Loening Aeronautical Engineering

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Loening OL / OA-1A, amphibious aircraft for maritime surveillance (USA, 1923)

The Loening Aeronautical Engineering Corporation was an American manufacturer of aircraft based in New York City . It was founded in 1917 by Grover Loening , who designed and built one of the first seaplanes, a flying boat, as early as 1911. In the year it was founded, the US Navy commissioned him to build the Loening M-8, a two-seater braced shoulder-wing aircraft for combat purposes, after a development contract for a small aircraft on board had already been obtained.

After the First World War , the Flying Yacht was designed, with which it was possible to achieve several world records and at the same time open up the market for private flying boats . The development of the Loening OL series, an amphibious aircraft with central float and retractable landing gear, ultimately brought the company's greatest success.

In October 1928, Loening Aeronautical Engineering was acquired by Keystone Aircraft Corporation and had to relocate production from New York to Bristol, Pennsylvania . After the merger, the company was called Keystone-Loening, but Loening only existed as a department called Loening Aeronautical Division . Some designers, including Leroy Grumman , then left the company and founded the Grumman Aerospace Corporation . Keystone-Loening was bought shortly afterwards by the Wright Aeronautical Corporation , which merged on June 26, 1929 with the Curtiss Airplane and Motor Company to form the Curtiss-Wright concern. The Keystone Loening facility in Bristol remained as Curtiss-Wright's manufacturing facility until 1932.

Grover Loening created a new company as early as 1928, which was called the Grover Loening Aircraft Company and, in addition to consulting activities, manufactured some test aircraft. The company was dissolved in 1938 because Loening had switched to civil service in 1937.

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