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Six Year Old Dies in Mexico
This airplane (S/N M306, ATC#
GR. 2-60) was manufactured by the Stinson Aircraft Coproration,
Northville, MI in January 1929. It came from the factory
with a Wright Whirlwind J-6 engine (S/N 10162) of 300 HP.
It was a six-place airplane, weighing 4,300 pounds gross.
Although it was originally approved as an "NX" registration
because it was the "first ship with new 300hp engine," it
was converted to "NC" registration on August 8, 1929 after
the ATC was approved.
The airplane sold originally on February 13,1929 to Harry
H. Culver of Culver City, CA for $12,500. Mr. Culver
was a realtor, and he purchased the airplane "for
private use until ATC approved". And in fact he did
use it a lot privately. As of June 12, 1929 the airplane
had accumulated 156 flight hours and had visited "200
cities in cross-country trip across U.S."
The image above shows NX-9617 from the right side, apparently
taking off. Written on the back of the photo is: "Harry
H. Culver's Stinson Detroiter (4 pass.) 1928, '29, '30. Culver
City Miller's Airport - CA. Pilot: Capt. James Dickson."
Image, below, of Herbert Nelson and Harry Culver checking
a map together. The photo caption was on an attached piece
of paper: "Reading
a map of the air trails of the country at the start of
a new 'endurance flight' --business use of air transportation.
Harry H. Culver, Culver City and Los Angeles, Calif., president
of the National Association of Real Estate Boards (right),
and his private Stinson-Detroiter in which he is making a
year-long tour of the Association's 624 member boards. Herbert
U. Nelson, Chicago, executive secretary of the Association,
(left)."
Image below shows the front of plane with James Dickson
(left) checking engine and Harry Culver (center) shaking
hands with Herbert Nelson (vice president of the National
Association of Real Estate Boards. Harry was the president.
On the back of the photo is written: "1929
Capt. Jimmy Dickson, Harry Culver, Herbert Nelson, 6 passenger
Stinson Detroiter".
NC9617 visited Tucson five times. On December 7,1929
we find it at the Airfield piloted by Capt. James
B. Dickson.
Harry Culver is his lone passenger, and they are westbound
from El Paso, TX to Santa Monica, CA and Clover
Field.
Photo, right, shows Harry Culver standing in front of the
right wing of his airplane. Written on the back of the photo
is: "Fort
Wayne, Ind., April 15, 1929. Harry H. Culver in front of
his Stinson Detroiter speaking tour as Pres. of Natl. Board
of Realtors".
In another ten of months, on February 24,
1930, Mr. Culver sold the airplane to E.C. Genereaux of 3781
Angeles Mesa Drive, Los Angeles, CA. The next four and final
landings of NC9617 are piloted by Mr. Genereaux, carrying
passengers east to destinations mostly in New Mexico.
Although the last landing by Genereaux
is recorded on October 28, 1930, he owned the airplane for
a few years after that and the record shows maintenance and
modifications that he did. The airplane was overhauled and
re-covered in fabric on May 3, 1932 at 739 flight hours total
time. At 789.5 hours, he had two seats removed, converting
it to a four-place aircraft.
On April 4, 1933 Genereaux sold the plane to George Moore
of Long
Beach, CA. On May 7, 1933 it suffered an accident at
Glendale and its license was temporarily suspended. Moore
sold it on July 1st to Randall M. Scott, Jr. of Long Beach,
who had it repaired as of August 29th. The landing gear,
tail wheel and left lower longerons needed attention. The
airplane had accumulated about 850 flight hours.
Now the record gets sketchy. It was reconverted to a five-place
airplane on September 6, 1933 and landing lights were installed
on May 21, 1934. It was reported to be flown by one James
Hicks (did not sign our Register).
On June 18, 1935 it was reported, "In dead storage in Mexicali,
Mexico for the last six months." No further information. NC/NX9617 also landed at Clover Field, Santa Monica, CA and at the Davis-Monthan Airfield, Tucson, AZ.
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UPLOADED: 03/13/06 REVISED: 09/10/06
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