Ford-Van Auken 1909 Monoplane

The Ford-Van Auken 1909 Monoplane was the first of a series of aircraft built with and for the Ford Motor Company. Charles Van Auken began the design in 1908, using the plans of a Bleriot XI as a guide, and the finished aircraft bore a striking resemblance to it. It was a conventional wire braced, mid wing monoplane with a landing gear, a fabric covered cruciform tail and warping wings for roll control. Its powerplant was a Ford Model T engine, a four cylinder inline piston engine of 28 horsepower, with holes bored throughout the block to lighten the weight. In 1909 Van Auken test flew it at Dearborn, Michigan, flying in ground effect before crashing into a fence. The engine was then modified for more power, and in 1910 the aircraft was flown a second time at the Fort Wayne parade grounds, where after becoming airborne Van Auken lost control and crashed into a tree.