Crawford
Flt. Lt. Crawford
Contents
History
While stationed at the Iraq Aircraft Depot, RAF Hinaidi, in 1924 Flt Lt Crawford designed an ultralight aircraft, which he built in off-duty hours. He was assisted in its construction by carpenter-rigger Cpl Howden and armourer LAC Farmer. In 1926, when Flt Lt Crawford was posted home to serve with Group Headquarters, Lee-on-Solent, the monoplane went with him but did not fly again and was up for sale in 1927. As nothing more was heard of it, it must be assumed to have been scrapped.
Company References
- British Light Aeroplanes 1920-1940, Arthur W.J.G. Ord-Hume (GMS Enterprises, 2000)
- Aeroplane Monthly May 1978
Project Data
| Project No | Type No | Name | Alternative Name(s) | Year | Spec (Requirement) | Status | Qty | Description | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monoplane | 1925 | Proto | 1 | 1S, 1E monoplane | 1, 2 |
Project References
- British Light Aeroplanes 1920-1940, Arthur W.J.G. Ord-Hume (GMS Enterprises, 2000)
- Aeroplane Monthly May 1978
Production Details and Type Description
Monoplane
Single seat, low wing, strut braced monoplane. The fuselage was a conventional Warren girder with spruce longerons, vertical and diagonal struts, fabric-covered except forward from the cockpit area, which had plywood-covered bottom and sides with aluminium top-decking. The undercarriage was a simple vee frame carrying two hollow wooden wheels on a bungee-sprung axle. The two-spar mainplane was of RAF 15 section, tapered at the root ends, and was braced to the top longerons by parallel streamlined steel struts. The tailplane incidence was ground-adjustable; there was no fin, just a comma-shaped rudder. Initially powered by a 500cc air-cooled, two-cylinder A.B.C. with a gear driven wooden propeller, the aircraft would not fly. An entirely new engine was designed. This was built from parts of two other time-expired 500cc A.B.C. generator engines, the two crankcases, after careful machining, being combined to form a single, four-cylinder, horizontally opposed power unit with coupled camshafts and crankshafts, the latter driving a single magneto through chain and sprocket gear. A specially designed hub and thrust race for the propeller shaft were manufactured. With this, the aircraft flew successfully.
Single seat, low wing, strut braced monoplane. The fuselage was a conventional Warren girder with spruce longerons, vertical and diagonal struts, fabric-covered except forward from the cockpit area, which had plywood-covered bottom and sides with aluminium top-decking. The undercarriage was a simple vee frame carrying two hollow wooden wheels on a bungee-sprung axle. The two-spar mainplane was of RAF 15 section, tapered at the root ends, and was braced to the top longerons by parallel streamlined steel struts. The tailplane incidence was ground-adjustable; there was no fin, just a comma-shaped rudder. Initially powered by a 500cc air-cooled, two-cylinder A.B.C. with a gear driven wooden propeller, the aircraft would not fly. An entirely new engine was designed. This was built from parts of two other time-expired 500cc A.B.C. generator engines, the two crankcases, after careful machining, being combined to form a single, four-cylinder, horizontally opposed power unit with coupled camshafts and crankshafts, the latter driving a single magneto through chain and sprocket gear. A specially designed hub and thrust race for the propeller shaft were manufactured. With this, the aircraft flew successfully.
| Specification | |||||
| Span | Length | Height | Wing Area | Empty Wt | Max AUW |
| 28 ft | 16 ft 3 in | 102 sq ft | 280 lb | 435 lb | |
| 8.53 m | 4.95 m | 9.48 m2 | 127 kg | 197 kg | |
One aircraft only : no c/n. or registration. First flew in in February 1925.
Total Crawford Production1