Laminated Wooden Fuselage Co.
This company was founded as Lowe, Willard, and Fowler Engineering and changed its name to Laminated Wooden Fuselage in 1916. Under either name it has the initials LWF and was referred to by that abbreviation.
Key people: Engineers, Joseph Lowe, Charles F. Willard, Robert G. Fowler. Willard previously had his own company, C. F. Willard and Co. to manufacture his own aircraft.
Converted Airco DH4s into mailplanes and built LWF twin-engined version; produced Curtiss and Douglas designs for U.S. Navy and Martin design for U.S. Army. Own designs included a biplane trainer, 1915. According to G and 2dG, the principals left in 1916 and the firm was renamed Laminated Wooden Fuselage Co. (LWF).
Willard seems to have departed at the end of 1916. Early in 1917, he joined Aeromarine Plane and Motor Co. as chief engineer.
According to G and 2dG, Willard had patented a laminated wooden monocoque fuselage, 1914. Willard applied for the patent for fuselage construction 18 Oct 1916 and rights were assigned to L-W-F Engineering Company of College Point, Long Island, New York; the patent was granted 18 Oct 1921. Willard also applied for at least four other patents, all assigned to L-W-F (or LWF) Engineering: aeroplane securing member, app. 18 Oct 1916, pat. 9 Sep 1919; guy-wire attachment, app. 18 Oct 1916, pat. 22 Jul 1919; app. 12 Jan 1918, pat. 18 Oct 1921, aeroplane construction; app. 09 Jan 1919, pat. 06 Jun 1922, landing gear.
In 1916-1918, the company improved its previous LWF biplane trainer and delivered over 200 to the U.S. military. After the war, built ultralights, giant 3-engined triplane bomber, and, for U.S. Army, a twin-engined transport. Liquidated, 1924.
This company has Archibald Black's patent.
Sources
- Gunston, 1993, p191
- Gunston, 2005, p295
- SD187; citation to be supplied for Willard and Aeromarine, 1919YB gives wrong year
- 1919YB358, 360
Patents associated with organizations named Laminated Wooden Fuselage Co., Lowe, Willard, and Fowler Engineering Co., or L W F Engineering Company
- Patent US-1916-1394459 (Inventors: Charles F. Willard, English title: Fuselage construction, Filing date: 1916-10-18)
- Patent US-1916-1441319 (Inventors: Charles F. Willard, English title: Wing connection for aeroplanes, Filing date: 1916-10-18)
- Patent US-1921-1393488 (Inventors: Archibald Black, English title: Fuselage, Filing date: 1917-03-21)
- Patent US-1918-1394460 (Inventors: Charles F. Willard, English title: Aeroplane construction, Filing date: 1918-01-12)
| Names | Laminated Wooden Fuselage Co., L W F Engineering Company, Lowe, Willard, and Fowler Engineering Co., LWF, L-W-F |
|---|---|
| Country | US |
| City | College Point, Long Island, NY |
| Affiliations | |
| Keywords | military, biplane, fuselage, longerons |
| Started aero | 1915 |
| Ended aero | 1924 |
| Key people | Joseph Lowe, Charles F. Willard, Robert G. Fowler |
| Wikidata id |
