Fahlin SF-2 Plymocoupe
Fahlin Aircraft Company · United States · first flew 1935 · light aircraft
The Fahlin SF-2 Plymocoupe was a one-man American experimental light aeroplane built in 1935. It was marketed as a flying automobile and used a converted car engine.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 5.38 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- High cantilever wing with full-span flaps that double as ailerons
- Car-style cowling with portholes and a ship ornament
- Single-seat light aircraft powered by a converted six-cylinder car engine
A tiny high-wing single-seater with a car-like cowling, with portholes in the sides and a ship-shaped ornament on top. Its wing has full-length flaps.
Specifications
- The Fahlin SF-2 Plymocoupe has a length of 5.38 m (18 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.75 m (32 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 193 km/h (120 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Ole Fahlin and Swen Swanson designed it for a Bureau of Air Commerce competition for an aeroplane affordable to the masses. A six-cylinder in-line car engine was adapted for flight with a 2:1 reduction gearbox, and the design borrowed styling from the 1935 Plymouth.
Variants
It was based on the earlier Swanson-Fahlin SF-1. Only the one SF-2 type is described, with no further variants.
Where you'll see it
The Bureau of Air Commerce flight-tested it, but it did not meet the competition specification. It reached 120 mph in tests and was said to return about 25 miles per US gallon.
Related aircraft
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