Lockheed Model 9A Orion Special

Lockheed Corporation · United States · first flew 1931 · light aircraft

The Lockheed Model 9A Orion Special was an early sub-variant of the Orion with a specific engine or customer-specified equipment configuration, sharing the same fundamental airframe as the baseline Model 9.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Low-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	8.38 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

Orion variant with custom engine or equipment fit
Retractable undercarriage low-wing monoplane
Wooden monocoque construction with streamlined cowling

Externally identical to the Model 9 Orion; the retractable-undercarriage low-wing monoplane with a radial engine and wooden fuselage barrel is the type-level recognition standard.

Specifications

The Lockheed Model 9A Orion Special has a length of 8.38 m (27 ft).
It has a wingspan of 13.05 m (43 ft).
Its maximum speed is 354 km/h (220 mph).
Typical crew: 1 pilot + 6 passengers.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Like all Orion variants, the 9A was built in very small numbers and differed from the standard 9 primarily in its powerplant selection or internal fit. Lockheed used letter suffixes to track the various customer specifications ordered against the basic Orion design.

Variants

Part of the broader Orion series spanning 9 through 9F-1; the 9A sits near the start of the development sequence and differs only marginally from the basic Model 9.

Where you'll see it

Individual aircraft served with small US regional carriers and private owners; the distinctions between sub-variants were largely transparent to operators.

Related aircraft

AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 5,024 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.