So why have a link to aircraft? And what the heck is an Aero Commander, anyway? Well, I'm glad you asked… Joseph's uncle, Lee Jackson, flies a Shrike, and it features prominently in the book.
In my opinion, the Rockwell Aero Commander 500S , the Shrike, is one of the most beautiful aircraft I have ever seen. My father used to fly Douglas Bostons in WW2 with RAF 114 squadron, and the Aero Commanders have their roots in the old Boston, in that they shared the same designer, Ted Smith. If Dad saw an Aero Commander on the apron - it didn't have to be a Shrike - he'd walk over to it and look at it wistfully. The sleek Beech Barons, the long nose Cessna 310s, and whatever other aircraft that just happened to be on the apron were all passed up in favour of that old Aero Commander. So, in a way, this book is also a tribute to the memory of my father and his love for that beautiful twin.
I've included some pictures of other Aero Commander 500 type aircraft that have been modified with a shrike nose, eyebrow windows and a squared tail. My grateful thanks to the Twin Commander Flight Group for allowing me to use their pictures here, to Jim Addington and Sean Kirkpatrick for their picture of Jim's beautiful 500A, and to James Covington for allowing me to use his picture of a modified 500B.
Specifications
AC 500S
"Shrike"
Power
Two Lycoming IO-540-E1B5 engines rated at 290 HP
Dimensions
Wingspan: 49.08 feet Length: 36.83 feet Height: 14.50 feet
Weights
Empty Weight: 4,635 lbs Gross Weight: 6,750 lbs
Performance
75% Cruise: 177 knots / Stall Speed: 59 knots
Service Ceiling: 19,400 feet / Single Engine: 6,500 feet
Take off roll: 1,100 feet /over 50 foot obstacle: 1,925 feet
Landing roll: 975 feet /over 50 foot obstacle: 2,235 feet
Endurance
Max Fuel: 156 gallons Range: 693 nautical miles
