This airplane is a model CA-3C, serial number 28, manufactured during June, 1928. It was the prototype for the model. it landed four times at Tucson. Two landings were on July 10, 1928 in conjunction with the 1928 National Air Tour, which identified Tucson as an overnight stop as well as a stop for fuel and rest. Louis Meister and Harry H. Dunn flew to these landings as participants in the Tour. Below is a photograph of the airplane bearing the Buhl logo on the fuselage and race #8 just behind the logo. The race number is the one the airplane wore when it was flown by Meister during the Tour, as documented on page 84 of chapter 4 of this REFERENCE. Another photograph is on page 96 of the same reference. This photograph was probably taken somewhere along the Tour route. Note the lower, sesqui-plane wing.
Buhl NC5860, Ca. 1928 (Source: Web)
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NC5860 landed again on Sunday, Septembr 23, 1928 flown again by Meister carrying Mrs. Meister and Harry Dunn as passengers. Based at Marysville, MI, they were eastbound from Los Angeles, CA to Marysville. Its final landing was on Thursday, August 14, 1930. This time it was flown by Ruth Barron carrying Bob Lloyd. Based at Hollywood, CA, they arrived from Douglas, AZ, but did not identify a destination.
Barron was probably on her way to Long Beach, CA for the beginning of the Women's Class A Pacific Derby, which started on August 18th in conjunction with the 1930 National Air Races. According to the Aircraft Yearbook for 1931, Barron placed 5th in that event, which ran from Long Beach to Chicago, IL. She flew NC5860.
Below, NC5860 is pictured at the Grand Central Air Terminal (GCAT) during 1940. The photo caption at the link states, "At Grand Central Air Terminal in Fall of 1940. A Sesquiplane had a stubby lower wing. Technically, it was neither a monoplane or a biplane."
Buhl NC5860 at GCAT, 1940 (Source: Link)
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This airplane is still registered with the FAA. It was recently restored and is presently flying. A Picasa photo stream posts 62 images of the restoration and first flights (the photo stream was open to the public at the upload date of this page, but it is not working as of April, 2016, thus no link). The few photos below are from that stream. The first is from 1967 showing what the airlane looked like on a trailer as a "basket case" arriving for restoration.
NC5860 As it Arrived for Restoration, 1967 (Source: Picasa Stream)
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Next, a view of the fuselage during restoration.
NC5860 Fuselage Structure (Source: Picasa Stream)
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The wings.
NC5860 Wing Structure (Source: Picasa Stream)
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Airborne for first test flight. The sesqui-plane lower wing is shown to good advantage in this view.
NC5860 Test Flight (Source: Picasa Stream)
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If you have information about, or early photographs of, this airplane, please let me KNOW.
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THIS PAGE UPLOADED: 03/31/12 REVISED: 04/16/16, 02/07/18
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