Sky King is an American radio and television adventure series.
The title character is Arizona rancher and aircraft pilot Schuyler "Sky" King.
The series was likely based on a true-life personality of the 1930s, Jack Cones,
the "Flying Constable" of Twentynine Palms in San Bernardino County, California,
although this claim is unverified
Although the series had strong western elements, King mostly captured criminals and spies
and found lost hikers with the use of his plane, the Songbird.
Though the planes used changed during the course of the series,
the later model was not given a number, but was still known as the Songbird.
King and his niece, Penny (and sometimes Clipper, his nephew), lived on the Flying Crown Ranch,
near the (fictitious) town of Grover, Arizona. Penny and Clipper were also pilots,
though still relatively inexperienced and looking to their uncle for guidance and mentoring.
Penny was an accomplished air racer and rated multi-engine pilot, whom Sky trusted to fly the Songbird.
It is unclear if Penny and Clipper were siblings or cousins.
The musical score was largely the work of Herschel Burke Gilbert.
User Review
QuoteDisplay Moretwo planes
20 September 2006 | by tootall1121 (United States)
there were two main planes in Sky King, the first was the Cessna twin 50, the second,
known as the Songbird was a Cessna B310, and is probably the better known plane.
I loved this series, though i saw it in Saturday afternoon reruns.
Why can't Tvland play it at night for all us old f*rts to enjoy again? I would watch it.
By the way, in one episode, I don't know which one, Sky King did fly jets.
According to the script, a Air Force General says, The real sky king can fly anything with wings.
(seems there was an imposter and thats how he tripped him up, saying that he heard
he didn't re-qualify on the jets) Best show of its type at the time.
The airplane idea was a nice leap into the now from the old westerns.