Baldwin Red Devil
Thomas Scott Baldwin · United States · first flew 1911 · light aircraft
The Baldwin Red Devil was an American exhibition biplane of 1911 built by Thomas Scott Baldwin, a pusher design based on the Curtiss pusher concept and powered by a Hall-Scott V-8 engine. It was used extensively in air meet demonstrations across the United States and Canada.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 9.14 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
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Spot it by:
- Open pusher biplane on outrigger boom framework, Hall-Scott V-8 engine
- Exhibition aircraft used extensively in US and Canadian air meets 1911-1913
- Steel tube construction components — innovative for 1911
An open-framework pusher biplane with equal-span wings, a rear-mounted V-8 engine driving a pusher propeller, and the pilot seated in the open air ahead of the engine on a minimal fuselage structure. The red colour scheme gave the aircraft its name.
Specifications
- The Baldwin Red Devil has a length of 9.14 m (30 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 12.8 m (42 ft).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown by James C. Mars in the Philippines, the Red Devil attracted large crowds at air meets through its aerobatic demonstrations. Baldwin built approximately six examples and introduced steel tube structural components at a time when wood and bamboo dominated construction. The aircraft's exhibition career wound down by 1913 as newer designs appeared.
Variants
Approximately six aircraft built, varying slightly in detail but all following the same basic pusher biplane layout.
Where you'll see it
Private exhibition aircraft only; never in military service.
Related aircraft
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