Dan Mersel submitted this photo and note: “This 1940 model B75L Funk, N24170, which has now been owned for two years, had been previously restored on the West Coast. The original plan was to fly it to its new home at Sawyer County Airport (KHYR) in Hayward, Wisconsin. Because of its limited range, resulting from a fuel tank with only 13 gallons of useable capacity, and due to the higher terrain that the flight would have traversed, it was instead disassembled and transported by truck to KHYR. During its restoration, the engine, which was a 75-hp Lycoming G0-145, was upgraded to a Continental C85.”
“The aircraft was designed by the Funk brothers, Joseph and Howard Funk who were fraternal twins. It was first manufactured in 1939 as a Model B in Akron, Ohio, by the Akron Aircraft Company. Interestingly enough this model used a water-cooled Ford tractor engine adapted from Ford’s Model B automobile engine.”
“Due to bankruptcy, the company relocated in 1941 to Coffeyville, Kansas, to be reorganized as the Funk Aircraft Company. Production ceased during World War II. When it resumed manufacturing aircraft in 1946, the new aircraft were designated as B85C models using a Continental 85-hp engine. The last aircraft were built in 1948. Approximately 380 aircraft were built from 1939 to 1948.”
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I owned Funk B, serial number 303 for a few years. The previous owner had left the tail wheel uncoupled in a bad crosswind and ground looped it at the old Tulsa Downtown Airpark. The gear collapsed when he hit a runway light (they used to be surrounded by old truck tires) so the folks from the local GADO paid him a visit. Turned out he never had a license but had been flying for many, many years. He sold me the crippled bird which I repaired and flew for a few years. With a cruise prop on the C85 it would cruise at 112 mph. The cockpit was built for smaller folks but it had a decent baggage area for a small 2 place. The Funk owners club used to have annual flyins at Coffeyville, Kansas while the twins were still living, and may still do so. Funk Manufacturing has a large facility either on or adjacent to the airport. I believe NC81173 is living in Missouri now. For a first aircraft, the Funk was hard to beat.