Custer Channel Wing Today

The Custer Channel Wing Today

The CCW in Current Research

24-26 June 2002, at the 20th AIAA Applied Aerodynamics Conference, Robert Englar of Georgia Tech and Bryan Campbell of NASA Langley Research Center presented a paper entitled, "Development of Pneumatic Channel Wing Powered-Lift Advanced Super-STOL Aircraft." Click here (a new window will pop up) to read the report. (Requires Adobe Acrobat)

The CCW in the Museums

A CCW-5 is housed at the Mid-Atlantic Aircraft Museum. After Willard's death, some of his remaining papers and notes were also donated, we believe, to this museum. Click here (a new window will pop up) to visit their website. Their site includes pictures of the craft and directions to their facility outside Reading, Pennsylvania.

The original Custer Channel Wing is currently being stored at the Smithsonian's National Air & Space Museum, Suitland, Maryland facility. (Note: This is not the National Air & Space Museum located among the Smithsonian buildings on the mall.) It is slated to eventually be displayed at the new Udvar-Hazy Center, but that may be years from now. Click here (a new window will pop up) to see a photo.

A model of the CCW-5 is on display in the new National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center at Dulles Airport. Click here (a new window will pop up) to see a photo.

If anyone knows of any other CCWs still in existence, please email us.

The CCW on Film

A video comprising a compilation of various clips of various CCWs taking off (it leaps into the air after 2 steps) and in flight is available. Click here (a new window will pop up) for more information on how to obtain a copy of the video.

Film clips of the Channel Wing have been spotted on the Discovery channel as part of the "Wings" documentary.

There is also old UPI film footage of the Channel Wing performing at an international airshow in New York, possibly as early as the 1950s. The video mentioned above may include some of this footage.

Willard Custer appeared on national television (the "Merv Griffin" show [in the 1960s] and more recently on the "P.M. Magazine" show [in the mid 70's]). If anyone has information on how to obtain a copy of the appearances, please email us.

The CCW in Documents

Copies of some test results and studies are available for purchase from another website. Click here (a new window will pop up) for more information on how to obtain copies.

All of Willard's patents are available for review at the United States Patent Office and are in the public domain. Click here to see the list of patents.

The results of the government-conducted tests on the Channel Wing may be purchased from the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) of the Department of Commerce. The NTIS is the central source for the public sale of Government-sponsored research, development, and engineering reports and other analyses prepared by Federal agencies, their contractors or grantees, or by special technology groups. In order to obtain a copy of CCW test results, one must request an NTISearch, for which there is a charge, and any copies of documents desired would be available for purchase.

For more information:
National Technical Information Service
NTISearch Program Manager
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, Virginia 22161

The CCW on the Web

The best Channel Wing website for those interested in helping to further CCW applications in the present and in the future just appeared in Spring 2002. Click here (a new window will pop up) to view that website.

If you know of another site, please email us so we can include a link.