Sikorsky S-7
Russian Baltic Railroad Car Works · Russia · first flew 1912 · light aircraft
The Sikorsky S-7 was a Russian single-engine experimental prototype aircraft built by the Russian Baltic Railroad Car Works shortly after Igor Sikorsky became chief engineer of its aircraft manufacturing division.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Plywood-enclosed fuselage with pilot in the rear and passenger forward |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Wire-braced mid-wing monoplane
- Plywood-enclosed fuselage with pilot in the rear and passenger forward
- Gnome rotary engine
A wire-braced monoplane with a plywood-enclosed fuselage, tandem seating with the pilot in the rear cockpit and a passenger in a forward compartment, and a Gnome rotary engine.
Specifications
- The Sikorsky S-7 has a length of 8.2 m (27 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10 m (33 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 108 km/h (67 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It was a two-seat wire-braced monoplane powered by a 70 hp Gnome air-cooled rotary engine. Construction began in early summer 1912 and was completed in July, using the main wing, tail and landing gear of the S-6A.
Variants
It was an experimental prototype that reused components from the S-6A.
Where you'll see it
The S-7 was entered in the international military competition at Saint Petersburg in August 1912, but its landing gear was severely damaged on take-off from a furrowed field. It was repaired in 1913 and served as a trainer, and in 1914 Bulgaria bought it and used it in operations during the First World War.
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