Ford Flivver
Stout Metal Airplane Division of the Ford Motor Company · United States · first flew 1926 · light aircraft
The Ford Flivver was a single-seat American light aircraft introduced by Henry Ford as the "Model T of the Air". The original prototype had a 36 hp three-cylinder Anzani engine.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 4.72 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Tiny single-seat low-wing monoplane, only about 6.6 m in span
- Small Anzani radial engine in the nose driving a two-blade propeller
- Steel landing gear attached to the wing, with a steerable tailwheel
Look for a very small single-seat monoplane with a welded steel-tube fuselage, fabric-covered wooden wings and a steerable tailwheel.
Specifications
- The Ford Flivver has a length of 4.72 m (15 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 6.63 m (22 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 145 km/h (90 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It was designed by Otto Koppen as a mass-produced aircraft for ordinary people, with Henry Ford instructing that it should "fit in his office". The first example was shown at the 1926 Ford National Reliability Air Tour, and Ford unveiled it on his 63rd birthday, 30 July 1926.
Variants
The Model 2A was a later version, and a third prototype was built with longer wings, wing struts, a fabric-covered steel frame and increased dihedral for a distance record attempt. Five Flivvers were built in all.
Where you'll see it
Ford test pilot Harry Brooks flew the Flivver regularly around the Ford properties, and in 1928 one reached 972 miles on a flight towards Miami for a light-plane record. Production plans were halted after a prototype crashed into the sea off Melbourne, Florida.
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