If you thought the Chrysler Turboflite was taste gone mad, if you thought is was the result of throwing decorum out of the window, it you thought it was the result of ignoring all that is common sense, then the Beechcraft Plainsman might just be the concept car for you.
Designed in 1946 by people who were at once both jubilant at the end of WW2, and unstintingly cautious about the future, the Plainsman missed all the hot buttons for a concept car.
The US government had just stopped ordering aircraft like there was no tomorrow (which there might not have been if the US government hadn’t been ordering them in the first place). Beechcraft was one of the companies building those planes. All of a sudden it had a workforce and factory designed to turn out complex mechanical machines that no one wanted.
But Beechcraft wasn’t giving up easily. With a giant smile they turned to the burgeoning US car market. The car market didn’t just smile back, so Beechcraft needed to do something to get noticed. Unfortunately they hit on the idea of the Plainsman.
Now, I know they were trying to capture those sensible people who wanted to buy a car, but naming anything “plain” is a bad idea. There again, it is in keeping with the style-proof look of the car. In fact the guy in the front seat in this shot had pretty much the same idea, he has his head titled back in that why-did-I-agree-to-do-this kind of way. The reason he stayed in the car was probably because the door jammed when he tried to get out.
Talking of doors, this car was trying to be a technology demonstrator. For example, the doors were solenoid activated. This means they had a switch which operated an electromechanical lock. Given the reliability of car electrics at the time I can imagine that if these had gone into production the excuse “I was stuck in my Plainsman” would have been as common as “the check’s in the mail.”
In Beechcraft’s defense, they did try to incorporate safety features into their design. The interior sported rubber crash pads. Though these might have been their to prevent injury when buyers came to their senses.
On the safety downside, the engine was in the back. This meant the whole passenger compartment was a crumple zone, protecting the motor in case of an accident. It probably guaranteed atrocious handling as well.
Despite the acres of glass at the front of the car, the rear had a tiny window and giant area of metalwork (what you could laughably call the C “pillars”). So, if you were changing lanes this would pretty much ensured you’d hit anything smaller than an 18-wheeler.
The final straw that breaks the styling camel’s back is on the roof. I have absolutely no clue what purpose the loop on top of the roof serves. Possibly they intended stranded cars to be rescued by helicopter? Though I think you’d need several of Igor’s best to lift this thing.
Believe it or not, it wasn’t the staggering ugliness of this car that killed it. In 1946, Beechcraft had hoped to market it for $5000 … at a time when Cadillacs were selling for half the price. Beechcraft soldiered on convinced they had a superior luxury car until they finally figured out the actual price (you know, the one the engineering and production people worked out, not the one the marketing “gurus” came up with on the basis of a long lunch and several bottles of wine). Are you ready? $15,000. Fifteen thousand dollars! In those days you could buy houses for that sort of money – and not ones with “plain” in the name.
So, what do you think? Was it relief for the motoring world when Beechcraft went back to making airplanes? Or would the rubber crash pads have reduce the 30,000 deaths on US roads every year during the forties?
And if you think of any use for the loop on the roof, let me know. I might just try it out.
Cheers!
Never even heard of this thing. Beech has always made excellent private aircraft, although they tend to be on the pricey side, also.
Hi David.
Yes, as far as I’m aware Beechcraft’s automotive ambitions died with this car and they stuck with aircraft. Good thing too, even if they’re pricey. I’ve always lived by the rule that “economical” and “my life” shouldn’t be put in the same sentence!
Thanks for the comment.
Cheers
Those few dozen Americans that were looking for $15,000. automobiles in 1946 might have wanted something a little more stylish.
I think the loop was a Radio Direction Finder antenna. The police could have used them for signal intelligence operations while driving to the donut shop.
Yes, the Plainsman truly lives up to it’s name in the style department.
I like you’re thinking; maybe they were hoping to capture the police market with a donut themed antenna.
Cheers
Yipes! And I thought nowadays driving was dangerous…Then again, I’ve heard that fatalities have greatly reduced–is that true?
I agree 100% with your earlier comment: “I’ve always lived by the rule that “economical” and “my life” shouldn’t be put in the same sentence!” Cheers to that!
Hi August.
Yeah, I don’t think I’d like to drive (or be seen in) this thing either.
Sadly, cars have got safer, but there are more cars on the road, so the number of deaths per year has stayed fairly constant for quite a while.
I’m glad to hear you value your life 🙂 I remember the old Apollo quote – we’re riding a rocket built by the cheapest bidder!
Cheers
The 1946 prototype Beechcraft is incredible all by itself, decades ahead in features and design, but if you look closely at the model in the middle, you will be surprised to learn that it is possibly none ofher than Marilyn Monroe. This was at the very beginning of her modeling career, when she was still Norma Jeane Baker, or her first married name Norma Jeane Daugherty. She also did adverts for Airline companies, in addition to many products. This was 2-3 years before she died her hair blonde and started doing movie bit parts on her way to becoming the film legend she is today. Very interesting discovery.
Hi Nick
Wow, I had no clue. It’s pretty hard to say give the quality of the pictures and I’m no expert of her life story, but she must have started somewhere! That’s pretty interesting. I wonder what other photos she’s in that aren’t so widely known.
Cheers!
The loop on the roof looks like an RDF (Radio Direction Finder) antenna normally associated with aircraft of the era. Either they were trying to invoke the aircraft connection or they were using it for the radio receiver. Typically the RDF antenna is rotated to find a bearing to the station being listened to for navigation. One is example is why the Honolulu station was on the air the night of 6-7 Dec 1941, so that a flight of B-17s could find the island easier.
Hi Jon
Yes, it does look like an RDF loop. My guess is that they were trying to make it look more interesting. It certainly wouldn’t have been much good in built up areas … bit like my GPS! Sadly, as you say, it worked just fine in 1941.
Cheers!