Arpin A-1
Arpin · United Kingdom · first flew 1938 · light aircraft
The Arpin A-1 was a British two-seat low-wing monoplane powered by a single radial engine in pusher configuration, mounted behind the cabin between twin booms that carried the tail.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 7.06 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Twin fin |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Pusher radial engine behind the cabin, between twin booms
- Twin diamond-section booms carrying tall fins with unbalanced rudders
- Fixed tricycle undercarriage on a low-wing monoplane
An unusual low-wing pusher with a side-by-side enclosed cabin on the wing, an uncowled radial behind it and a pair of tall fins on slender booms.
Specifications
- The Arpin A-1 has a length of 7.06 m (23 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.61 m (32 ft).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Of wooden construction and plywood covered, it first flew from Hanworth Aerodrome on 7 May 1938. It was the first British aircraft designed for tricycle landing gear, and in 1938 a McClaren type undercarriage was fitted that let all three wheels turn parallel to each other for crosswind landings.
Variants
The original aircraft had a 68 hp British Salmson AD.9R radial. In 1939 it was re-engined with a 90 hp inverted inline Blackburn Cirrus Minor I, which raised the maximum speed to 185 km/h, and it was then known as the A-1 Mk.2.
Where you'll see it
Only one was built, registered G-AFGB. It was delivered in December 1939 to the School of Army Co-operation at Old Sarum to be assessed as an observation aircraft, was not ordered into production and was scrapped by 1946.
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