American Gyro AG-4 Crusader
American Gyro Company · United States · first flew 1935 · light aircraft
The American Gyro AG-4 Crusader was a small twin-engined aircraft designed as the Shelton Flying Wing in 1933 by Thomas Miles Shelton.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Teardrop-shaped fuselage |
| T — Tail | Twin fin |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Aluminium-skinned low-wing twin-engined monoplane
- Twin tail booms each with its own rudder
- Teardrop-shaped fuselage
A four-seat twin with 25-gallon fuel tanks in each wing root, trailing-edge flaps and twin booms carrying separate rudders.
Specifications
- The American Gyro AG-4 Crusader has a length of 6.58 m (22 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10.97 m (36 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 375 km/h (233 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It was developed using wind tunnel tests and was tested in 1935 at Denver, Colorado. The prototype was painted copper with green leather seats and was funded by stock issued in the Crusader Aircraft Corporation.
Variants
A six-seat variant, the AG-6 Buccaneer, was designed with Menasco engines.
Where you'll see it
The company folded in 1938 under securities fraud investigations before the Crusader could go into production. Die-cast metal toys of the aircraft were made by Tootsietoy, Hubley and Wyandotte.
Related aircraft
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