Miss Pittsburgh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Miss Pittsburgh |
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| Type | Waco 9 |
| Manufacturer | Advance Aircraft Company |
| Preserved at | displayed at the Pittsburgh International Airport Landside Terminal |
The Miss Pittsburgh is a famous old airplane. It's a Waco 9 model, powered by a Curtiss OX-5 engine. This plane made the very first airmail flight from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Cleveland, Ohio. That historic flight happened on April 21, 1927. Today, after being found and fixed up by a group called OX 5 Aviation Pioneers, you can see Miss Pittsburgh on display. It's at the Pittsburgh International Airport Landside Terminal.
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What Kind of Plane Was Miss Pittsburgh?
Miss Pittsburgh was a Waco 9 airplane. It was built by a company called the Advance Aircraft Company, which later became known simply as Waco. The plane was powered by a Curtiss OX-5 engine.
The main body of Miss Pittsburgh was made from metal tubes. These tubes were covered with cotton cloth. The wings of the plane were built using spruce wood. This design allowed the plane to be strong yet light.
How Fast Could It Fly?
Miss Pittsburgh was quite capable for its time. It could carry up to 800 pounds of weight. This is about the same as carrying four average-sized teenagers! The plane could fly at a top speed of 100 miles per hour. It usually flew at an altitude between 1,000–5,000 ft (300–1,520 m).
The Story of Miss Pittsburgh
The first owner of Miss Pittsburgh was a man named Clifford A. Ball. He used to sell cars. Mr. Ball ended up owning several airplanes because people couldn't pay their storage fees at Bettis Field. This was an airport near McKeesport where he had a big interest.
The First Airmail Flight
The most famous moment for Miss Pittsburgh was its first airmail flight. This important flight took off around noon on April 21, 1927. The plane flew a 121 mi (105 nmi; 195 km) route. It went from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, all the way to Cleveland, Ohio.
The US Post Office Department gave Clifford Ball a special contract for this route. It was called Contract Air Mail No. 11. Because of this, he grew his company, Skyline Transportation Company. He bought two more Waco 9 planes. These were named Miss Youngstown and Miss McKeesport.
Over time, Clifford Ball's company grew even more. It bought more planes and changed its name to Cliff Ball Mail Line. Later, it became Pennsylvania Airlines, then Pennsylvania Central Airline. Eventually, it became Capital Airlines and finally joined United Airlines.
Where Did Miss Pittsburgh Go?
As newer, more modern planes were built, the Waco 9s became old-fashioned. Miss Pittsburgh ended up in Florida. In the 1960s, it was used for advertising. Imagine seeing this historic plane flying around with an ad!
Eventually, the plane was left abandoned in New York. But its story wasn't over. In 1993, a group called the OX 5 Pioneers found the aircraft. They located it at the Rhinebeck New York Aerodrome.
With help from the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics, the group raised money. They wanted to bring the plane back to Pittsburgh. After a lot of hard work and fixing it up, Miss Pittsburgh was finally ready. Now, it is proudly displayed at the Pittsburgh International Airport Landside Terminal for everyone to see.
