Brown 1926 parasol monoplane

The Brown 1926 parasol monoplane was a 1920s US, three seat, parasol wing civil aircraft developed from a biplane wartime scout. It was intended for either the private or commercial passenger markets, though one was used as a crop-duster.

Brown 1926 parasol monoplane
Role Parasol wing, two passenger light transport
National origin United States
Designer Lawrence W. Brown
First flight c.1924
Number built at least 2

Design and development

Like several of Lawrence Brown's early designs, this parasol wing, Curtiss OX-5-engined version of the wartime Thomas-Morse S-4 biplane received no type name of its own. Both engine and airframe were available cheaply in the early post-war years.[1]

Its wing had a similar area to those of the S-4 and was rectangular in plan. Its structure was largely spruce, with two box-beam spars and an airfoil of Brown's own design. The pilot's cockpit was under the trailing edge, which had a deep, curved cut-out to assist upward vision. The wing was attached to the fuselage by pairs of near-parallel steel struts, encased in wooden fairings overlain with fabric, between the spars and the lower longerons on each side.[1]

Its fuselage was an internally wire braced, ash and spruce structure with a rectangular cross-section. The OX-5 engine, on a mounting intended to accommodate a variety of types, had its cylinders exposed and a ventilated metal cowling. Behind it, the passengers' cockpit was below the wing and between the spars. Behind the pilot's cockpit there was a curved upper decking that tapered to a tail which differed from that of the S-4, with a blunted triangular fin and rounded rectangular rudder. Its ground-adjustable tailplane was also rounded rectangular in plan, as were the elevators.[1]

The monoplane had conventional, fixed landing gear. Its wheels were on a single axle, mounted on steel tube legs with rubber shock absorbers and trailing drag struts, both enclosed in wooden streamlining. Its tailskid was made from ash.[1]

Operational history

Although a modern source dates the Brown parasol to 1927,[2] a contemporary account from March 1927 notes that two had been in service for three years,[1] putting the first flight earlier than the spring of 1924.

One of these two was used in 1925 for cotton-dusting in El Salvador.[2] The total number of biplane scout to parasol transport conversions is not known.

Specifications

Data from Aero Digest, 1927 (Maker's data)[1]

General characteristics

  • Crew: one
  • Capacity: two passengers
  • Length: 23 ft (7.0 m)
  • Wingspan: 40 ft 8 in (12.40 m)
  • Height: 8 ft (2.4 m)
  • Wing area: 260 sq ft (24 m2)
  • Airfoil: Brown no.5
  • Empty weight: 1,200 lb (544 kg)
  • Fuel capacity: 30 US gal (25 imp gal; 110 L)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Curtiss OX-5 V-8 water cooled piston engine, 90 hp (67 kW)
  • Propellers: 2-bladed fixed-pich propeller

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 110 mph (180 km/h, 96 kn)
  • Cruise speed: 100 mph (160 km/h, 87 kn) at 75% throttle
  • Range: 400 mi (640 km, 350 nmi)
  • Service ceiling: 16,000 ft (4,900 m)
  • Time to altitude: 10 mins to 5,000 ft (1,500 m)
  • Landing speed: 38 mph (61 km/h; 33 kn)
  • Payload: 300 lb (140 kg)

References
  1. "The Brown Monoplane". Aero Digest. 10 (3): 194. March 1927.
  2. "Aerofiles". Retrieved 7 February 2020.
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