Pitcairn PA-1 Fleetwing
Pitcairn PA-1 Fleetwing | |
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Pitcairn PA-1 Fleetwing model on display at the EAA Airventure Museum. | |
Role | Biplane Type of aircraft |
National origin | United States of America |
Manufacturer | Pitcairn Aircraft Company |
Designer | Agnew E. Larson |
First flight | 1925 |
Introduction | 1925 |
The Pitcairn PA-1 Fleetwing (Pitcairn Aviation - One) [1] is the first biplane designed for air racing and commercial airmail service by Pitcairn Aircraft Company.[2]
Design
The Fleetwing biplane featured three cockpits capable carrying four revenue sightseeing passengers. The fuselage used (square and round) steel tubing with fabric covering. The squarish fuselage featured a slanted radiator on the front of the lower cowling[3]
Operational history
The prototype PA-1 crashed after a flight with the control cables rigged backwards. A second aircraft was built shortly afterward.[4][5][6]
Specifications (Pitcairn PA-1 Fleetwing)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/be/Pitcairn_PA-1_Fleetwing_3-view_L%27Air_June_15%2C1926.png/220px-Pitcairn_PA-1_Fleetwing_3-view_L%27Air_June_15%2C1926.png)
Data from Aerofiles
General characteristics
- Capacity: 5
- Length: 25 ft 11 in (7.90 m)
- Wingspan: 38 ft (12 m)
- Powerplant: 1 × Curtiss C-6 , 160 hp (120 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 96 kn (110 mph, 180 km/h)
- Cruise speed: 81 kn (93 mph, 150 km/h)
- Stall speed: 39 kn (45 mph, 72 km/h)
References
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pitcairn PA-1 Fleetwing.
- ^ American Aviation Historical Society. AAHS journal, Volume 31.
- ^ Frank Kingston Smith. Legacy of wings: the story of Harold F. Pitcairn.
- ^ "Pitcairn". Retrieved 1 February 2011.
- ^ Robert J. Serling. From the captain to the colonel: an informal history of Eastern Airlines.
- ^ Jack Cox (November 1991). "Harold Armstrongs Pitcairn Fleetwing". Sport Aviation.
- ^ Smith, Frank (1981). Legacy of Wings; The Harold F. Pitcairn Story. New York: Jason Aronson, Inc. p. 62-71. ISBN 0876684851.
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Pitcairn and Autogiro Company of America aircraft
- PA-1 Fleetwing
- PA-2 Sesquiwing
- PA-3 Orowing
- PA-4 Fleetwing II
- PA-5, PA-6, PA-7, PA-8 Mailwing
- PA-11
- PA-18
- PA-19
- PA-20
- PA-21
- PA-22
- PA-24
- PA-33 (YG-2)
- PA-34 (OP-2)
- PA-36
- PA-38
- PA-39
- PA-44 (XO-61