AEA June Bug

Aerial Experiment Association · United States · first flew 1908 · light aircraft

The AEA June Bug was a 1908 American biplane built by Alexander Graham Bell's Aerial Experiment Association and flown by Glenn Curtiss. It achieved the first public flight of over 1 kilometre in the US, winning the Scientific American Trophy.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, straight
E — Engines	1 × piston, fuselage-mounted
F — Fuselage	8.38 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Pioneer 1908 biplane with bamboo-and-fabric construction
Pusher propeller driven by a single air-cooled engine
First aircraft to win the Scientific American Trophy for a public flight over 1 km

A classic Edwardian pusher biplane with bamboo outriggers, small box-kite tail surfaces, and a single air-cooled engine driving a pusher propeller between the wings.

Specifications

The AEA June Bug has a length of 8.38 m (27 ft).
It has a wingspan of 12.95 m (42 ft).
Its maximum speed is 65 km/h (40 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Designed by John McCurdy and Frederick Baldwin and built by the Aerial Experiment Association, the June Bug first flew on 21 June 1908. On 4 July 1908, Curtiss flew it 1,551 metres to claim the Scientific American Trophy. The design led directly to the Curtiss Golden Flyer and subsequent Curtiss aircraft.

Variants

The June Bug was later modified with pontoons and renamed the Loon in an unsuccessful attempt at a water landing. No other variants were produced.

Where you'll see it

The sole example was a research and record-setting aircraft; it is preserved as a replica at several American aviation museums.

Related aircraft

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