Windsock Datafile 132

Curtiss Jenny
Vol. 1

by Colin Owers

Reviewed by Rob Baumgartner

HyperScale is proudly supported by Squadron.com
 

The Curtiss Jenny holds an intriguing place in early aviation. It doesn’t possess the fascination that some of the more “aggressive” types do but its history is interesting nonetheless.

Colin Owers is the author behind this Datafile and he takes the reader from the aircrafts’ gestation period all the way through to its post war use. Thus we are introduced to the Model J, the first design from the Curtiss/ Thomas combination, which was closely followed by the Model N.

Successive models were the JN-2, JN-3, JN-4, and JN-6, but it was the JN-4D that was the built in the largest numbers. As a result, this variant is described in the most detail.

A number of countries used the Jenny and commentary is devoted to each one of them. As well as the US Army and Navy, examples were operated by many others including China, Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, Mexico, and Peru.

All this is explained with the assistance of over 100 photographs. Many are reproduced 1 or 2 to a page and the A4 format suits this perfectly. The soft card covers contain 36 pages which mean that another volume is needed to complete the “Jenny” story.

To help readers get a better appreciation of their subject, the publication contains the trademark set of general arrangement drawings. These are drawn and traced by the author himself and are reproduced in both 1:72 and 1:48 scales.

Ronny Bar supplied the colour profiles and these are superb.  Four aircraft are shown with each portraying a scheme that is vastly different from the others. This compliments the “Colours and Markings” section and a final appendix rounds out the issue.

The latter includes rigging instructions for the aircraft and gives a description of the associated incidence, stagger and dihedral angles. Various sketches provide an additional understanding with cable lengths and diameters also getting a mention.

A list of specification relates the differences between the variants and a US Army Production table allows the reader to compare serial numbers against manufacturer, type, contract number and engine.

With such an important aircraft as the Jenny, it is surprising that a Datafile on this subject has not appeared earlier.

At last this aircraft is given the attention it deserves. The modeller is treated to an excellent précis that covers all aspects of the machine and more is promised in the next installment.

Thanks to Albatros Productions for the review sample

Review Copyright © 2009 by Rob Baumgartner
This Page Created on 1 January, 2009
Last updated 1 January, 2009

Back to HyperScale Main Page

Back to Reviews Page