The O.W. Timm Aircraft Company was an American aircraft manufacturer founded by Otto William Timm, based in Los Angeles, California.

History

Between 1911 and 1922 O.W. Timm built several aircraft with varying success before he founded, in 1922, the O.W. Timm Aircraft Company. Timm manufactured six models of a parasol design, the Collegiate. In 1934 Otto and his brother Wally Timm joined to form a new company named the Timm Airplane Company to produce the Timm T-S140, a high wing twin engine aircraft using new features developed at NACA such as flaps and tricycle landing gear.Hansen 2003, p. 340. Wally Timm formed his own Glendale based aviation company later on, the Wally Timm Inc.Aero Digest, Volume 40, 1942.

The company developed a "plastic" material made of resin and wood similar to the Duramold process. The Duramold and Haskelite process was first developed in 1937. Followed by Gene Vidal's Weldwood and later the Aeromold process. The Aeromold process differs in that it is baked at a low at cutting and forming, and for fusing together sections after the resins are added.Ballard, Richard. "Plastic Airplanes." The Ohio State Engineer, April 1942, p. 24.

In 1939, at the onset of World War II, the company operated as the Timm Aircraft Corporation, building the PT160K trainer prototype using the aeromold process. By 1941, the U.S. Navy ordered the aeromold N2T-1 with a production run reaching 260 aircraft along with other small aircraft parts made of the aeromold process. Profits increased to $70,000 from $240 the year prior.Juptner 1993, p. 178. The company also license-built 436 of the CG-4A glider used by allied troops.Andrade 1979, p. 96. A Plywood construction variant, the CG-4B was developed by Timm in case of material shortages, but did not go into production.Mrazek 2011, p. 374.

In some episodes of the 1941 movie serial, Sky Raiders, aircraft hangars of Timm Aircraft Corporation are clearly visible. They were located adjacent to the Van Nuys Airport in Van Nuys, Los Angeles.

After World War II, the company specialized in returning surplus Douglas C-47 aircraft back into airliner configurations.American Aviation, Volume 10, 1946. The company also created a subsidiary, Timm Industries, Inc to manufacture vending machines such as the Frank-O-Matic and Coca-Cola bottle dispensers.Aviation News (Robert Hudson Wood), Volume 6, 1946.

By 1948, production had ceased to the point where the company leased out its production facilities to the Marquardt Corporation, a maker of Ramjet engines."Timm Leases Van Nuys Plant." The Los Angeles Times, November 20, 1948.

In 1953, a proxy war among shareholders was started, with C. D. Rudolph winning control of the board. The company did not produce any new aircraft after this point."Rudolph Wins Timm Control." The Los Angeles Times, December 24, 1953. In 1957, the company merged with the International Glass Corporation.

Aircraft

Model name First flight Number built Type Timm Skylark 1923 1 Twin engine biplane transport Timm Argonaut 1927 1 Single engine cabin biplane Timm Curtiss Pusher replica 1927 2 Single engine biplane Timm Aircoach 1928 1 Single engine cabin biplane Timm Collegiate 1928 8 Single engine sport monoplane Timm T-S140 1934 1 Twin engine monoplane transport Timm 160 1937 4 Single engine sport monoplane Timm Aerocraft 2AS 1938 1 Single engine monoplane trainer Timm T-840 1938 1 Twin engine monoplane transport Timm S-160 1940 1 Prototype single engine monoplane trainer Timm PT-160-K 1941 1 Prototype single engine monoplane trainer Timm PT-175-L 1941 1 Prototype single engine monoplane trainer Timm PT-220-C 1941 1 Prototype single engine monoplane trainer Timm N2T Tutor 1941 262 Single engine monoplane trainer Timm AG-2 1940s 0 Unbuilt assault glider Timm CG-4A 1942 434 License built assault glider Timm CG-4B 1943 1 License built assault glider Timm monoplane 1

References Notes

Bibliography

Andrade, John M. U.S. Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909. Earl Shilton, Leister, UK: Midland Counties Publications, 1979. . Hansen, James R. ed. The Wind and Beyond: A Documentary Journey Into the History of Aerodynamics, Volume I: The Ascent of the Airplane. Washington, D.C.: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 2003. Juptner, Joseph P. U.S. Civil Aircraft Series, Volume 8. New York: McGraw-Hill Professional, 1993. . Mrazek, James. Airborne Combat: The Glider War/Fighting Gliders of WWII (Stackpole Military History Series). Stackpole, 2011. .

External links

Van Nuys Airport Marquardt Plant Site – Mark A. Reynosa Productions Advertisement for Job Opportunities at Timm Aircraft – Newspapers.com