Unidentified 30s seaplane

[schneiderman]

Hi,

Can anyone throw some light on this windtunnel model , its American and pre-dates 1934. Is the style familiar?



Cheers

[TASSE]

The fin and rudder reminds me of something but i cant think what.

TASSE.

[dogsbody]

The tail looks like it came from a Beechcraft Staggerwing, at least to me it does.

[seawings]

Very reminiscent of a Curtiss Schneider Trophy type to me....?

[mattrix10]

Cannot tell the type I am afraid. Did they use the "antennae" in front as smoke distributors for wind tunnel testing?

[schneiderman]

Yes, there is something distinctive in the tail design but I can't put my finger on it either. Ryan? Loening?

Given that this predates '34 I too suspect a Schneider connection, it looks far too streamlined for general useage and forward view would have been ropey to say the least. After the Mercury Williams debacle interest in Schneider pretty much bottomed out in the US although there were occasional press reports of projects under review, just maybe this was one of them.

I would think that the bar through the front is part of the system to mount the model in the windtunnel, but that's just a guess.

Cheers

[dogsbody]

Compare the tailplanes with the ones on the Staggerwing. Scroll down to the 4th image:

http://home.comcast.net/~biplane0/staggerwing/

[schneiderman]

Good point. I hadn't realised that Beech aircraft went back that far and certainly thought the Staggerwing was later, pretty impressive design for 1932. So it looks like I need to read up on the background to the company, especially their designer, Ted Wells

[TASSE]

No. That fin and rudder is too pointed for Beech, it reminds me of Arado but i cant find anything on it.

Still searching, TASSE.

[schneiderman]

Its almost certainly a US design as the article (on making models for windtunnel research) is from a 1934 US magazine and by a US author. Doesn't rule out Arado but makes it a little unlikely