Loening Model 23 Air Yacht
Loening · United States · first flew 1921 · light aircraft
The Loening S-1 Flying Yacht, or Model 23, was an early light monoplane flying boat designed by Grover Loening in the early 1920s.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Hull formed as a separate pontoon mounted under the fuselage |
| T — Tail | Twin fin |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Pusher engine in a nacelle atop the wing
- Hull formed as a separate pontoon mounted under the fuselage
- Twin tails carrying a common high stabiliser
A strut-braced high-wing flying boat with a semi-enclosed cabin ahead of the wing.
Specifications
- The Loening Model 23 Air Yacht has a length of 9.14 m (30 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 13.72 m (45 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 227 km/h (141 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It won the 1921 Collier Trophy. A Liberty L-12 engine of 400 hp drove a four-bladed propeller, and the prototype tested a roll-control mechanism in place of ailerons.
Variants
Nine went to the U.S. Army Air Service as the S-1, three Model 23s went to the New York-Newport Air Service, and custom Type 23s were built for Vincent Astor and for Wright Aeronautical.
Where you'll see it
The S-1 was one of the fastest seaplanes in production in 1921 and set a world seaplane record of 141 mph. It was the second monoplane seaplane to go into production.
Related aircraft
- Loening M-2 Kitten
- Loening R-4
- Loening OA-1A
- Loening C-1 Air Yacht
- Avro 552
- Besson H-6
- Blériot-SPAD S.25
- Blériot-SPAD S.42
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