Dan, I noticed your add on Barnstormers for info on the Bellanca Flash and I remembered that 10 or 12 years ago I somehow contacted the son of Bruno Salvatori (Salvadori?) who was the chief engineer at Bellanca in the 40s.The son offered me a whole attic full of engineering books and records from Bellanca of that period. The father (Bruno) was in the late stages of Alshiemers at the time and the son had tried to donate the books to a museum but they wouldnt take it. I didnt have the money to have it all shipped to me then, and engineering books would have been way over my head. I gave the info to Bob, or it might even have been Larry D way back then , but I dont know whatever became of it. For someone who loves Bellancas as much as you do , it would have been a real treasure trove. Ask Bob if he has the address of the son, or I can go kicking through the dust piles in my garage and see if I still have the name and number of the son. I also have an historical foot note about Miss Veedall. Maybe something can come of this.______Grant.
Bellanca Flash
- Thread starter gjordan
- Start date
Dan Cullman
New member
I'll ask Robert if he has any of the info. For many reasons, I'd like to find original parts and pieces. More later. Dan
NC74392
New member
Dan-
I have some information you might like. I have a good view of a Flash under construction and some basic 3-view drawings.
I contacted http://www.laahs.com/ to see what had become of the Mexican 28-90s, but they didn't have any answers except that Babco sold them 28 (I think) airframes that were eventually re-sold to the US Navy for maintenance trainers.
Best bet is the Peruvian 28-90s. There may yet be one or two airframes extant down there.
Smithsonian doesn't have squat except a 3-view drawing. Same for the US Air Force and US Navy archives.
Antonio (?) Salvadori now has all the Flash info. He will not release it because of Liability issues- especially after the Miss Veedol fiasco.
I've thought about building a 7/8 scale (or so) Flash using Cruisemaster or Cruisair wings (same basic outline), a narrowed through spar section, basic box frame tail and building the formers and stringers off that. I would have DEFINITELY left the "lawn dart" lower struts off and relied on the cantilever construction of the wings instead. Maybe power it with a big ROTAX radial or a small Warner?
Anyway, just a pipe dream. I can't even finish what I have!
E-mail me offsite if you want to discuss some Flash stuff:
cruisair@hotmail.com
I have some information you might like. I have a good view of a Flash under construction and some basic 3-view drawings.
I contacted http://www.laahs.com/ to see what had become of the Mexican 28-90s, but they didn't have any answers except that Babco sold them 28 (I think) airframes that were eventually re-sold to the US Navy for maintenance trainers.
Best bet is the Peruvian 28-90s. There may yet be one or two airframes extant down there.
Smithsonian doesn't have squat except a 3-view drawing. Same for the US Air Force and US Navy archives.
Antonio (?) Salvadori now has all the Flash info. He will not release it because of Liability issues- especially after the Miss Veedol fiasco.
I've thought about building a 7/8 scale (or so) Flash using Cruisemaster or Cruisair wings (same basic outline), a narrowed through spar section, basic box frame tail and building the formers and stringers off that. I would have DEFINITELY left the "lawn dart" lower struts off and relied on the cantilever construction of the wings instead. Maybe power it with a big ROTAX radial or a small Warner?
Anyway, just a pipe dream. I can't even finish what I have!
E-mail me offsite if you want to discuss some Flash stuff:
cruisair@hotmail.com
Dan Cullman
New member
Dave, I think you have your hands full just finishing your Cruisair project..........................The liability issue is a non-event, due to the 18 year rule. What do you mean......the "Miss Veedol fiasco?" August Bellanca wouldn't release the prints to build the replica. So, the crew reverse engineered an existing CH-300! In the process, two new additional fuselages were constructed to replace those beyond economical repair. This includes the "Hawaiian Bellanca," NC 251M........Dan
NC74392
New member
Dan- you're right about having my hands full! Still, one day within the next year, I hope to finish 392 and start thinking about another project.
Story has it that Augustus (is that right? Maybe Antonio?) Bellanca was going to help with Miss Veedol, but backed out because of liability scares. Oddly enough Mr. Bellanca contacted me via e-mail when he found out I was interested in the Flash and offered to help. He said he'd contact me again after he moved to his new home. That's the last I ever heard from him.
Story has it that Augustus (is that right? Maybe Antonio?) Bellanca was going to help with Miss Veedol, but backed out because of liability scares. Oddly enough Mr. Bellanca contacted me via e-mail when he found out I was interested in the Flash and offered to help. He said he'd contact me again after he moved to his new home. That's the last I ever heard from him.