The Daytona Beach International Airport and Volusia County have donated a Jenny Aircraft Replica to the DeLand Naval Air Station Museum (DNASM) located at 910 Biscayne Boulevard in DeLand, Florida. Public display of the replica, built by the late Thomas James Ryan at the Spruce Creek Fly-In, is a valued addition to the DNASM collection. Visitors to Volusia County from around the world will continue to enjoy viewing the replica and will benefit from learning about the unique history of the Jenny Aircraft. The homebuilt replica is a 2/3 scale JN4 Jenny, SN-426 with a GEO Metro 3 cylinder, 65 horsepower engine. Taking over 2,000 hours to build, the aircraft is 17’ long with a wing span of 27’ and is painted yellow with the NAVY insignia. The replica will be placed on public display inside the Ronald Herman Restoration Building, located behind the museum.
The Curtiss JN-4 “Jenny” is one of the most iconic American biplanes from the early 20th century. Developed in 1916 by the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company, it was primarily used as a training aircraft during World War I. Its design featured a two-seat, dual-control configuration, making it ideal for instructing novice pilots. Powered by the Curtiss OX-5 V8 engine, the Jenny had a top speed of approximately 75 mph.
After the war, thousands of surplus Jennies were sold to civilians, playing a significant role in popularizing aviation across the United States. They became the aircraft of choice for barnstormers and early airmail pilots, bringing aviation to the masses.
See DeLandings Newsletter September 2015 for full story on the Jenny Replica on display