The Swift Museum is open Monday – Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM, but currently has limited staffing so visitors arriving from away locations are encouraged to contact the Museum to ensure tour guide availability.

The Swift Museum is located at the McMinn County airport in Athens, Tennessee. It has multiple Swift aircraft on display, including the prototype #1, production examples and modified Swifts from 1946 to 1951, as well as two T-35 Buckaroo USAF trainers. These military versions of the Swift were tested by the USAF in the early 1950’s. One of the T-35’s is an armed version used by and donated to the Museum from the Saudi Arabian Air Force.

The Museum is proud to present Swift’s from the start in 1946 to today. Although production stopped in 1951, Swift’s have continued to be modified and current editions have the speed and looks to be the envy of General aviation. From SN#1 to the military model, the T-35 Buckaroo, there is not a finer collection of Swift’s on display in the world. A Swift is hanging in the Smithsonian for national viewing, but at the Swift Museum you can stand next to these historic aircraft and see into the cockpit.

For more information:

The Swift Museum Foundation was started by Charlie Nelson, our President, over 40 years ago with an ad in Trade-A-Plane to Swift owners inquiring about any interest in forming a type club. It started as the International Swift Association, grew and ten years later became the only type club to purchase the FAA Type Certificate for its aircraft. It also acquired with the Type Certificate the original factory tooling, the remaining parts inventory and the original manufacturing plans. This allows us to have FAA PMA parts manufactured to keep this great aircraft flying for the foreseeable future.

In 2000 the Swift group started a formation training program called the Swift Formation Committee (SFC) and it was the first non-warbird formation program recognized by the FAA. In 2007, SFC was accepted by the F.A.S.T. formation group as a signatory and member.

The birthplace of the Swift was Ft. Worth, TX, in early 1940. The very first low wing, two-place retractable gear aircraft called “The Swift” was built as what would be called today a “homebuilt,” by Mr. R.S. “Pop” Johnson of Ft. Worth. Mr. Johnson was reputed to have taken the trial delivery of a Culver Cadet, measured its vital organs and returned it to Culver, no purchase. Then he built himself an aircraft and began looking for a financier and builder. Mr. Johnson contacted Mr. John Kennedy of Ft. Worth. Mr. Kennedy was president and founder of Globe Medicine Company and Globe Aircraft Company. Known locally as a financier, entrepreneur and an all around good business man, Mr. Kennedy’s Globe Aircraft Company had been a very active sub-contractor during the war years, with production of Beech AT-10’s under contract for Beech and the war effort. Looking for postwar business, he and Mr. Johnson made a deal: Mr. Kennedy’s company, Globe Aircraft Company, would build the Swift and Mr. Johnson would be in the employ of Globe.

With Johnson’s “homebuilt” Swift as a starting point, Globe had Johnson working with their Chief Engineer K.H. “Bud” Knox in preparing the Swift for production.

The war effort delayed their work somewhat but after going through 2 additional prototypes of all-wood or wood-metal construction, what finally emerged as the war was drawing to a close was an all metal version. While Kennedy was the driving force that brought about the Globe Aircraft Co. and production of the Swift, he himself gave credit for the design of the all metal version to Chief Engineer Mr. K. H. “Bud” Knox who was then a young design engineer for Globe Aircraft Company. As for Mr. Johnson, he became disenchanted with some of the changes occurring to “his” design and quit the company. (After leaving Globe Aircraft Co., he went back to Fort Worth and continued on his own. He then built the “Texas Bullet” and the “Johnson Rocket,” a few of which are still in existence today.)

Logically promoted in period advertising as the ALL METAL SWIFT, to set it apart from the early prototype wood/tube/fabric Swifts, this was the start of the Swift as we know it today. The first, N33336, GC-1A s/n 2, is still in airworthy condition today. N33336 was the Swift used for all GC-1A flight tests, certification, etc. It was built and flight tested along with several other GC-1A’s in late 1945. Certification and the issuance of the Type Certificate A-766 for the 85 HP GC-1A was issued May 7, 1946. Beginning with s/n 2 and ending with s/n 409 a total of 408 GC-1A Swifts were built.

