OTTO W. TIMM 1893-1978

1911: Cicero Field - Chicago, Ill. Timm built a Curtiss type Pusher

AERO HISTORY by Peter Timm Brower Grandson of Otto Timm - 8-29-03 1910: Milwaukee, Wisconsin - started to buildf a replica of the Santos Dumont "Demoiselle" monoplane. 1911: Cicero Field - Chicago, Ill. - hung out with experienced aviators and mechanics became acquainted with DeLoyd Thompson, Kathryn Stinson, Otto Brodie, Lincoln Beachey, Harry Crewdson and Frank Champion. 1911: Cory, Penn. - wanted to build a Curtiss-type pusher biplane with Miller - 1" solo flight on June 12th, 1911 - begin carrying passengers. 1913: Sold his interest in the Cory, Penn. venture - back to Chicago to build first tractor biplane - made arrangements with Partridge/Keller to help him build his new plane in their shop - contracted to fly exhibition in Windom, Minn. 1914: Completed 2nd tractor biplane in Chicago, Cicero Field. 1914-1915: Left Cicero Field in May on an exhibition tour with new tractor biplane did cross country and aerial advertising through Minn., Iowa, North and South Dakota, Montana and Wisconsin. May 25, 1915: Windom to Luverne, Minn. cross-country flight - crashed near Magnolia, Minn. - met W. B. Kinner who was inspired by Timm's forced landing to become interested in aviation to become a renowned engine and plane manufacturer. 1915: Grinell, Iowa - develope a small single seat tractor biplane for Grinnell Aeroplane Company. 1916: Used the plane described above for the 1916 exhibition season at County Fairs in the Northern/Midwestern states.

1917: Rockwell Field - San Diego, California civilian senior flight instructor for the U.S. Air Force Collection of Peter Timm Brower - 8-30-03

1917: Rockwell Field - San Diego, California Collection of Peter Timm Brower - 8-30-03

Oct. 1916: Became a senior flight instructor at Rockwell Field, San Diego - remained here through the war - designed/built a rugged training biplane called Timm Model T-18 1918: Opened a shop in Venice, Cal., called Pacific Aeroplane and Supply Co. - designed/built special 6 passenger twin-engine biplane called the ":Pacific Hawk" for rugged commercial use.

1920-21: Venice California - designed and built a C-1 racing monoplane called the "Bumble Bee" or the "air flivver" It took 6 weeks to build and won the International Air Tournament in Los Angeles, California in 1921. Collection of Peter Timm Brower - 8-30-03

April 9, 1922: Lincoln, Nebraska - Lincoln Standard Airfield - took Charles Lingbergh on his first airplane ride. Timm became Lindbergh's early flight instructor. Photo take after Lindbergh's historic Atlantic crossing, 1927 Collection of Peter Timm Brower - 8-30-03

March 1925: Built a specially constructed steel tube replica of a Curtiss pusher for Al Wilson who used it for a movie and special aviation events - Lindbergh staged a stunting exhibition with this plane at the 1928 L.A. Air Races.

TIMM COLLEGIATE MONOPLANE Collection of Peter Timm Brower - 8-30-03

1926: Glendale, Ca., designed a 2 place monoplane called the "Collegiate. Sept. 1928: Incorporated the O.W. Timm Aircraft Company, Glendale, Ca. - Designed a 7 place cabin biplane, open cockpit for 2 pilots.

TIMM T-S140 - Timm light transport Collection of Peter Timm Brower - 8-30-03

May 1934: Formed the Timm Aircraft Company - Grand Central Air Terminal - built a new small twin engine transport plane with tricycle landing gear, slotted wings and slots, started the design of the transport plane, Timm T-S140. Fall 1938: Designed the PT 220 for the U.S. Govt.

TIMM N2T-1 Navy Trainer -from Timm to Tokio!      Yes, Hirohito, the Navy is coming...the world's greatest navy! There will be battleships, cruisers, airplane carriers and planes...planes piloted by some of the world's great flyers...flyers trained in Timm Navy Tutors...that sleek N2T-1 trainer, fabricated from non-critical plastic-bonded plywood by the famous Timm Aeromold Process,* whose safe, pursuit-type performance and rugged construction makes it a favorite with student, instructor and maintenance crew. * In addition to Trainers, Timm is building the CG4A Troop Transport Glider for the Army and from Timm Metal Fabrication Division come parts for combat planes built by major aircraft manufacturers. Collection of Peter Timm Brower - 8-30-03

Dec., 1941 After Pearl Harbor, contracted with the U.S. Navy to be a trainer, a 2 pilot, open cockpit N2T-1. End of W.W II: Set up Timm Industries - reconversion/repair work on transport planes for Trans-World Airlines and other U.S. airlines. 1950's: Developed a 360 degree aerial camera to be installed in a gun turret. 1950's: Worked with Tall/Mantz to recreate old planes for the movies.

 

ONLINE RESOURCES      If you search for Otto W. Timm using Google, (8-24-03), you will find about seven links, including several entries on the AeroFiles website..

CURTISS PUSHERS      "The 1912 headless Curtiss Pusher captured the imagination of replicators as representative of classic early flight, and it has appeared many times in its basic shape, modified with modern materials, improved control characteristics and often more dependable powerplants:" Editor's Note: on this page of the AeroFiles website, there are several references to replicas of the Curtiss Pusher built by Otto Timm. There are also notes on several other replicas built and/or flown by Early Birds and other pioneer aviators. In addition, there is reproduced a fascinating and often very humorous "Pilot's Instruction Sheet" for the 1911 Curtiss Pusher. A visit to the site just for that is worthwhile.   O.W. TIMM AIRCRAFT CORP.      On the AeroFiles website you will find a comprehensive history of the corporation and also a listing of many planes built by Timm with photos of the Timm Coach, Timm M-150 , Timm N2T-1, Timm T-840 and Timm TW-120. You can access the site by clicking on the title above.

PERSONAL REMEMBRANCES on the AeroFiles website      You will find a delightful anecdote by Otto on the AeroFiles website. It is one of a collection of remembrances which come from the July 1953 Aero Digest You can visit his story, and those of several other EB's by clicking on the title above. You may want to use the "Find" function on "Timm" to find the location on the page. Plan to spend some time on this wonderful site.

FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX      You will find the story of the making of this 1965 movie, which includes the featured plane designed by Otto Timm, and involved the death of legendary Paul Mantz, You can access the site by clicking on the title above. You may want to use the "Find" function on "Timm" to find its location on the page.

 

Otto W. Timm died on June 28, 1978 in Torrance, CA From Personal communication from Peter Timm Brower - 8-26-03 Grandson of Otto Timm

 

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