Larson D-1
Larson Aero Development · United States · first flew 1955 · light aircraft
The Larson D-1 was an agricultural biplane purpose-built to replace Boeing Stearman cropdusters.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Fuselage fabric covered only to behind the cockpit |
| T — Tail | Twin fin |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Agricultural biplane designed to replace the Boeing Stearman
- Twin rudders mounted outboard of the spray trail
- Fuselage fabric covered only to behind the cockpit
The fuselage was fabric covered only to behind the cockpit, leaving the tail structure exposed to prevent dust build-up, and the all-moving twin rudders carried anti-servo tabs.
Specifications
- The Larson D-1 has a length of 7.62 m (25 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10.06 m (33 ft).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Merle Larson designed it in 1955 with updated features to improve cropdusting, and it used only 25 per cent of the number of parts of a Stearman. It was powered by a Lycoming R-680 radial engine.
Variants
The D-1 had a steel tube fuselage and aluminium-covered wings.
Where you'll see it
It used standard automotive wheels and tyres to reduce cost, as surplus wartime tyres were becoming too old and new aviation tyres cost nearly five times as much.
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