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Custer Channel Wing History Timeline

Date Event
1925 Wind storm inspiration
1928 First working channel wing model
1929 First patent: Click here for more on CCW patents
1937

Custer quits job to go full-time; builds single-engine model which demonstrates vertical lift

1939/40 First corporation formed: National Aircraft Corporation
November 12, 1942

Custer demonstrates twin-engine model for potential stock holders; First flight of first full-size plane, CCW-1. Click here to read the story

1943 First full-scale model demonstrated for Army Air Corps, Beltsville, Maryland
June 6, 1944 Test program authorized and begun by the government
1945, 1947 Wright Field tests
April 25, 1947 Daily Mail article -- Click here to read the article
May, 1947 First Popular Mechanics article -- Click here to read more
1947 2 more patents
July 3, 1948 First flight of CCW-2
May 1, 1948 Another patent
June, 1948 Air Trails Pictorial magazine article
1949 Another patent
1950 4 patents
December 7, 1951 CCW-2 demonstrates "helicopter-like flight"
1952 3 patents
July 13, 1953 CCW-5's first flight (Oxnard, California); Click here to read the report
July 17, 1953 CCW-5 lifts off after 100-foot roll
August 27, 1954 CCW-5 hovers against an 11 mile-per-hour wind
1954 3 patents
1955 2 patents
1956 2 patents
1954-1957 Performs demonstrations for civil & military audiences
November 24, 1958 Aviation Week news item "Custer Channel Wing Production Planned"
September 28, 1959 Aviation Week magazine article reports 120 orders for CCW-5
November, 1959 Navy magazine article
1960 Custer starts production of CCW-5; click here for technical specifications
April 25, 1962 Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) wins injunction to force cessation of sale of Custer Channel Wing Corporation stock
July 4, 1964 Fourth CCW rolled out at Custer Channel Wing Day, Hagerstown, MD; click here (a new window opens) to see the advertisement
July 20, 1964 Aviation Week news item "Custer Channel Wing Certification Begins"
July 30, 1964 The Aeroplane and Commercial Aviation News (UK) article "Production Custer Channel Wing Makes Its Debut"
1964 Another patent
September, 1964 Second Popular Mechanics article reports 40 orders for CCW-5 at $75,000 each
October/November, 1964 Air Progress article
April, 1965 Flying article "The Queer Birds: Custer Channel Wing"
November 12, 1965 Custer and Custer Channel Wing Corp convicted of contempt of court for selling stock
November 22, 1965 Custer appeals the conviction
1967 Another patent
1970 Custer sells the corporation for $26,000
1971 Another patent
1972 3 patents
Sept 29, 1973 W. R. Custer Channelled Aircraft incorporated
May, 1977 Airpower magazine article
May 11, 1978

Morning Herald reports Custer suing the federal government over A-10 Thunderbolt II fighters manufactured by Fairchild

August, 1978 CCW-1 housed at National Air & Space Museum in Suitland, Maryland: click here to read the news story; click here (a new window opens) to see a photo of the display
May 25, 1979(?) Another Custer Channel Wing Corporation [Enid, OK] incorporated
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