Cunningham-Hall GA-21M
Cunningham-Hall Aircraft Corporation · United States · first flew 1934 · light aircraft
The Cunningham-Hall GA-21 was an American two-seat monoplane designed to compete in the 1934 Guggenheim Safe Aircraft Competition. Its distinguishing feature was full-span flaps that could be adjusted manually or automatically.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 6.1 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Low-set rectangular wings with rounded tips
- Full-span flaps with ailerons that only open upwards
- Conventional tailwheel gear with the wheels ahead of the wing leading edge in fairings
It has a round-sectioned, metal-skinned fuselage with a triangular tailplane carrying rounded elevators and a rounded rudder reaching down to the keel. The sole aircraft was later restored and put on display at the Niagara Aerospace Museum.
Specifications
- The Cunningham-Hall GA-21M has a length of 6.1 m (20 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.14 m (30 ft).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The GA-21M was an all-metal aircraft apart from fabric covering on parts of the wing and the control surfaces. It was powered by a 145 hp seven-cylinder Warner Super Scarab radial engine, and the open cockpit seated two side by side.
Variants
The GA-36 was a 1936 military trainer rebuild of the GA-21M with a tandem cockpit and revised landing gear fairings, making it 15% heavier.
Where you'll see it
Only one was built. The automatic flaps worked well but were more complicated and costly than Fowler flaps, and the sole aircraft was sold in 1941.
Related aircraft
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