American Eagle A-129

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American Eagle A-129
American Eagle A-129 Rhinebeck NY 10.06.05R.jpg
American Eagle A-129 with Kinner K-5 engine at Old Rhinebeck, NY, in June 2005
Rolethree seat open cockpit biplane
National originUnited States
Manufacturer American Eagle Aircraft Corporation
DesignerGiuseppe Bellanca
First flight1929
Statusseveral still airworthy and displayed in museums
Primary usertraining, barnstorming and private owners
Number builtmore than 400
Developed fromAmerican Eagle A-101

The American Eagle A-129 was an American biplane first flown in 1929.

Contents

Design and development

The preceding American Eagle A-101 of 1926 had achieved some success, but its fierce spin characteristics had resulted in several crashes during training flights. Giuseppe Bellanca redesigned the biplane with a longer fuselage and narrower cowling to accommodate the five-cylinder Kinner K-5 100 h.p. radial engine, which had its cylinder heads exposed. To mark the year of its first appearance, the designation A-129 was applied. [1]

Operational history

Initially designed to replace the Porterfield Flying Schools A-101s, the new biplane proved to have good flying characteristics and more than 400 were built. The aircraft were also flown by "barnstormers" and sports pilots.

Several A-129s remain airworthy and examples are preserved at the Rhinebeck Aerodrome Museum at Old Rhinebeck in New York state and in the Kansas Aviation Museum Wichita, Kansas. [2]

Variants

A range of engines was fitted to the A-129 without changing the type designation. They included the 90 hp (67 kW) Curtiss OX-5 straight engine and others up to the 200 h.p. Wright J-4.

The American Eagle A-229 was a two seat trainer version with a Curtiss OX-5 engine. [3]

Specifications (100 h.p. Kinner K-5)

American Eagle A-129 3-view drawing from Aero Digest June 1929 American Eagle A-129 3-view Aero Digest June 1929.png
American Eagle A-129 3-view drawing from Aero Digest June 1929

Data from Aero Digest June 1929 [3]

General characteristics

Performance

References

Notes
  1. Simpson, 2001, p. 40
  2. Ogden, 2007, p. 572
  3. 1 2 "American Eagle". Aero Digest. 14 (6). New York City: Aeronautical Digest Publishing Corp: 116. June 1929.
Bibliography