With the performance of the early Swifts showing 85 HP was just not doing the job, Globe worked to improve their aircraft. The Type Certificate for the 125 HP GC-1B was issued Sept. 22,1946. Production records show many of the flight tests of the early GC-1B’s also conducted early in 1946. Due to the success of the 1944, 1945, and 1946 national advertising programs, a tremendous demand and backlog of orders for Swifts resulted. All the ads of this period depicted the original GC-1 Swift. To meet this backlog of orders, Globe entered into a contract with newly founded TEMCO (Texas Engineering and Manufacturing Company) at nearby Grand Prairie, TX, to build Swifts under sub-contract simultaneously with the Globe production. Beginning in May of 1946, TEMCO set up production and began producing GC-1B Swifts at the rate of 15 aircraft per day. Temco built 329 Swifts. With globe and TEMCO together producing a Total of 833 GC-1B’s in just over s six-month period. All the effort was for not, however, as production finally caught up with orders and suddenly the parking fields near both plants were full of unsold Swifts. Kennedy soon closed the doors for various business reasons but primarily to avoid what we would today call a corporate “hostile takeover”.

TEMCO obtained rights to the Swift as payment for money owned them by Globe. From 1947 through 1951, TEMCO produced 260 Swifts with the last one being rolled-out on August 23, 1951.

 

Please feel free to reach out to us with any questions/concerns at [email protected] -or- by telephone at (423) 745-9547

Raffle Terms & Conditions: 
 
1. The Swift Museum Foundation, Inc. (the “Foundation”) will give away a $30,000 Engine Credit with Ly-Con Aircraft Engines of Visalia, CA or a $20,000 Cash Prize (Subject to Grand Prize Winner’s Choice)  Raffle tickets for this fundraising raffle are available for $50.00 (U.S.) donation each.  The Foundation is a tax exempt 501(c)(3) organization. 
 
2. No more than 2,500 tickets will be sold.  Tickets will be issued with a discrete number.  The actual ticket number will be emailed to the email address provided by the purchaser.  The Foundation is not responsible for any lost or misdirected email.  If you do not receive your raffle ticket(s) via email within 24 hours of purchase, you should call (423) 745-9547. The Foundation will begin the sale of raffle tickets for this event at 8:00 AM EST on June 4, 2021.  Ticket sales will cease when 2,500 tickets have been sold or at 8:00 PM on October 2, 2021, whichever occurs first.  In the event anyone buys a ticket after the 2,500 allocated tickets have been sold, such purchase will be refunded. Except for refunding the purchase, we are not responsible if your purchase cannot be processed because we have already sold 2,500 tickets or if your payment arrives after 2,500 tickets have been sold or your payment arrives after the deadline for purchase. 
 
3. Purchasers must be 18 years of age or older to enter. 
 
4. The winners will be announced on or about October 2, 2021 subject to the progress of ticket sales as outlined in Line Item #2 above. The Foundation will give each prize to the holder of a raffle ticket selected randomly.  The winning tickets will be drawn from all sold tickets at the Swift Museum, 223 Co. Road 552 Athens, TN  37303.  The winning ticket holder does not need to be present to win; however, confirmation of the winner’s identification will be required to claim the prize. The location, date and time will also be posted on our website: swiftmuseumfoundation.org  We invite you to observe the drawing which will be conducted by the independent accounting firm of WarrenJackson CPA, 206 North Hill Street, Athens TN 37303
 
5. Tickets can only be purchased online at swiftmuseumfoundation.org within the United States where permitted by law.  It is each purchaser’s responsibility to ensure it is legal in the purchaser’s state to participate in this raffle, and individual purchasers represent to the Foundation it is legal to accept the ticket via email. This raffle is being conducted and governed pursuant to Tennessee laws. All tickets are considered sold in Tennessee when purchased. By purchasing a ticket, each participant agrees to be bound by and adhere to the Terms and Conditions contained herein. A ticket is “sold” for purposes of calculating the number of tickets sold when the Foundation receives full payment for that ticket. 
   
