Stout SB-1 Detroiter
Stout Air Services / Ford · USA · first flew 1924 · airliner
The Stout SB-1 Detroiter was a pioneering all-metal single-engine transport that helped convince Henry Ford to back commercial aviation.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 10.5 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- all-metal corrugated skin
- single-engine high-wing monoplane
- enclosed cabin predating contemporaries
Identify by the deeply corrugated all-metal fuselage and wings, a single radial engine on the nose, and an unusually clean high-wing profile for its era — it looks like a smaller, rougher precursor to the Ford Trimotor.
Specifications
- The Stout SB-1 Detroiter has a length of 10.5 m (34 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 14.6 m (48 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 193 km/h (120 mph).
- Typical crew: 1 + 2 passengers.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
William Bushnell Stout designed the Detroiter as an all-metal cantilever monoplane at a time when fabric-covered biplanes dominated. Backed by Ford investors, it flew in 1924 and demonstrated that enclosed-cabin metal monoplanes were practical for scheduled service. The design directly influenced the subsequent Ford Trimotor.
Variants
Only a small number of Detroiters were built before Stout's company was absorbed into Ford's aviation operations, which then developed the larger trimotor designs.
Where you'll see it
Stout Air Services used the Detroiter on early Detroit–Chicago passenger routes, making it one of the first aircraft on a sustained US airline schedule.
Related aircraft
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