Engineering:Towle WC
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| WC | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Amphibious aircraft |
| National origin | United States of America |
| Manufacturer | Towle Marine Aircraft Engineering Company |
| Designer | Thomas Towle |
| Number built | 2 |
| History | |
| Introduction date | 1928 |
| First flight | November 1928 |
The Towle WC, or Towle TA-1, was a custom built aircraft for a 1929 round-the world flight.
Design and development
Thomas Towle was an engineer who had been involved with many early aircraft designs. Having just co-designed the Eastman-E2 Sea Rover, Towle was commissioned by Henry McCarroll to promote Detroit's aviation production capabilities.[1]
The WC was a flying boat with an aluminum hull. The strut braced parasol wing was fabric covered.[2][3]
Operational history
The prototype WC flew as far as Brazil before engine reliability issues forced the cancellation of the round-the-world flight attempt.[4]
Variants
- Towle TA-2 Was built as a successor to the WC model
Specifications (Towle WC)
Data from Flight
General characteristics
- Capacity: 4
- Length: 35 ft (11 m)
- Wingspan: 52 ft (16 m)
- Empty weight: 2,750 lb (1,247 kg)
- Gross weight: 4,420 lb (2,005 kg)
- Powerplant: 2 × Comet R-612 Seven cylinder radial, 150 hp (110 kW) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 100 kn (115 mph, 185 km/h)
- Minimum control speed: 39 kn (45 mph, 72 km/h)
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
References
Template:Towle Marine Aircraft Engineering aircraft
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