A biplane, the JN got its nickname from aviators pronouncing the “JN” and “Jen,” which thus, became Jenny.
The JN aircraft series combined features of the Curtiss J and N models. With the United States entry into World War I, the Signal Corps ordered large quantities of the aircraft to be manufactured. Shortly after, the JN-4D, affectionately known as the “Jenny,” became America’s most famous World War I training airplane. After the war, these aircraft functioned as barnstormers (airshow performers) and could be purchased for $50.
Serial Number: 5002
Manufacturer: Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company
Crew: Two
Engines: One Curtiss OX-5 reciprocating V-8 of 500-cubic inches; 90 horsepower
Wingspan: 43 feet 7 3/8 inches (upper); 33 feet 11 1/4 inches (lower)
Length: 27 feet 4 inches
Height: 9 feet 10 inches
Weight: 1,920 pounds; 2,130 pounds takeoff
Speed: 65 mph (cruising); 75 mph (maximum)
Service Ceiling: About 10,000 feet
Armament: None
Cost: $6,000
Originally manufactured by the Springfield Airplane Company in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1918, the JN-4D, the most notable American aircraft in World War I, was nicknamed “Jenny” by sluffing the “JN.” While in service, the Jenny had two careers. First, the Jenny was a trainer. Then, after the war, it flew as a barnstormer/air show performer. Driving its second career was the fact it sold for $50 after World War I. One of the most-loved, early American airplanes, the Jenny was flown by most famous pilots of the time.
The Aerospace Heritage Foundation of Utah acquired this aircraft for Hill Aerospace Museum from the estate of Jim Nissen of Livermore, California. Jim Nissen purchased the remains of this Jenny in 1958 and spent years restoring it to airworthiness. The aircraft is painted in the early Army Air Service colors; it made its first post-restoration flight in April 1976.
This Curtiss made a public debut in May 1976 at the Watsonville Antique Fly-In, where it was unanimously awarded the Grand Champion Trophy. Over the next two decades, the Jenny made occasional appearances at fly-ins and airshows around northern California.
A biplane, the JN got its nickname from aviators pronouncing the “JN” and “Jen,” which thus, became Jenny.
Earlier aircraft had their engines placed at the rear, behind the pilots. As a result, when an aircraft crashed, the engine sadly crushed the pilot. Consequently, the Army had designers move the engine forward.
Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company manufactured the JN 4 in huge quantities for the Allied powers in the First World War
Some 6,813 Jenny aircrafts were made, though only a handful are still considered airworthy.