Loening OL-6
Loening Aeronautical Engineering Corporation · USA · first flew 1927 · light aircraft
The OL-6 was a mid-to-late series variant of the Loening OL amphibian, one of the successive marks produced for the US Navy's observation squadrons in the late 1920s.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 9.6 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Loening OL-6 amphibian sesquiplane biplane
- US Navy observation amphibian, mid-late 1920s
- Single-engine amphibian biplane with hull float
Visually indistinguishable from adjacent OL variants at any distance; the Loening sesquiplane hull and amphibian layout is the family's defining recognition feature.
Specifications
- The Loening OL-6 has a length of 9.6 m (31 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 13.7 m (45 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 198 km/h (123 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The OL-6 continued the pattern of the OL series with incremental engine and equipment changes; it served during the period when the Navy was transitioning toward monoplane observation aircraft but still relied on the proven Loening amphibian design.
Variants
Sits between the OL-5 and OL-7 in the production sequence; all variants in this range share the same fundamental sesquiplane amphibian design.
Where you'll see it
Operated by US Navy observation squadrons in the late 1920s as part of the fleet amphibian complement; replaced by more modern types in the early 1930s.
Related aircraft
- Loening OL-7
- Loening OL-4
- Loening OL-5
- Loening OL-8
- BFW M.19
- Cessna Model A
- de Havilland DH.61 Giant Moth
- Focke-Wulf F 19 Ente
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