Loening R-4
Loening · United States · first flew 1922 · light aircraft
The Loening R-4 was a racer aircraft built by Loening in the early 1920s.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 7.16 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Low-wing racing monoplane
- Large V-12 Packard engine filling a quarter of the length
- Nicknamed the flying engine
A tiny single-seat low-wing racer dominated by its large V-12 engine, 7.16 m long on an 8.2 m span.
Specifications
- The Loening R-4 has a length of 7.16 m (23 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 8.2 m (27 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 274 km/h (170 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The R-4 featured a low-wing monoplane layout. Its 600 hp Packard 1A-2025 V-12 engine weighed three times the size of the aircraft and took up a quarter of its length, earning it the nickname flying engine. It first flew on 10 January 1922.
Variants
Two R-4 racers were built, AS68559 and AS68560.
Where you'll see it
Both were entered in the 1922 Pulitzer Trophy race with poor results, reported as almost total flops.
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