Stinson Junior
| Stinson Junior | |
|---|---|
 Restored SM-2 |
|
| Type: | Light aircraft |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
April 1928 |
| Production time: |
1928-1931 |
| Number of pieces: |
500 |
The Stinson Junior is a cabin aircraft made by the US manufacturer Stinson Aircraft Corporation in the 1920s.
history
Although the Stinson SM-1 was sold in satisfactory numbers, the success of Buhl , Cessna , Ryan and others with somewhat smaller aircraft that were offered at a significantly lower retail price prompted Stinson to develop a more competitive aircraft. In 1928, William C. Naylor designed a three- to four-seat high-wing aircraft for private use in just three weeks, which was to be propelled by a 110 hp (or 120 hp) Warner Scarab . In April 1928 the SM-2 Detroit Junior (later shortened to Junior) flew for the first time. SM stood for Stinson Monoplane . The first public presentation was at the All American Aircraft Show, also in April in Detroit.
A total of 42 SM-2s were manufactured at the Stinson Northville plant in 1928 . Some specimens successfully participated in air races; the second aircraft (registration number NC5889) came third and another aircraft came sixth on the 1928 National Air Tour.
In 1929, after the company moved to Wayne , three similar machines with a 100 horsepower Kinner K-5 engine were built as the SM-2K . For the most part, however, production in 1929 consisted of four-seat SM-2AA with a 165-horsepower Wright R-540 engine, 25 of which were made. The purchase price was $ 8,500. There were also 35 SM-2ABs that used a Wright J-5 with 225 hp. This variant had a larger tank volume of 265 liters, a reinforced chassis and other minor improvements, which increased the price to 10,500 US dollars. Of the version SM-2AC with a 250-hp Wright-R-760, 25 copies were built. Like the SM-2AB, these had a 61 cm longer fuselage and an enlarged vertical stabilizer . The float versions SM-2ABS and SM-2ACS were available for both versions .
Stinson built some of the more luxurious versions developed by Kenneth Ronan in 1930. These included 10 SM-7A with a 300 HP Wright R-975 engine and 5 SM-7B (300 HP Pratt & Whitney Wasp Junior). The United States Army Air Forces later requisitioned two copies of this for liaison tasks and gave them the designation L-12A (USAAF serial numbers 44-52992 and -52995).
With the takeover of the majority of the shares by Cord Corporation , whose owner Errett Lobban Cord also controlled Lycoming , the previously used Whirlwind engine was replaced by the Lycoming R-680 with 215 hp. Kenneth Ronan revised the design so that in April 1930 the SM-8A could be offered as a competitive machine with this engine for 5775 US dollars. In 1930, Stinson built 230 of this variant alone. Other versions were the once built SM-8AS with floats and the SM-8A Special with a Wright R-760. Five of the SM-8B (also with R-760) were made. The version SM-8D with a Packard DR-980 was the first civil aircraft equipped with a diesel engine to receive a type certificate (ATC 312 on April 8, 1930).
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The Junior, built in 1931, were called Junior Model S , but differed little from the SM-8A . Despite the generally difficult economic situation, Stinson produced 113 copies that year. The price was only US $ 4,995, which was lowered by an additional US $ 400 in 1932.
The final version of the Junior was the Junior Model W , an improved SM-7A aimed at the wealthy sport pilot. Five of these were built, of which General Electric used one as an electronics test and experimental aircraft.
construction
The construction was based on the Detroiters with a fuselage structure made of welded steel tubes and fabric-covered wooden wings. The grinding spur used on the SM-1 was replaced by a spur wheel. Two tanks housed in the areas held a total of 159 liters. The break-proof panes could partially be wound down. Luggage could be stowed under the seats and the leather lining inside was matched to the color of the seat cushions.
Whereabouts
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Some of the Stinson Junior still exist, some of them airworthy (as of 2016). According to the FAA , as of December 2016, five SM-2s , three SM-7s , 18 SM-8s , 15 Junior Ss, and one Model W are registered.
Examples of preserved Stinson Junior are:
- Junior S , NC10886
- NC12165
- NC12143
Technical specifications
| Parameter | SM-2 | Model Junior S |
|---|---|---|
| crew | 1 | 1 |
| Passengers | 2 | 3 |
| length | 8.00 m | 8.81 m |
| span | 12.62 m | 12.83 m |
| height | 2.24 m | 2.67 m |
| Wing area | 21.93 m² | 21.93 m² |
| Empty mass | 688 kg | 986 kg |
| Max. Takeoff mass | 1135 kg | 1482 kg |
| Cruising speed | 144 km / h | 168 km / h |
| Top speed | 170 km / h | 205 km / h |
| Climb performance | 159 m / min | 229 m / min |
| Service ceiling | 3000 m | 4120 m |
| Range | 680 km | 640 km |
| Engines | 1 × Warner Scarab seven-cylinder radial engine with 110 hp | 1 × Lycoming R-680 nine-cylinder radial engine with 215 hp |
See also
literature
- John Wegg: General Dynamics Aircraft and their Predecessors , Putnam Aeronautical, 1990, ISBN 0-85177-833-X , pp. 123 ff.
- John A. Bluth: Images of Aviation - Stinson Aircraft Company Arcada Publishing, 2002
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Bluth, 2002, p. 62
- ↑ [1]
- ^ Howard Levy: Detroiters . In: Airplane Monthly September 1997, pp. 74 f.
- ↑ photo of the NC10886 2010
- ↑ Photo of the NC12165 2010