Commercial C-1 Sunbeam

C-1 Sunbeam
Role Biplane
National origin United States
Manufacturer Commercial Aircraft Corp
Produced 1929
Unit cost
US$13,500 in 1929

The Commercial C-1 Sunbeam was a long-range biplane used in record-setting flights of the 1920s.[1]

Design

The conventional landing gear-equipped biplane featured a two-seat open cockpit and a four-passenger enclosed cabin. The fuselage is constructed with welded steel tubing with fabric covering. The wheels were covered with large streamlined wheel pants.

Operational history

On 27 November 1929 Elinor Smith and Bobbie Trout set a 42-hour endurance record over Los Angeles flying a C-1 Sunbeam refueled three times from a Curtiss Carrier Pigeon mailpane. Although the Sunbeam was performing well, the Carrier Pigeon support plane had mechanical difficulties after the third day. 672 gallons of fuel were used in the attempt, making Smith and Trout the first women to refuel in the air.[2][3][4]

Variants

Commercial Sumbeam C-102
X-564M used a 300 hp (224 kW) Wright J-6 radial engine for the endurance flights of 1929 and 1931.[5]

Specifications (Commercial C-1 Sunbeam)

Data from Aerofiles

General characteristics

Performance


References

  1. Kenneth Munson. U.S. commercial aircraft.
  2. Charles R. Mitchell, Kirk W. House. Flying High: Pioneer Women in American Aviation.
  3. Skyways. July 1999. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. "Bobbie Trout". Retrieved 29 October 2011.
  5. Donna Veca, Skip Mazzio. Just plane crazy: biography of Bobbi Trout.
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