Ryan B-1 Brougham NC4941 carried S/N 95. It appears twice in our Registers. First, here at Tucson, Wednesday, November 21, 1928 at 9:10AM, and four months later at Clover Field, Santa Monica, CA on Friday, March 25, 1929 at 11:15AM. Both flights were piloted by C.R. "Dusty" Rhodes. Rhodes carried a single passenger, M.S. Kingston, who was his boss and co-owner of Kingston and Rhodes Airways, Inc. Based at Eveleth, MN, they were westbound from Lordsburg, NM to San Diego, CA. Please direct your browser to Rhodes' link for more details.
Below, courtesy of site visitor G. Clifford, are three views of NC4941 on floats at Crane Lake, MN. Note the Kingston and Rhodes Airways, Inc. livery on the fuselage. The airplane was named "Spirit of St. Louis County." The engine is wrapped in canvas. Other than the young person at lower left looking in the direction of the camera, there are no remarkable details in this scene. A man walks toward the airplane with a valise or suitcase. The crowd wears warm clothing and the sky is grey suggesting a spring or fall timing.
Ryan NC4941, Crane Lake, MN, Date Unknown (Source: Clifford)
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In the photograph below, the boat remains in the frame at left, but few other details suggest this photo might have been taken the same day as the one above.
Note the chair on the dock near the boat.
Ryan NC4941, Crane Lake, MN, Date Unknown (Source: Clifford)
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Below, the boat is gone and the people are dressed for warmer weather. At starboard there are feet and legs visible on the ladder.
Ryan NC4941, Crane Lake, MN, Date Unknown (Source: Clifford)
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To show what a workhorse the airplane was, the following photograph from the San Diego Air & Space Museum shows it with two canoes strapped to the sides.
Ryan NC4941 (Source: SDAM)
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I could find no information about NC4941 in the archives at the Smithsonian. Today the number 4941 is unassigned in the FAA database of registered aircraft. I have no further data on the later life or fate of NC4941. If you can help fill in the blanks, please let me KNOW.
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THIS PAGE UPLOADED: 10/16//14 REVISED: 06/02/23
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