New Aircraft Quiz #16

Name the United States' first-shortest Contract Air Mail route in the history of the C.A.M. This was a U. S. Federal Government early contract to carry stamped mail by aircraft between two cities or towns.

1. What was the name of the company that flew the Contract and year started of the contract?

2. What was the name of the sole pilot?

3. What aircraft (Make-Model) did the pilot fly?

4. What engine powered the aircraft?

5. Between what two places in what state or states did the route consist of?

6. What was the length one-way of the route?

7. What was unusual about the route other than it's length? I will allow some leeway with answers to this question as several may qualify.

(There have been far shorter contract air mail routes in other countries, but this was an American C.A.M. route).

Good Luck on this one

Thank you but no, Zane. Keep trying. The needed route of the quiz was much shorter, and year is needed.

Thank you but no, John. The first shortest C.A.M. route was years earlier in our history. However, the quiz inputs are of interest about some of America's first air mail deliveries.

Please keep trying.

Thank you but no, Timothy. I hadn't queried Wikipedia about this quiz, but appreciate the added info on early airmail service in America. The answer I am looking for is of the first-shortest C.A.M. route in America. It is less air miles than your answer.

The answers offered here enrich this Forum, and I appreciate all your efforts. I do not try to make these quizzes easy or apparent.

Please keep trying.

Friend Timothy has provided correct answers for the first, shortest Experimental C.A.M. flight that has put me in somewhat of a quandary as I simply wasn't considering the Experimental C.A.M. flights. These quizzes are not easy to formulate! My requested answers are entirely different than Timothy's first, shortest Experimental C.A.M. flight answers.

How does the Forum feel about leaving this quiz open to answer the first, shortest REGULAR C.A.M. flight that was awarded (not on an Experimental basis)? I promise my expansion of the correct answers will be fascinating re the hardships and other circumstances of it. Please let me know your thoughts.

With over 500 views I will make my requested answers here.

1. Bennett Air Transport, starting in winter of 1932.

2. A.A. Bennett.

3. Zenith Z6A cabin biplane.

4. Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Jr. 420 Hp.

5. Boise, Idaho and Atlanta, Idaho.

6. 65 miles.

7. The route was over treacherous mountains with absolutely no place to land in-between. The elevation of Atlanta's landing strip is 5,500' and is a recommended one-way strip. Landing only on Rwy 34 and takeoff only on Rwy 16. Approach up Boise River; departure with right turn out down Boise River. Rwy unpaved and reported 60' wide by 2,460' long. Additionally, the Zenith Z6A is a single engine open cockpit airplane with only a windscreen for the single pilot's protection year-around. Think of the Wind Chill factor!

The C.A.M. route served about 80 families who worked a gold and silver mine. Bennett hauled in all sorts of other supplies besides the US Mail. Only 7 Zenith Z6As were built and Bennett purchased two of them in 1929. Wingspan was 41 feet with a cabin for four under the upper wing with glass windows on each side. The taildragger with uncowled engine looked similar to the Boeing B 40-C biplane , but had a balanced rudder. The cabin had four seats with a table, and Bennett probably stowed the mail in here.

The Zenith Aircraft Company built only 7 Zenith Z6s, but also built farm equipment such as threshing machines. Only one Zenith Z6A survives, restored by John Mullen and Brian Collins. There was another one flying in Alaska, but after landing on a frozen lake, the crew departed to eat and heard the ice cracking behind them-the plane went down and is at the bottom of a 500 foot deep lake, presumably still there. Air & Space Smithsonian magazine has an article on the sole remaining Zenith Z6A restoration in the March 2007 issue.

Today, about 40 people live in the township of Atlanta, Idaho in Elmore County. There is a move afoot to start up mining again, but the residents are against it. Main businesses are resort and convention center businesses. Two US Forestry Service strips also now serve Atlanta. Graham USFS strip U45 at elevation 5,726' is 11 miles NW and Weatherby USFS 52U at elevation 4,494' is 9 miles NW of Atlanta 55H. An unimproved road serves Atlanta and is about a 3 and a half hour drive when passable from Boise. All these strips are recommended for experienced mountain pilots only with high-performance (STOL) aircraft. All this makes Bennett's early C.A.M. flights all the more remarkable. I appreciate all who attempted to answer this quiz. Thanls for your participation!

I am remiss in not crediting Glenn Peck also in the restoration of the sole remaining Zenith Z6A, and in telling you Bennett also hauled sheet metal, saws, pianos and cows to the miners in his Zenith Z6A

After a bit of searching I found the old-former N number of the sole surviving restored Zenith Z6A; N134W. It is deregistered, but perhaps has a new N number assigned. I can't read the NC number on a photo in Air & Space Smithsonian. Anyone with more information?

Apparently, the sole remaining Zenith Z6A is now N392V on this site. Of the seven, they were variously built as Z6, Z6A and Z6B, perhaps with just engine changes. N392V is now registered Experimental class as a 2004 (re)-build and engined with a P&W R-1340.

Thank you Walt. That is the one Zenith Z6A of the Air & Space Smithsonian article and is now N392V, but marked NC392V, apparently. Good catch!

Thank you for your interest. The links provided by Walt and the Smithsonian Air & Space article if you do not already have them are about all I have except for my original source which I tend to keep private as many other unrelated Quiz questions can emanate from that unnamed source. I have provided all the information I have on A. A. Bennett from that source.