Crosby CR-4
Crosby · United States · first flew 1938 · light aircraft
The Crosby CR-4 was an American racing aircraft of the late 1930s, the follow-on to the Crosby CR-3. It was designed by Harry Crosby while he was recovering from the 1936 crash of the CR-3.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 6.55 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Low-wing all-metal racing monoplane with stressed-skin construction
- Triangular wings with a straight leading edge, tapering to a point at the tips
- Left cowling holding a combined oil tank and surface cooler
A very small low-wing racer with pointed triangular wings and a left-side cooling cowl.
Specifications
- The Crosby CR-4 has a length of 6.55 m (21 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 4.88 m (16 ft).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The CR-4 was built with the Menasco C6S-4 engine from the CR-3. Funding came from fellow racer Kieth Rider and students of the Curtiss-Wright Technical Institute in Glendale assembled it. The first flight was in April 1938 at Mines Field.
Variants
During the Second World War Crosby developed the all-wood CIP-5 interceptor from the CR-4 design.
Where you'll see it
It raced in the 1938 and 1939 Greve Trophy and Thompson Trophy races, finishing third in the 1939 Greve race and fourth in the 1939 Thompson. It was later displayed at the EAA museum in Oshkosh.
Related aircraft
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