Bennett BTC-1 - Design

Design

The BTC-4 was conceived by the aviation entrepreneur F. C. "Bub" Merrill. He sensed there was a need for an airplane with competitive performance; an appealing price; smaller, less expensive engines; and made of low cost wooden construction, with little need for expensive tooling. Unfortunately, Merrill did not have the financial resources to turn his concept into reality.

In late 1935, he turned to Frank C. Bennett, then President of Bennett Oil Corporation, President of Federal Oil of Houston, Texas, and Vice-President of Bennett Oil and Gas of Lake Charles, Louisiana. Merrill's choice of Bennett as an investor was no accident or stroke of luck, as he knew that it was common for oil companies to invest in the development of airplanes, and frequently sponsored flights and other events to highlight the performance of their products. After Merrill’s convincing presentation, Bennett joined Merrill in forming the Bennett Aircraft Corporation of Wilmington, Delaware. The aircraft was to be a twin-engine (called bimotored in the 1930s), eight-place mid-wing monoplane with a conventional tail unit and retractable landing gear. It was powered by two wing-mounted Jacobs L-6 engines. The passenger cabin for six passengers was behind the two-crew flight deck.

Using Belgian chemist Dr. Leo Baekland's patented carbolic acid and formaldehyde phenolic resin compound marketed as "Bakelite", Dr. Robert Nebesar patented a process where bakelite-bonded fine grain plywood was formed under pressure and heat to produce a strong light weight curved panel. The process was marketed under the trade name "Duraloid."

Merrill's original concept called on Nebesar's patented Duraloid shapes to form the BTC-1 monocoque fuselage and tail surfaces. The combination of the skills of Baekland and Nebesar made possible the development of what can be considered the forerunner of today's composite aircraft.

Merrill put together a team of aircraft designers and builders to put his plan into action. Art Mankey from the Glenn L. Martin Company was Chief Engineer, Walter Chaffee, from Douglas Aircraft, a qualified test, and William Hawley Bowlus of San Fernando, California the designer and builder of gliders and sailplanes since 1911 which were mostly constructed using bent and formed wood.

Bowlus constructed his aircraft at his Ranch in San Fernando, which was equipped with the equipment to make structurally strong light weight and graceful shapes for world class high performance sailplanes. The BTC-1 offered a challenge to Bowlus but he had the reputation and skills as the premier plywood former in the aviation industry.

Bowlus, Breese and Mankey had worked at Ryan Aircraft. Bowlus was the factory manager in the production of the Ryan NYP Spirit of Saint Louis. Mankey was a contributing engineer there and Breese was the test pilot of the company’s products.

When the BTC-1 was completed it was partially disassembled and trucked from San Fernando a short distance to the Van Nuys airport. The BTC-1 was reassembled and Van Breese began flight testing. On one of the first few flights the landing gear would not extend, so Breese made the landing wheels-up. The Duraloid skin and wooden structure sustained little damage. The result of the belly landing was remarkable as the damage was limited to the two bent Hamilton Standard Propellers and the aluminum cowling and landing gear doors.

On November 1, 1937 the Bennett BTC-1 received approval number 2-552 from the Civil Aeronautics Administration, and the aircraft was officially registered as N18690. They had a certificated airplane, but no factory or sales. With a total of $100,000.00 invested, Bennett and Merrill began a sales campaign directed to cities already exhibiting interest in aviation.

Among those cities was Fort Worth, Texas, where in 1936, the Bennett Aircraft Company located its new operation.

Two more individuals play an important part in the development of the BTC-1. The first was Airport Manager and Aviation Director, William "Bill" Fuller. Fuller was an attendee at one of the presentations given by Bennett and Merrill.

Second was John Clay Kennedy, who, after a lengthy career in the cattle and beef industry, settled in Fort Worth. He was a partner in a medical pharmaceutical company called Globe Laboratories. Kennedy bought the rights to a serum to immunize cattle from a disease called "Black Leg," an acute anaerobic bacterial disease fatal to most infected animals. Sales of the serum made Kennedy a millionaire.

He sold out and retired in 1930, spending eight years raising horses and traveling. By 1938 he was looking for an enterprise to keep him busy. In a chance meeting with Bill Fuller, Kennedy confided his desires to Fuller. Fuller told Kennedy about the Bennett Corporation and in a short time the Bennett Aircraft Corporation of Wilmington, Delaware, passed into history, when on April 9, 1940 the Bennett Aircraft Corporation of Texas was born. The incorporators were Bennett, Kennedy and the owner of a large Fort Worth insurance agency, H. E. Brants.

No orders were placed for the aircraft and no production aircraft were built. With nothing but expenses on the horizon, the Bennett Corporation declared bankruptcy and went out of the business in 1940. Late in 1940, John Clay Kennedy, the principal stockholder in the Bennett Aircraft Corporation, emerged from the bankruptcy as the owner of the assets of the firm. Kennedy then formed the Globe Aircraft Company in 1941. He also ended up with the BTC-1 which was renamed the Globe BTC-1.