Pitcairn PA-4 Fleetwing II
Pitcairn Aircraft Company · United States · first flew 1927 · transport aircraft
The Pitcairn PA-4 Fleetwing II, also called the Fleetwing DeLuxe, was a commercial mail-hauling and passenger biplane.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Welded steel-tube fuselage with fabric covering |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Conventional biplane with strut-braced tail surfaces
- Welded steel-tube fuselage with fabric covering
- Streamlined wire wheels with laced-on discs
The sole remaining Fleetwing II was rebuilt over seven years and won Grand Champion Antique at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in 1991.
Specifications
- The Pitcairn PA-4 Fleetwing II has a length of 6.74 m (22 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10.06 m (33 ft).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It was designed by Agnew E. Larson, introduced in 1927 and powered by a Curtiss OX-5 engine. Ten PA-4s were built.
Variants
The PA-4 was re-engined with the Wright J-5 Whirlwind as the Pitcairn PA-5, to fly the CAM-19 mail routes.
Where you'll see it
Six Fleetwings were sold directly to Pitcairn Aviation. The Fleetwing II The City of Reading took part in the 1928 Transcontinental Air Race and was later used for stunt flying.
Related aircraft
- Pitcairn Mailwing
- Pitcairn PA-1 Fleetwing
- Aviméta 132
- Caproni Ca.97
- de Havilland DH.61 Giant Moth
- Elias AJE Air Express
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