c/n C.56 Built 1922 The Bellanca CF was the forerunner of the many cabin monoplanes built by Bellanca during the 1920’s and 30’s including the Pacemaker, Skyrocket and Cruisair. It had closed accommodation for four passengers while the pilot sat in an open cockpit behind the cabin. It first flew on 8th June 1922 and was reported to be both stable and manoeuvrable as well as aerobatic. A week later it took part in the Midwestern Flying Meet at Monmouth, Illinois, and won speed, gliding endurance and time to climb events. It then won more events at the Tarkio Aero Meet and the Interstate Aero Meet, with further publicity coming from two aerial marriages which took place in the cabin while in flight. Unfortunately, this excellent aircraft predated the private airmail contracts authorised by the government which would kick-start the aviation industry and as a result only the one machine was built. It was sold to the Yellow Aircab Company of New York in 1924 and they modified it for use as a taxi, but went out of business and sold it to the Continental Aircraft Corporation in 1925. They too went bankrupt and in 1928 it was bought by student pilot William Stanley Smith for $150. He modified it for longer range and registered it as NR11036. Following his death in another aircraft, the CF became part of the Roosevelt Field Air Museum on Long Island and they kept it airworthy until it was returned to the ownership of the Bellanca family. When Giuseppe Bellanca died in 1960 the family donated the aircraft to the Smithsonian Institute. Restored between January 1979 and May 1980, it is seen on display at the Steven F. Udvar Hazy Center as part of the National Air and Space Museum. Washington Dulles International Airport, Chantilly, Virginia