Culver Cadet
Culver Aircraft · United States · first flew 1939 · light aircraft
The Culver Cadet is an American two-seat light monoplane that was also built as a radio-controlled drone. It was produced by the Culver Aircraft Company.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Semi-monocoque fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Two-seat low-wing monoplane with a retractable tailwheel undercarriage
- Semi-monocoque fuselage
- Single horizontally opposed engine in the nose
A small low-wing two-seater with a retractable tailwheel gear and a flat-four engine in the nose.
Specifications
- The Culver Cadet has a length of 5.38 m (18 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 8.23 m (27 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 229 km/h (142 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Al Mooney developed it from the Culver Dart to give better performance on a smaller engine. The prototype first flew on 2 December 1939, with a semi-monocoque fuselage and a retractable tailwheel undercarriage.
Variants
The first variant, the Cadet LCA, had a 75 hp Continental engine and the 1941 LFA had a Franklin engine. The US Army ordered the radio-controlled PQ-8 and PQ-8A and the Navy the TDC-2.
Where you'll see it
Production ended after the United States entered the Second World War in December 1941, but the Cadet had export orders including Uruguay. Several are still airworthy in the United States.
Related aircraft
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