Dempsey TD-3 Beta Lightning
Thomas Dempsey · United States · first flew 1969 · light aircraft
The Dempsey TD-3 Beta Lightning is the second original homebuilt aeroplane design by Thomas Dempsey. One was built.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Fibreglass fuselage pod with side-by-side seating |
| T — Tail | Twin fin |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Twin-boom, twin-engine layout loosely based on the Lockheed P-38 Lightning planform
- Fibreglass fuselage pod with side-by-side seating
- Tricycle landing gear
It is a twin-boom, twin-engine monoplane with a fibreglass fuselage pod, fabric-covered wooden-spar wings and tricycle landing gear.
Specifications
- The Dempsey TD-3 Beta Lightning has a length of 6.4 m (21 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.1 m (30 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 348 km/h (216 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The TD-3 was designed to be strong, comfortable and fast, and first flew on 14 September 1969. Its twin-boom, twin-engine layout was loosely based on the Lockheed P-38 Lightning.
Variants
Only one TD-3 Beta Lightning was built, so there were no other versions.
Where you'll see it
It was a homebuilt aircraft powered by two Lycoming IO-320 horizontally opposed piston engines, with a maximum speed of 216 mph.
Related aircraft
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