Aeronca 65TC
Manufacturer:
Aeronautical Corp.
of America
Wingspan:
36 ft
Length
19 ft 8 in
Max Speed:
100 mph
Range:
200 miles
Service Ceiling:
16,498 ft
Entered Production:
1940
Total Manufactured:
900 civilian, 1,414 military
Armament:
(If applicable)
None
Summary
Aeronautical Corporation of America was established in late 1928, and was headquartered in Middletown, Ohio. In 1941, they officially adopted the name Aeronca Aircraft Corporation. One of its most successful products was the Model 65 high wing monoplane. The Aeronca 65TC, built in 1940, was a tandem two-seat trainer widely used before and throughout the war. The 65TC increased production to be used for a Civilian Pilot Training program for the U.S. government, which was implemented to train potential pilots for wartime service.
Overview
The Aeronca in our collection was once owned by aviatrix Marguerite Gambo, who founded Gambo Flying Service in 1939. The company operated out of John Rodgers Airport, providing flight training, civilian rentals, and later during the war ran supplies and medicine inter-island.
On the morning of December 7th, 1941, Roy Vitousek and his son Martin were flying this Aeronca when they were unexpectedly caught in the Japanese air raid on Pearl Harbor. This Aeronca suffered some bullet damage before it was able to land at John Rodgers Airport (now Honolulu International Airport) at around 8:10am. Roy and Martin safely exited the aircraft and hid in the bushes alongside the runway to avoid being strafed. Later, when civilian flying was suspended in Hawai‘i during the war, the Aeronca was shipped back to the mainland where it passed through a series of owners before falling into disrepair. With the help of local historians, ownership was eventually transferred to the U.S. Army Museum of Hawai‘i in 1993. After being restored by volunteers from Kapiolani Community College, it was displayed in the Honolulu International Airport before being moved to the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum. It is the only surviving civilian aircraft from the Pearl Harbor attack.
