Standard J

The Standard J was a substitute standard basic trainer aircraft produced in the USA from 1916 to 1918. It was a 2-seat tandem biplane constructed from wood with wire bracing and fabric covering. Charles Healy Day had designed the Sloan H series of aircraft and continued the line under the Standard Aero Corporation (later Standard Aircraft Corporation). Four companies—Standard, Dayton-Wright, Fisher Body, and Wright-Martin—built 1,601 J-1s, all of which were delivered between June 1917 and June 1918. The J-1 was considered from the beginning as a stopgap to supplement the more favored Curtiss JN-4 production. Though the J-1 and its variants were produced in large numbers, it was disliked by instructors and students alike because of its highly vibration-inducing and unreliable four-cylinder Hall-Scott A-7a engine. Fatality records show while the JN-4 production outnumbered the Standards by only about two to one to June 1918, the number of fatalities in J-1's to JN4's was about one to seven, which is probably indicative of the actual limited use of the available aircraft. Many of the later production J-1's were never taken out of their delivery crates. In June 1918, even while training was at a fever pitch, all Standard J-1's were grounded, and although it was considered for adaptation to the OX-5 engine used by the Curtiss JN-4, the $2,000.00 cost of conversion was not seen as cost effective, as the supply of OX-5–powered JN-4's was now considered sufficient for military elementary training needs. All contracts for 2,600+ JS-1's were canceled, and those not used for ground instruction by the US Army were retired to be sold on the civilian market or scrapped. The manufacturer of Standard's chief competitor (Curtiss JN series) bought many of the surplus J-1's for modification (different engine) and resale. Many J-1's carried on with civilian flying schools, joy-riding and barnstorming operations until they wore out, or were forced to be retired by the nascent air transport legislation, introduced in 1927, which forbade the use of wooden aircraft for passenger transport. Many people confuse the Standard J-1 with the Curtiss JN series, even believing that Charles H. Day was responsible for both, but both the Standard's slightly swept back wing planform for both upper and lower wing panels — and the forward landing gear strut angle, when seen from the side – as well as the forward landing gear strut's anchorage placement on the fuselage's lower longeron, just behind the lower wing root's leading edge – quickly distinguishes the Standard J-1 from the Curtiss aircraft.

Variants

 * Sloan H series - trainers and reconnaissance aircraft from 1913.
 * Standard H series - production by Standard of Sloan H-series.
 * Standard J - first Standard designed variant.
 * Standard J-1 - trainer for US Army.
 * Standard SJ-1 - J-1 with additional pair of forward wheels to prevent the noseover.
 * Standard JR-1 - advanced trainer for US Army.
 * Standard JR-1B - mail carrier for US Post Office, modification of JR-1.
 * Standard SJ - civil trainer - monoplane with Sikorsky-Gluhareff designed parasol wing (also known as Sikorsky Standard)
 * Standard E-4 - JR-1B mailcarrier re-designated


 * Ryan Standard - war-surplus J-1s with an enclosed cabin for four passengers fitted by Ryan Aeronautical (9 converted)
 * Lincoln Standard L.S.5 War surplus J-1 modified with an open cabin for four passengers.


 * Nicholas-Beazley-Standard - Standard j-1 aircraft modified by the Nicholas-Beazley Airplane Co.

Operators

 * US Army Air Service
 * US Navy
 * US Post Office
 * US Post Office

Survivors
Over a dozen J-1s are on display or being restored. Others projects are incomplete and awaiting restoration.
 * Two J-1 are on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio.
 * One J-1 is displayed uncovered, with only sample panels of fabric covering to show the wire-braced wooden construction in vogue in the 1917-18 period and the method for covering an aircraft structure. This aircraft is equipped with a Hall-Scott A-4A engine of 100 horsepower. It was donated to the Museum in 1962 by Robert Grieger of Oak Harbor, Ohio.
 * A second J-1 (s/n 1141) is on display in a fully restored condition. It is equipped with the rarer Curtiss OXX-6 engine of 100 hp. This aircraft underwent a full restoration by Museum staff in 1981.
 * A Hisso (Hispano-Suiza) powered J-1 (s/n 1956) restored by Charles Klessig of Fargo, North Dakota is on display at the EAA AirVenture Museum.
 * A OXX-6 powered J-1 (s/n 2434 registered and flown as N9477) also restored by Klessig in 1971 is part of the collection of the Cass County, North Dakota's Bonanzaville, U.S.A. Museum. It is currently on loan to the Fargo Air Museum.
 * Standard J-1 s/n 581 is on display, and maintained in flying condition, at the Owls Head Transportation Museum, Owls Head, Maine
 * s/n 823H owned by the Henry Ford Museum, on loan to Glenn H Curtiss Museum, Hammondsport, New York
 * s/n 1000 James Hammond, Yellow Springs, Ohio
 * s/n 1582 Kermit Weeks, is displayed at Fantasy of Flight in Polk City, Florida (composite of two aircraft)
 * "N62505" Historic Aircraft Museum, Creve Coeur Airport, Missouri. It was previously owned by Ernie Freeman.
 * s/n 1598 Reported existent, location uncertain
 * s/n 2969 Michael Cilurso, Schnecksville, Pennsylvania (assembled from original components – period kit)
 * s/n 4598 is displayed at the Pioneer Flight Museum, Kingsbury, Texas
 * s/n 5083 is displayed at the San Diego Aerospace Museum (Wright Hispano E-2 with E-3 heads), It was previously part of the Cole Palen Collection, in Rhinebeck, New York.


 * One, s/n unknown, is being restored by John Barker, Contoocook, New Hampshire.
 * One, s/n unknown, is being restored for the Golden Age Air Museum Bethel, Pennsylvania