Fleet 50 Freighter
Fleet Aircraft · Canada · first flew 1938 · transport aircraft
The Fleet 50 Freighter was a Canadian twin-engined biplane general utility aircraft designed and built by Fleet Aircraft.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 10.97 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Biplane with an inverted gull-wing lower wing
- Two radial engines in nacelles on the upper wing panels
- Large cargo doors and a roof-mounted chain hoist
A peculiar-looking twin-engined biplane with an inverted gull-wing lower wing and radial engines on the upper wing. The fuselage had room for two crew and up to ten passengers, with large cargo doors.
Specifications
- The Fleet 50 Freighter has a length of 10.97 m (36 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 13.72 m (45 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 241 km/h (150 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Design started in 1936 for a short take-off freighter with features added to ease cargo handling. The prototype 50J first flew on 22 February 1938 with two 285 hp Jacobs L-5MB radial engines.
Variants
The prototype was re-engined with 330 hp Jacobs L-6MB engines and redesignated 50K, and four more aircraft were built, all with L-6MB engines. The lower wing carried either float or wheel landing gear.
Where you'll see it
Only five were built. The design was underpowered and could not maintain altitude on one engine, so none was operated for long, and the last went out of service in 1946.
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