Alexander Eaglerock Bullet

Last updated
Bullet Monoplane
Alexander C-4 Bullet (4589591439).jpg
RoleCabin monoplane
National origin United States
Manufacturer Alexander Aircraft Company
Designer Albert Mooney
First flightFebruary 1929
Introduction1929
Number built11

The Bullet Monoplane or Alexander Eaglerock Bullet was a low wing cabin monoplane that was a departure from traditional biplane aircraft of the era.

Contents

Design and development

The Bullet was built at the beginning of the Great Depression. Company owner J Don Alexander said he was inspired by ducks tucking in their legs to build a retractable landing gear-equipped aircraft. [1] The aircraft experienced stability problems in spin testing, killing two pilots. [2] Few orders were delivered. [3]

The Bullet was a low wing, cabin aircraft with retractable conventional landing gear. [4] The fuselage was constructed with welded steel tubing and the wings were constructed with wooden spars and ribs, both with aircraft fabric covering. [5]

Operational history

An Alexander Eaglerock Bullet competed in the 1929 National Air Races. [6] Female pilot Jessie "Chubbie" Keith-Miller won two transcontinental air races piloting an Alexander Eaglerock Bullet. [7]

Variants

Data from: Aerofiles [8]

Eaglerock Bullet C-1
Powered by a Wright J-6 Whirlwind
Eaglerock Bullet C-3
Powered by a Kinner K-5
Eaglerock Bullet C-4
Powered by a 165 hp (123 kW) Wright J-6 5-cylinder radial (optional 165 hp (123 kW) Comet 7-E or 150 hp (112 kW) Axelson-Floco B)
Eaglerock Bullet C-5
Powered by a 165 hp (123 kW) Wright J-6 5-cylinder radial (optional 165 hp (123 kW) Comet 7-E or 150 hp (112 kW) Axelson-Floco B)
Eaglerock Bullet C-7
Aerodynamically improved - ATC#318 issued on 6 May 1930. [9]

Specifications (C-7 Bullet)

Alexander Eaglerock C-3 Bullet 3-view drawing from Aero Digest May 1929 Alexander Eaglerock C-3 Bullet 3-view Aero Digest May 1929.png
Alexander Eaglerock C-3 Bullet 3-view drawing from Aero Digest May 1929

Data from American Airplane Specifications [10]

General characteristics

Performance

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pitcairn Mailwing</span> American 1920s three-seat mail and utility biplane

The Pitcairn Mailwing family was a series of American mail carrier and three-seat sport utility biplane aircraft produced from 1927 to 1931.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Travel Air 2000</span> American civilian biplane

The Travel Air 2000/3000/4000 were open-cockpit biplane aircraft produced in the United States in the late 1920s by the Travel Air Manufacturing Company. During the period from 1924–1929, Travel Air produced more aircraft than any other American manufacturer, including over 1,000 biplanes. While an exact number is almost impossible to ascertain due to the number of conversions and rebuilds, some estimates for Travel Air as a whole range from 1,200 to nearly 2,000 aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Curtiss Kingbird</span> Type of aircraft

The Curtiss Model 55 Kingbird was an airliner built in small numbers in the United States in the early 1930s. It was a twin-engine aircraft with a fuselage derived from the single-engine Curtiss Thrush. The Kingbird had two engine nacelles mounted on the struts on either side of the fuselage that braced the wing and the outrigger undercarriage. A distinctive design feature was the aircraft's blunt nose, located behind the propeller arcs. This allowed the engines to be mounted closer to each other and to the aircraft's centerline, therefore minimising asymmetrical thrust in case of an engine failure. For the same reason, the Thrush's single tailfin was replaced by twin tails on the Kingbird, and the main production model, the D-2 fitted a second horizontal stabilizer and elevator between these fins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fairchild KR-34</span> Type of aircraft

The Kreider-Reisner Challenger was an American utility biplane aircraft designed and produced by the Kreider-Reisner Aircraft Company, which was later taken over by the Fairchild Aircraft Company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">General Aviation GA-43</span> Type of aircraft

The General Aviation GA-43 was a single engine low-wing monoplane airliner produced in small numbers in the United States in the mid-1930s, also known as the Pilgrim 150, Fairchild 150, and sometimes but erroneously as the Clark GA-43 for the designer, Virginius E. Clark who was also responsible for the Clark Y airfoil section used.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bach Air Yacht</span> Type of aircraft

