Aircraft N12233

son

I am Son Bryant, and I was one of three developing engineer for the Mael/Burns BA-42 - from Oct 1964 thru 1972 at the Starkville, Mississippi airport. Sam Burns started the project, and the plane was designed by Glen Bryant (no relation to me). Originally, we planned to use Franklin 4-cylinder engines, hence the designation BA-42 (Burns Aircraft, 4-cyl, twin engine).

As drawings were produced, part stamping blanks, and part stamping dies were made out in the shop. The complete aircraft was made and completed in the Starkville, MS hanger, and passed all FAA inspections and flight tests, and certification was received. Only two planes were made.

The project died in 1973, but was bought by Bob Mael of Portage, WI in 1975. He hired me part-time, and I was responsible for getting it re-certified.

stantonite

Son

Interesting history - you said there were only two planes made

Was this the other N4604S ??

http://aerofiles.com/burns-ba42.jpg

Terry Fletcher

son

Can't remember the second plane's number, but one plane (the #1) was built orginally and was used for flight testing. A second plane (the #2) was built next with some cosmetic changes. Both are in flying condition and are located at Mael Airfield in Portage, Wisconsin, USA.

stantonite

Son

Click on this link below to confirm whether this is the right aircraft type

http://aerofiles.com/burns-ba42.jpg

if it is then N4604S must have been the second aircraft

Terry

PiperDakota90

Hello,

Over the past 6 months, I have taken an interest in the Burns BA-42. As an avid aircraft recognition enthusiast and pilot, I would love to know the whereabouts of one or both airframes. I can be contacted at the E-mail address posted on my profile.

Also, I had trouble locating Mael Airfield. Portage municipal is C47. My end goal is to fly out and at very least photograph this aircraft.

Thank you very much for any information!

DougRobertson

Terry,

Your Aerofiles link is correct and indeed does show the Burns/Mael BA-42. I've got some additional data on this rarity also-still searching for it among my references. If find, can contribute more here.

jbkeys43

I'm Jim Keys, the following was my involvement with the BA-42:

Burns Aircraft Co. – Starkville/Hattiesburg MS Assistant Test Pilot/Mechanic/Small parts Quality inspector 12/71-12/72. Duties involved assisting senior test pilot in testing a new, state of the art, twin engine, executive airplane, collecting data in all flight regimes. Purpose was to get airplane certified at 4500# gross wgt and into production. Also inspected small parts and assisted with assembly and assisted with upkeep on engines and airframe. Incorporated several jet technologies from Naval experience into the aircraft: 1. Angle of attack indexer tied into yoke actuator to pull stick forward when approaching stall. 2. Spoilers mounted on wings to help control A/C at slow speeds. (Trying to get stall speed below 70 mph) 3. Vortex Generators to keep laminar flow over control surfaces at lower speeds.

The senior test pilot's name was Ves (can't remember his last name). Coincidently we were both members of Naval Squadron VA-95 with about 20 years between his and my service. Ves and I flew A/C 002 on it's first flight, which was a ferry flight from Starkville to Hattiesburg. We had no hydraulic cylinder for the nose gear so we had to fly the flight with the gear down.

Company went out of business in Dec ’72.

Jim

jbkeys43

Correction to the above: Ves and I were both members of VA 195 not VA 95. typo

Jim