Hi Bill, There were two Ercoupe seaplanes that I know of that actually flew.
The ERCO/EDO plane was N86951. I have quite a bit of ERCO information on this factory "experimental". As tested with floats in both Virginia and New York, it was an early postwar two-control airframe manufactured in November of 1945 upgraded to D model specification. Photographer Hans Groenhoff may have been employed by EDO to take the many photos published around. This aircraft was not destroyed in the testing, which took place in both Virginia and New York. I have a copy of the Discontinuance Report dated 3/21/47. Coupe Capers, June of '02 issue, relates an "old" newspaper article...no date or publication name submitted by Todd Westfall (sone of Dale Westfall). It describes testing of an Ercoupe owned by Howard E. Cousins of Birmingham and flown by Dale Westfall "attached in the Civil Aeronautics regional office in Chicago". The flight was to be the "final test" after two years of experimentation. According to the picture in Coupe Capers, this coupe was N87960. It is the only photo I am aware of of this float coupe. So, there were TWO "FAA/CAA Tests. I have the names of the CAA/FAA test pilots. NOT Westfall. Probably the guy you talked with at Oshkosh, though. Not uncommon for someone like that to merge stories to enhance their resume". Saletri got confused by these "facts" too. All the best, WRB -- On Mar 9, 2010, at 16:18, Bill Coons wrote: > Hi, > I know this has gone around in the past, but I have two friends with a > dinner bet on this one. Of course it is about the Ercoupe on floats. > Does anyone have the REAL answer on this one. At Oshkosh one year I > visited the EDO float booth and talked to an old guy (sure) there. He > said that on the day of the FAA test, The Coupe went out of control and > the pilot had to bail out. Therefore no certification. That does not > mean to say that they never attached them and flew anyway, but it sure > was not legal. I guess the bet should come down to Did they fly, or > were they certified. ? > Next. Where did all of the photos with floats come from. There are > lots > of them.They sure look authentic but Photoshop is a wonderful tool. > Does anyone know of any Coupe that has flown legally or illegally. > > I have done several drawings with floats attached, but I have an > artist's license and do anything I feel like. (Almost) > > What say... > Bill Coons