The Bach Air Yacht was a trimotor airliner produced in the United States in the 1920s. Typical of its day, it was a high-wing braced monoplane, with fixed tailwheel undercarriage. Unusual for airliners of the late 1920s, the Air Yachts were constructed almost entirely of wood with steel fittings, undercarriage, and struts. Different models were powered by varying combinations of Wright, Ryan-Siemens, Kinner, Comet, and Pratt & Whitney engines, a large engine in the nose of the aircraft, and two smaller "helpers" under the wings in nacelles supported by struts. As with so many aircraft companies of the late 1920s, the Bach Aircraft Company succumbed to the Great Depression, thus further development of the Air Yacht was abandoned after the 3-CT-9.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stinson Detroiter</span> Type of aircraft

The Stinson Detroiter was a six-seat cabin airliner for passengers or freight designed and built by the Stinson Aircraft Syndicate, later the Stinson Aircraft Corporation. Two distinct designs used the Detroiter name, a biplane and a monoplane.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stearman C3</span> American Aircraft

The Stearman C3 was an American-built civil biplane aircraft of the 1920s, designed by Stearman Aircraft of Wichita, Kansas. It was also the first Stearman aircraft to receive a type certificate.

The Boeing Model 203 was a three-seat biplane trainer build by Boeing in the late 1920s and used in the company training school.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stinson Junior</span> Type of aircraft

The Stinson Junior was a high-winged American monoplane of the late 1920s, built for private owners, and was one of the first such designs to feature a fully enclosed cabin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spartan C3</span> American 1920s three-seat utility biplane

The Spartan C3 is an American three-seat open-cockpit utility biplane from the late 1920s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thaden T-4</span> Type of aircraft

The Thaden T-4 Argonaut was a 1930s American four-seat all-metal cabin monoplane built by the Thaden Metal Aircraft Company of San Francisco, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wright-Bellanca WB-1</span> Type of aircraft

The Wright-Bellanca WB-1 was designed by Giuseppe Mario Bellanca for the Wright Aeronautical corporation for use in record-breaking flights.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spartan C2</span> Type of aircraft

The Spartan C2 is a light aircraft produced in the United States in the early 1930s as a low-cost sport machine that would sell during the Great Depression.

The Sullivan Model K-3 Crested Harpy is a three place light sport aircraft of the 1920s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Curtiss Thrush</span> 1929 American single-engine monoplane light transport

The Curtiss/Curtiss-Robertson Model 56 Thrush was a 1929 six passenger high-wing fixed undercarriage single-engine cabin monoplane airliner and utility transport powered by either a Curtiss Challenger or a Wright Whirlwind radial engine and built as an enlargement of the earlier Curtiss Robin. Several were used for record breaking endurance flights by female pilots during the early 1930s including one in which the aircraft stayed aloft for almost ten days.

The Emsco B-4 Cirrus was a mid-wing, two-seat trainer built in the US in the late 1920s. Six were built and three variants with more powerful engines flown.

The Simplex Red Arrow was a US single-engined monoplane produced in the late 1920s and early 1930s and intended as club machine or mail transport. Most used radial engines in the 90–110 hp (67–82 kW) range. They carried one or two passengers whose seats could be open or enclosed. One variant, the Red Arrow Dual Plane, was easily converted from monoplane to biplane and was available with two versions of the much more powerful Wright Whirlwind engines. In all about 20 were built.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Curtiss-Wright CW-14 Osprey</span> American 1930s utility biplane

The Curtiss-Wright CW-14, named variously Travel Air, Sportsman, Speedwing and Osprey is an American 3-seat open cockpit single-bay biplane from the 1930s that was developed by Travel Air as a replacement for the highly successful Travel Air 4000. As a result of the Great Depression, which also limited sales, Travel Air merged into the Curtiss-Wright group of companies before production could start, so all examples were built by Curtiss-Wright. Its main claim to fame would be as the most numerous aircraft used in the Chaco war, where it formed the backbone of the Bolivian Air Force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cairns A</span> Type of aircraft

The Cairns A was a low wing, two tandem seat monoplane with a metal structure and stressed metal skin. It first flew late in 1931 with a 90 hp (67 kW) engine but was later fitted with more powerful engines including a 185 hp (138 kW) radial.

References

  1. Denver Posse. The Denver Westerners brand book. p. 246.
  2. Terry Gwynn-Jones. The air racers: aviation's golden era, 1909-1936. p. 185.
  3. Donald M. Pattillo. A History in the Making: 80 Turbulent Years in the American General Aviation Industry. p. 8.
  4. Flying Magazine: 108. August 1985.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: untitled periodical (link)
  5. Aeronautics: 28. September 1929.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: untitled periodical (link)
  6. Joseph P. Juptner. U.S. Civil Aircraft Series, Volume 8. p. 64.
  7. Colin Evans. A Question of Evidence: The Casebook of Great Forensic Controversies. p. 62.
  8. Eckland, K.O. "Alexander". aerofiles.com. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  9. Joseph P. Juptner. U.S. civil aircraft, Volume 4. p. 65.
  10. Aviation July 1931, pp. 428, 431.