Pitts Special S-1C
In 1943, Curtis Pitts decided to build himself an aerobatic airplane. “I only intended to build one airplane – for myself”, he later admitted. But despite his intentions, the airplane caught on. Requests for plans soon came in so he and his son formed a company, Pitts Aviation Enterprises, to provide them to homebuilders. One of the most successful examples was the “Little Stinker”, made for Miss Betty Skelton, an internationally known aerobatic display pilot. In 1977 the manufacturing rights and sales were sold to a new company, which was named Pitts Aerobatics.
Our S-1C Pitts Special was built by Donald L. Merriman from plans by Curtiss Pitts, the designer, and sold to Tom Wrolstad of Molalla, OR. It was completed on July 7, 1973. A single place, acrobatic bi-plane, it would be used as a racer until its last race in 1997.
Racing procedure is to have all aircraft within a class qualify. The fastest six participate in the Gold race, and the second fastest group in the Silver. The winner of the Silver gets to participate in the Gold. First raced at Merced, CA, June 1, 1974, it finished 3rd place in the Gold race. In subsequent races that year it placed 4th in the Gold at Mohave, was 1st place in the Silver and was Champion at Reno that year.
The aircraft sat idle from 1975 thru 1987. That year it placed 3rd in the Gold at Reno. In 1988 it placed 5th. In 1989 it was sold to Legal Eagle Racing of Birmingham, AL. From 1989 thru 1997, the aircraft placed 2nd six times in Gold races, 3rd in one; and was 1st and Champion in ’94 and ’97, the last year it flew in competition.
The aircraft sat idle in storage until 2006 when it was restored by the owners and donated to the Museum.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Crew: One pilot
Engine: Lycoming IO-360; 180 hp, air-cooled four-cylinder
Dimensions:
Wing span:-17 ft 4 in Length – 15 ft 5-1/2 in Height – 6 ft 3-1/2 in.
Weight: Empty – 830 lbs, Maximum – 1050 lb
Performance:
Never exceed speed – 230 mph
Cruise speed – 141 mph
Ceiling – 22,300 ft.
Range: 315 miles.
THIS AIRCRAFT IS DONATED BY JOHN ADLER, TOM STRUEBER AND DEANES ROWEDDER