Air-Britain Archive 1997-04 / Extracts

Регистрационный номерRegistry number: NX1955

The Nelson-Bowlus Bumblebee NX1955 was a single-seat motorglider of 1944 vintage with many similarities to modern microlights. The only example built, it was powered by a 25 hp Nelson 2-stroke engine and in 1945 was modified to 2-seat form as the BB-1 Dragonfly with a 48 hp Nelson H-63CP engine. The seven Dragonflys built were not all sold.
Flying, November 1950: * p.32 - An article about flying powered gliders in the USA refers to two types designed and built by the Nelson Aircraft Corporation. The first, not illustrated, was called the Bumble Bee but renamed the Dragonfly and was a wooden 2-seater. This was followed by the Hummingbird, a 2-seater with plywood fuselage and metal wings, which was fitted with a retractable 40 hp Nelson motor. Photos showed this to be N68959. Did either type enter production?
Flying, November 1950: * p.32 - The Nelson Aircraft Corp of San Leandro, CA specialised in two-stroke engine manufacture but founder Ted Nelson had experimented with powered gliders pre-war. He had tried motorcycle engines on Eaglerock primary gliders and a 50 hp Salmson on a parasol monoplane of his own design. Joining forces with glider designer W H Bowlus post-war, Nelson successfully fitted an 18 hp target drone engine to a Baby Albatross and then designed the Nelson-Bowlus Bumblebee. This high-wing, tricycle undercarriage wooden design with a duralumin fuselage pod and a high tailboom had a span of 46 ft 3 in, length of 19 ft 8 in and height of 6 ft. The only example was registered NX1955 (see photo) and powered by a 25 hp Nelson engine claimed 75 mph max and 68 mph cruise.
Almost immediately the Bumblebee was modified into the side-by-side 2-seat BB-1 Dragonfly which first flew in 1945 with a 48 hp Nelson H63CP engine and was slightly taller but otherwise of almost identical dimensions and performance. The Dragonfly soared well but high costs and low engine power meant that the seven examples built did not sell, indeed three were converted to pure glider configuration.