Page 22 - Volume12 Number 5

The Type 6000B was a larger production version of the prototype and was powered by a Wright Aeronautical J6-9 static, air-cooled radial engine rated at 300 horsepower. More than 150 of these monoplanes were built, including Smiling Thru built in 1929 to specifications of the Automatic Washer Company in Newton, Iowa. (EDWARD H. PHILLIPS COLLECTION)
Beery was so impressed that he sat down with Walter and ordered a custom-built ship for his personal use. It was, however, not a Type 6000B powered by a nine- cylinder Wright R-975 static, air-cooled radial engine that produced 300 horsepower. What Beery wanted was the ultimate Travel Air – the new Type A-6000-A that had been developed by the company. Beery wanted a number of custom features incorporated into the airplane that Walter agreed could be accomplished for a price. When Walter gave him an estimate of what the ship would cost – a whopping $20,0001 – Beery never flinched!
Although the production Type 6000B boasted a stout airframe that could accommodate more than 300 horsepower, the Type A-6000-A would be powered by the fire-breathing Pratt & Whitney Wasp Jr” radial engine rated at 420 horsepower. Today the engine is generally known as the Pratt & Whitney R-985 rated at 450 horsepower at 2,300 RPM, with a bore and stroke of 5.2 inches and weighing 653 pounds (dry weight with no accessories).2
When Beech returned to Wichita, he quickly ordered the engineering department to work out details of modifying the Type 6000B to accommodate the big Wasp powerplant. Beery’s airplane, however, shared the same basic airframe of the Wright J6-9-powered Type 6000B: The forward cabin was widened four inches and lengthened five inches, while the width of the aft fuselage forward of the empennage was increased five inches. The throttle quadrant was essentially the same with throttle, mixture and spark advance/retard levers placed within easy reach of the pilot.
Other major changes were hidden from view. Engineers added steel tube bracing in specific areas of the wings to handle the stress induced by the Wasp, and total wing area was increased to 340 square feet from 282 square feet to allow for larger fuel tanks (130
gallons total) to feed the thirsty Pratt & Whitney engine.
In addition, the crank mechanisms that raised and lowered the cabin windows were improved and di- mensions of the windows increased to 32 15 inches to increase visibility. A larger tailwheel, non-steerable would be installed along with Bendix wheel
Beery ordered a special divan (couch) and a lavatory (visible aft of the main cabin) with hot/cold running water and a flushing toilet. Windows had to be cranked up and down. (TEXTRON AVIATION)
MAY 2018
It required a team of highly-specialized welders to complete the steel tube fuselage of Beery’s Travel Air A-6000-A. Angle iron jigs held tubing in place while welders used acetylene gas to forge tubes together into a strong structure. (TEXTRON AVIATION)