Brown 1926 parasol monoplane

Last updated
Brown 1926 parasol monoplane
RoleParasol wing, two passenger light transport
National origin United States
DesignerLawrence W. Brown
First flightc.1924
Number builtat least 2

The Brown 1926 parasol monoplane was a 1920s US, three seat, parasol wing civil aircraft developed from a biplane wartime scout. It was intended for either the private or commercial passenger markets, though one was used as a crop-duster.

Contents

Design and development

Like several of Lawrence Brown's early designs, this parasol wing, Curtiss OX-5-engined version of the wartime Thomas-Morse S-4 biplane received no type name of its own. Both engine and airframe were available cheaply in the early post-war years. [1]

Its wing had a similar area to those of the S-4 and was rectangular in plan. Its structure was largely spruce, with two box-beam spars and an airfoil of Brown's own design. The pilot's cockpit was under the trailing edge, which had a deep, curved cut-out to assist upward vision. The wing was attached to the fuselage by pairs of near-parallel steel struts, encased in wooden fairings overlain with fabric, between the spars and the lower longerons on each side. [1]

Its fuselage was an internally wire braced, ash and spruce structure with a rectangular cross-section. The OX-5 engine, on a mounting intended to accommodate a variety of types, had its cylinders exposed and a ventilated metal cowling. Behind it, the passengers' cockpit was below the wing and between the spars. Behind the pilot's cockpit there was a curved upper decking that tapered to a tail which differed from that of the S-4, with a blunted triangular fin and rounded rectangular rudder. Its ground-adjustable tailplane was also rounded rectangular in plan, as were the elevators. [1]

The monoplane had conventional, fixed landing gear. Its wheels were on a single axle, mounted on steel tube legs with rubber shock absorbers and trailing drag struts, both enclosed in wooden streamlining. Its tailskid was made from ash. [1]

Operational history

Although a modern source dates the Brown parasol to 1927, [2] a contemporary account from March 1927 notes that two had been in service for three years, [1] putting the first flight earlier than the spring of 1924.

One of these two was used in 1925 for cotton-dusting in El Salvador. [2] The total number of biplane scout to parasol transport conversions is not known.

Specifications

Data from Aero Digest, 1927 (Maker's data) [1]

General characteristics

Performance

Related Research Articles

The Shackleton-Murray SM.1 was a single-engined two-seat light aircraft designed in Britain and flying in 1933. It was a pusher driven parasol winged monoplane. Only one was built.

Emsco B-2 Challenger

The Emsco B-2 Challenger was a US three-engined, six passenger aircraft flown in 1929. Only two were built and they were quite soon converted into two different Emsco types, one with one engine and the other with two.

Aerial Engineering Corporation Standard 6W-3

The Aerial Engineering Corporation Standard 6W-3 was a commercial transport modification of the US Standard J-1 biplane military trainer aircraft, with new wings, engine and accommodation for four passengers. First flown in 1925, it was built in small numbers.

Johnson Twin-60

The Johnson Twin-60 was a small, two seat biplane intended for private owners. It had twin engines for safety and the performance and undercarriage designed for short and rough field use. Despite its refinements only one was definitely built

The Western Airplane King Bird, named after the tyrant flycatcher (Western) Kingbird, was a 1920s US civil transport accommodating three passengers in open cockpits. Only one was built.

NAS Air King

The NAS Air King was a US light biplane transport aircraft designed in 1926 to carry three passengers in two open cockpits. Only one was built but in 1928 it was revised to carry two passengers and was more successful, with over twenty produced.

The Hess H-2 Blue Bird was a small US transport biplane, built in the 1920s and carrying two or four passengers according to engine power.

Kirkham-Williams X

The 1927 Kirkham-Wiliams X or Kirkham-Williams Racer was designed as a private US contender for the 1927 Schneider Trophy. Though it flew just before the contest, it was still under development and was withdrawn. Soon after it was modified into a landplane, seeking to set a new speed record. Some high speed flights were made but no official record was set.

The Yackey Monoplane was an American three seat parasol monoplane flown in the late 1920s. Two prototypes had some success in the 1927 New York - Spokane National Air Derby and orders were placed but a crash killed its designer and ended production.

Thunderbird W-14

The Thunderbird W-14 was a small, three seat American passenger transport, first flown in 1926, entering production, significantly improved, in 1927 with several different engine options. About 40-50 were built before the financial collapse of the company in 1929.

The Stiles Dragon Fly was an American two seat monoplane aircraft of the late 1920s. It was aimed at private and club owners. Significant production was planned but few were built.

The Pacer Monoplane was a parasol wing, four seat, light aircraft, flown and produced in the US in the late 1920s.

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.

Miami Maid

The Miami Maid was a US three passenger amphibian first flown in 1929. Despite ambitious production plans, only two were built.

Southern Air Boss

The Southern Air Boss was a 1920s U.S. biplane trainer aircraft. One prototype was built and by 1929 a new factory was ready for its production but this did not follow.

Inland Sport

The Inland Sport series of parasol wing, sport and training side-by-side two seaters, introduced between 1928 and 1930, differed chiefly in their engines. They used three different radial engines, more than doubling the Sport's power over two years of development. 34 examples were built and frequently re-engined.

Wallace Touroplane

The Wallace Touroplane was a late 1920s U.S. three seat, high wing cabin monoplane. About 20 were built.

Ireland Neptune

The Ireland Neptune was a four or five place pusher configuration biplane sold in flying boat and amphibian versions. Designed in the U.S. and first flown in 1927, well over 50 were built.

Wiley Post Model A

The Wiley Post Model A is a U.S. two seat sports biplane, built in small numbers in the 1930s.

Huff-Daland HD.8A Petrel 1920s American civil transport aircraft

The Huff-Daland HD.8A was a small civil transport biplane carrying two passengers built in the U.S. in 1922. The otherwise identical HD-9A offered an alternative engine.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "The Brown Monoplane". Aero Digest. 10 (3): 194. March 1927.
  2. 1 2 "Aerofiles" . Retrieved 7 February 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.