningham as President and Randolph F. Hall as 2nd Vice President and Chief Engineer. The company did not produce any aircraft from 1931-1934, and 1940-1945. The PT-6, a six-place all-metal cabin biplane, was built from 1928-1930. A four-seat version of the PT-6, the PT-4 was never constructed. During 1935, Cunningham-Hall reemerged to produce the GA-21M, a two-seat monoplane. The GA-21M was based on a high-lift wing design the company had entered in the 1929 Guggenheim Safe Aircraft Competition. A similar version, the GA-36, was introduced in 1936. The next Cunningham-Hall model was the PT-6F, the cargo version of the earlier PT-6. This cargo plane was built only in 1939; by 1940, Cunningham-Hall was involved in defense contract research rather than aircraft production.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
Theodore A. Hall, gift, unknown, XXXX-0447, unknown
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
This collection contains Hall's personal and professional papers. The material consists of his correspondence, photos, and scrapbooks, as well as patent and patent infringement files.
Biographical / Historical:
Randolph Fordham Hall (1896- ) was an aeronautical engineer and inventor. He began work as a draftsman at the Thomas Brothers Airplane Co (1915-16) and moved to Standard Aeronautical Corp as an engineer (1917) when World War I interrupted. He enlisted in the United States Air Service Technical Service (1917-19), advancing to the rank of Sergeant First Class. During this time he attended the American Expeditionary Forces University in Dijon, France, where he earned degrees in mathematics and mechanical engineering. He returned to the United States, taking a position as assistant engineer at the Thomas Morse Aircraft Corp (1920-28) before joining Francis E. Cunningham and James C. Dryer to form Cunningham-Hall Aircraft Corp (1928-32, 1933-41). He left Cunningham-Hall to join Bell Aircraft Corp (1941-59) where he remained until he retired. Hall received over forty patents during his career, including a patent for a High Lift Wing which flew on Cunningham-Hall's entry in the Guggenheim Safe Airplane Competition of 1929.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
Theodore A. Hall, gift, unknown, XXXX-0169, unknown
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
