Engineering:Marlman Flying Girder
| Flying Girder | |
|---|---|
 Front quarter view of the Marlman Flying Girder | |
| General information | |
| Type | Agricultural airplane |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | William A. Marlman |
| Number built | 1 |
| History | |
| Introduction date | 1957 |
The Marlman Flying Girder was a low-cost American cropduster developed in the 1950s.[1]
Design and development
The Flying Girder was the project of William A. Marlman, who was based in Las Animas, Colorado. A 1955 newspaper report detailed that Marlman had designed an agricultural aircraft, referred to the "Pack Air", and that it was currently under construction.[2] If the aircraft proved successful, Marlman planned to establish a factory at Las Animas in order to produce them.
Two aluminum channels, 20 ft (6.1 m) in length, were bolted together to form a single box-section beam that formed the basis of the design.[3] A 260 hp (190 kW) Lycoming engine, driving a tractor propeller, was fitted to the foremost point of the box beam. Positioned behind the engine was a simple slab-sided enclosed fuselage. The aircraft had a constant chord rectangular wing planform, with no dihedral. The wings featured full-span flaps, and endplates fitted to the wingtips.[3] A conventional tailplane and tailfin were located at the aftmost point of the box beam. The Flying Girder was fitted with a fixed conventional undercarriage.
To cater to its intended function as an agricultural aircraft, it was designed to spread both dust and sprays. A 20 cu ft (0.57 m3) hopper was incorporated into the rear of the fuselage, and 50 US gal (190 L) tanks were built into the wings.[3]
Operational history
By early 1957 the aircraft had been approved by the CAA. Its operational history is not known.[3]
Specifications
Data from Popular Mechanics[3]
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming piston engine, 260 hp (190 kW)
Performance
- Cruise speed: 120 mph (190 km/h, 100 kn)
- Landing speed: 70–90 mph (110–140 km/h; 61–78 kn)
- Stall speed: 40 mph (64 km/h, 35 kn)
See also
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
References
- ↑ Eckland, E.O. "American airplanes: Marlman". Aerofiles. http://www.aerofiles.com/_ma.html.
- ↑ Pearson, Hazelle (1955-03-17). "Achilles Notes". The Citizen Patriot (Atwood, Kansas): p. 11.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 ""Flying Girder" Crop Duster". Popular Mechanics (Chicago, IL: Popular Mechanics Co.) 107 (3): 116–117. March 1957. https://books.google.com/books?id=IOEDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA116. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
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