Howard Aircraft Corporation Howard DGA-15

BigxMike 🇺🇸

27 Mar 2026 · © Big Mike Aviation Photography

A beautifully restored Howard DGA-15, a luxury high-performance classic from the late 1930s, taxis at a vintage fly-in.

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Aircraft

Howard DGA-15 HOWA

Classic red with yellow trim, period civilian scheme

NC53386

Registration

Manufacturer

Howard Aircraft Corporation

Gear

Cannon EOS RP 100-500mm

Achievements

Retro Wings, Rare Bird, Vintage Voyager

3 badges earned

Location

William T. Piper Memorial Airport

LHV/KLHV

41.1356, -77.4223

Open map

William T. Piper Memorial Airport LHV

Airport

Insights

Aviation History

Regarded as a high-performance luxury aircraft of the late 1930s and 1940s, often used by executives and the military (C-73 variant) during WWII.

Fleet Rarity

Very rare in operation today; only a handful of DGA-15s remain active worldwide.

Record Flights

No notable distance records, but known for speed and luxury in private air travel of its era.

Safety & Events

Several examples flown as personal aircraft by celebrities and industrialists pre- and post-WWII.

Future Outlook

Preserved/flying as a vintage aircraft; often seen at airshows and in museums.

Specifications

Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Jr. radial engine

Engine

11.5 m

Wingspan

8.4 m

Length

1,600 km

Range

274 km/h

Speed

5 passengers

Capacity

1,724 kg

MTOW

2.3 m

Height

336 kW (450 hp)

Thrust

Unrated (pre-ICAO standard era)

Noise