The little amphibian below is another example of John setting me straight; from his email,

“Budd BB-1, built by E.G. Budd Co., but finished and flown by E. Bossi's American Aeronautical at Port Washington. Built entirely of stainless steel under Budd patents with 210-hp Kinner C5 engine. I believe it still roosts on a pedestal guarding the entrance to the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, where I last saw it some fifty years ago.”

And the above is that same little plane in front of the Franklin Institite today.  I pirated this picture from their web site.

The sign beneath it says:

THE PIONEER

FIRST STAINLESS STEEL AIRPLANE BUILT IN 1931 BY THE EDWARD G. BUDD MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF PHILA., TO DEMONSTRATE THE PRACTICABLILITY OF HIS “SHOTWELD” PROCESS OF FABRICATING STAINLESS STEEL, SUBSEQUENTLY EMPLOYED BY THE BUDD CO. IN BUILDING LIGHTWEIGHT RAILROAD TRAINS.  THE PIONEER WAS FLOWN APPROXIMATELY 1,000 HOURS IN THE UNITED STATES AND EUROPE.

The Budd company today is probably better known for the Buddliners, railroad cars built from 1949 to 1962.

John informed me that, it’s another Budd connection, a “stainless steel Fleetwings F401 Seabird, X16793, built under Budd patents in 1936. That particular airplane was rebuilt here at Glendale College in the '60s. Only six Seabirds were built and '793, now in Greg Herrick's air museum at Anoka County Airport nr. Mpls, is the only one still flying.”

To see a Youtube video of this airplane, go to:  Fleetwings Seabird and for an historical look, go to: Newsreel

I guess there was a lot of activity in Port Washington in the early days.  I’m glad Dad had his camera ready.

That’s my dad with his father above and my mom, left standing by this very interesting plane.