6. The prize can be transferred to anyone located in the United States of America, at the election of the winner. 
 
7. The Grand Prize is expressly conditioned upon the holder of the winning ticket executing an acceptance agreement with the Foundation, and this raffle is subject to the terms of such legal document. The winner is solely responsible for all taxes (Federal, State and Local if any) appropriate reporting forms to the winner, IRS and Tennessee will be provided. IRS Form W-9 Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification and IRS Form 5754, if applicable. The winner will receive an IRS Form W-2G from the Foundation for the calendar year the prize is awarded for the total value of the prize as identified in these Terms and Conditions. If the winner chooses to forfeit their prize, they must do so prior to taking possession. 
 
8. Prizes (Prizes will be drawn in the order listed below) 
 
a. The GRAND PRIZE is a $30,000 Credit with Ly-Con Aircraft Engines for a New or Re-Built aircraft engine (winner’s choice) A Grand Prize cash option of $20,000 is offered in lieu of the Credit with Ly-Con Aircraft Engines. 
 
b. SECOND PRIZE is a Stratus 3 ADS-B Receiver 

 
c. THIRD PRIZE is a Garmin Aera 660 Portable GPS 
  
d. FOURTH PRIZE is an ACR ResQLink View Personal Locator Beacon 
  
e. FIFTH PRIZE is a BrightLine Flight Bag (B4 – Swift) 
  
 9. Winners will be notified by phone, email, and/ or mail. Winners will also be posted on our website at swiftmuseumfoundation.org for viewing by all raffle participants. A winner will be disqualified if they cannot be reached after reasonable effort, are determined to be ineligible, or cannot/do not comply with these Terms and Conditions. The Foundation will have made reasonable effort to reach a winner if it has made at least two (2) documented attempts to contact the winner via phone or by the email address provided at the time of ticket purchase. Should the winner be disqualified or decline to accept their prize, another ticket will be selected randomly until a winning ticket holder accepts and takes possession of the respective prize. 
  
 10. The Foundation reserves the right to use the winner’s name and likeness in publicity and marketing materials, including but not limited to, media releases, the Swift Museum Foundation’s website, brochures and other promotions. 
  
 11. These official raffle terms and conditions are subject to the interpretation of the Foundation.  The raffle is not valid outside of the USA and otherwise VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.  This raffle is open to the general public; however, Employees and Board Members of the Swift Museum Foundation, Inc., their spouse and legal dependents are prohibited from purchasing tickets and are not eligible to win any prize.  This includes individuals for whom an Employee or Board Member is the current legal guardian or individuals who they are not legally related to but who reside within an Employee or Board Member (step relationships are also included) household. A raffle entrant’s sole and exclusive remedy for any claim against the Foundation arising out of ticket sales or the conduct of the raffle shall be limited to the return of the purchase price of their ticket. 
  
 12. By entering this raffle, each entrant releases the Foundation, its directors and officers from any and all liability for injuries, losses or damages of any kind (including, without limitation, attorney’s fees) resulting from or cause by participating in the raffle or by winning any prize or resulting from acceptance, possession, use or misuse of any prize, and each winner agrees to indemnify and hold the Foundation harmless from any and all losses, damages, rights, claims, and actions of any kind resulting or arising from, in connection with participating in the raffle or the winner’s acceptance or use of any prize. In no event shall the Foundation, its directors and officers be liable for any losses or damages of any kind, including death or injury relating to or from participation in the raffle or the use of any prize even if such losses or damages results from or is caused or contributed to by the fault or negligence of the Foundation, its officers and directors. 
  
 Revised 6/4/21