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Boeing PT 17 Stearman
The following is taken from articles in the Benton Harbor News Palladium Lake Michigan Flight Mystery B.H. War Ace Disappears
Lost After Takeoff Sunday morning From Glenview Navy Base Hope dimmed this afternoon for the survival of Lt. William L. Hood, Benton Harbor Marine ace gone missing since 8:30am yesterday on a flight from Glenview Naval Air Station to the Twin City Airport Half a hundred Navy Planes, and half dozen civilian planes from the Twin City Airport and Coast Guard boats from three western Lake Michigan Coast Guard stations, completed a 24-hour continuous search for the missing airman shortly after noon today. The search is still continuing. Lt. Hood took off from the Glenview naval air station, near Chicago, yesterday morning with clearance for the local airport. No trace has been found of the Benton Harbor pilot or his plane since. Lt. Hood is married. He is the son of Mrs. John Hood, 731 Superior. The search got underway late yesterday afternoon when the young flyer was long overdue on the usual 40 minute flight across the lake. Four planes of the Twin Cities Flying Service piloted by Bert Grau, J.P.”Porky” Harvey, Don Manley and Del Tabor scanned southern Lake Michigan waters to not avail until nightfall prevented further flying.
Captain Carson said that the Coast Guard today discontinued its part in
the search. He said, however, that the Great Lakes naval station might
continue to send out surface craft. Two Marine flyers, both of whom were squadron mates of Lt. Hood in the Pacific during the war, arrived in the twin cities last evening and took up the search early today in a twin-engined private plane. The flyers are lieutenants Byron Beswick and Thomas Blackwell. They are flying a Cessna aircraft owned by the National Electric Corporation and stations at Ross field. Lt. Beswick told reporters here that he accompanied Hood from Oklahoma City to Glenview in the private plane in which Hood disappeared immediately prior to Hood’s take off from the Glenview airport Sunday morning. The two lieutenants flew two Navy planes to Oklahoma City, where Hood purchased the private plane. They then took off for the return trip to Glenview. Beswick said that engine trouble forced them down at Quincy Ind., about 200 miles south west of Chicago. After repairs to the engine, they flew on to Glenview. Beswick said Hood then took off for Benton Harbor alone. Beswick last saw him heading for the lake.
Beswick said that he blames himself for not having insisted that the
engine of Hood’s plane be given an entire overhaul before Hood took off
over the lake.
Searcher have concentrated on the direct route between Glenview and
Benton Harbor and on the route from Milwaukee across the lake, just
north of Benton Harbor, he said, adding that the shore line as well as
the lake itself had been covered “foot by foot.”
A posse of more than 60 persons, headed by Sheriff
Erwin Kubath and four deputies, combed the densely wooded dunes area
north of Waco beach, near Bridgman today after three fishermen belatedly
reported seeing a sow flying plane, seemingly in distress, disappear in
that area between 9 and 10 o’clock Sunday morning. The area was scanned
early today by low flying search planes who reported no success after
more that three hours of patrols. The two Marine officers undertook a private search yesterday and found what appeared to be airplane wreckage 16 miles north and west of South Haven harbor. Coast Guard boats were ordered to the scene yesterday afternoon, but due to fog and haze failed to find it. The “Catalina” landed at the Twin City Airport,
shortly after down this morning and took off at 10:30 a.m. to cover the
area thoroughly. The plane, flying a southwesterly course, was sighted by the three fishermen at the approximate time Lt. Hood would have reached the area after taking off from Glenview. The plane was flying just off the water and its motor appeared to be missing. It disappeared over the dunes and was not reported until members of the fishing party read of the lost plane and its pilot. Three planes from the Twin Cities Flying Service
under the direction of Burt and Chet Grau, flew back and forth over the
area for more than three hours this morning, but failed to sight any
plane wreckage or broken timber which might have resulted form a plane
crashing into tree underbrush. At the time of the supposed crash, Lt. Hood was flying his own plane, recently purchased at Oklahoma City. Okla. He had flown a fellow officer back to Glenview on Saturday and was bringing his plane to the Twin City airport when he became lost. Navel search planes took to the air this morning to
comb the waves for the missing ace and were joined by the four local
pilots as well as the coast boats.
Twin city airmen and service pilots will make what will probably be
the final search today for Lt. William L. Hood, Benton Harbor Marine ace
missing since Sunday on a flight from Glenview naval air station to the
twin cities airport. Late yesterday afternoon another group of planes scoured a wide area along Hickory Creek after a farmer reported his son had seen a yellow bi-plane of the type Lt. Hood was flying climbing over the trees Sunday morning. No trace of the missing plane was found. The large posse that Sheriff Erwin Kubath led through the brush and woodland from Waco beach to Grand Mere after a fisherman also reported seeing a plane in trouble Sunday also was unsuccessful. The Stearman PT-17 was built by the Stearman Aircraft Company of Wichita, Kansas, which was acquired by Boeing in 1934. The wings were constructed of wood frames covered in fabric. The fuselage had a tough, welded steel framework, also fabric covered. The plane featured a fixed tail wheel undercarriage, and overall construction of the aircraft was considered rugged. The Stearman could carry two, in dual tandem cockpits. A five cylinder Continental R-670 radial engine powered most models, with a top speed of 124 mph and a range of 505 miles. The plane is easy to fly, and relatively forgiving of new pilots. It gained a reputation as a rugged airplane and a good teacher. Over 10,000 of these aircraft were manufactured, and many were sold as surplus after WWII. Many became crop dusters and sport planes. Currently, over 1000 Stearmans are still airworthy. The Boeing Stearman had a wingspan of 32 feet, a height of 9 feet, and a length of 24 feet. The ceiling of this aircraft is 11,200 feet, and it has a maximum takeoff weight of 2,717 lbs. (articles compiled by Ross Richardson) MSRA is partially funded through a grant from
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