Lockheed Little Dipper
Lockheed · United States · first flew 1944 · light aircraft
The Lockheed Model 33 Little Dipper, also known as the Air Trooper, was an American single-seat monoplane designed by John Thorp. It was offered to the Army as a flying motorcycle.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 5.33 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Low-mounted cantilever monoplane wing
- Fixed tricycle landing gear
- Single-seat layout powered by a 50 hp Franklin 2A4-49 engine
It is an ordinary light-aircraft design with a conventional tail unit and a fixed tricycle undercarriage.
Specifications
- The Lockheed Little Dipper has a length of 5.33 m (17 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 7.62 m (25 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 161 km/h (100 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The design began as a private venture by Lockheed engineer John Thorp. In April 1944 Lockheed agreed to build it, and the prototype first flew in August 1944.
Variants
The Army authorised two prototypes, but the programme was cancelled before the second was completed. Thorp went on to develop the Thorp T-211 with lessons from the project.
Where you'll see it
The prototype demonstrated its STOL performance by landing and taking off in the courtyard of the Pentagon. With Army interest gone, the prototype and the unfinished second aircraft were scrapped in January 1947 for tax reasons.
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