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

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

Data from Aero Digest June 1929[3]

General characteristics

  • Crew: one
  • Capacity: two passengers
  • Length: 25 ft 1 in (7.65 m)
  • Wingspan: 30 ft 0 in (9.14 m)
  • Height: 8 ft 4 in (2.54 m)
  • Wing area: 160 sq ft (15 m2) upper, lower 140 sq ft (13 m2) lower
  • Empty weight: 1,220 lb (553 kg)
  • Gross weight: 2,041 lb (926 kg)
  • Fuel capacity: 42 US gal (35 imp gal; 160 L)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Kinner K-5 five cylinder radial, 100 hp (75 kW)
  • Propellers: 2-bladed wooden, fixed pitch

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 105 mph (169 km/h, 91 kn)
  • Cruise speed: 95 mph (153 km/h, 83 kn) /bk>
  • Take-off run: 100–150 ft (30–46 m)
  • Landing speed: 30 mph (48 km/h; 26 kn)
  • Stall speed: 35 mph (56 km/h, 30 kn)
  • Range: 500 mi (800 km, 430 nmi)
  • Service ceiling: 14,000 ft (4,300 m)
  • Rate of climb: 900 ft/min (4.6 m/s) initial

References

Notes
  1. ^ Simpson, 2001, p. 40
  2. ^ Ogden, 2007, p. 572
  3. ^ a b "American Eagle". Aero Digest. 14 (6). New York City: Aeronautical Digest Publishing Corp: 116. June 1929.
Bibliography
  • Ogden, Bob (2007). Aviation Museums and Collections of North America. Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 978-0-85130-385-7.
  • Simpson, Rod (2001). Airlife's World Aircraft. Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-84037-115-3.
Allikas: Https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Eagle_A-129
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