Lockheed Model 9F-1 Orion

Lockheed Corporation · United States · first flew 1933 · light aircraft

The Lockheed Model 9F-1 Orion is the final production sub-variant of the Orion family, completing a series that introduced the retractable undercarriage to US commercial aviation and temporarily gave Lockheed's customers a decisive speed advantage.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Low-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	Wooden monocoque barrel fuselage, single radial engine
T — Tail	Conventional

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Final Orion production sub-variant
Retractable undercarriage pioneering airliner
Wooden monocoque barrel fuselage, single radial engine

Externally identical to other Orion variants; the type-level recognition features — retractable-gear low-wing monoplane, NACA cowled radial, wooden barrel fuselage — are unchanged from the Model 9.

Specifications

The Lockheed Model 9F-1 Orion 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

The 9F-1 was built in tiny numbers at the very end of the Orion production run. The Orion family's legacy is principally technological — its retractable gear and clean monoplane form influenced the subsequent generation of American airliners and general aviation aircraft.

Variants

The 9F-1 is the last defined Orion variant; the broader family tree traces back to the Vega, Air Express, and Sirius designs from Lockheed's 1920s stable.

Where you'll see it

Negligible commercial service; by the mid-1930s surviving Orions were largely retired or operating on marginal routes.

Related aircraft

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