Great Lakes XSG
Great Lakes Aircraft · United States · first flew 1931 · reconnaissance aircraft
The Great Lakes XSG was an amphibious observation aircraft developed in the United States in the early 1930s for a US Navy competition. It was an ungainly and unorthodox biplane design.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 9.9 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Single large pontoon below the lower wing carrying the empennage
- Stubby nacelle on the lower wing holding the tractor engine and pilot
- Main wheels retract into the sides of the central pontoon
The rear of the nacelle was semi-enclosed with glazing and incorporated a tail gunner position, armed with one rearward-firing machine gun.
Specifications
- The Great Lakes XSG has a length of 9.9 m (32 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10.6 m (35 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 219 km/h (136 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
A single large pontoon was mounted below the lower wing and extended rearwards to carry the conventional empennage. On top of the lower wing, where the fuselage would normally be, was a stubby nacelle containing the tractor-mounted engine and the pilot's cockpit. The engine was a 400 hp Pratt & Whitney R-985.
Variants
Only a single prototype was ever built.
Where you'll see it
Development quickly ended when trials revealed that the aircraft could not reach the speeds required by the Navy.
Related aircraft
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