Spartan 8W Zeus
Spartan Aircraft Company · United States · first flew 1937 · light aircraft
The Spartan 8W Zeus was a prototype military trainer built by the Spartan Aircraft Company in the United States in 1937. It was based on the airframe of the Spartan Executive civil aircraft.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 8.31 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Cantilever low wing of metal construction
- Tandem-seat glazed cockpit with sliding canopies
- Retractable tailwheel undercarriage
Look for a low-wing metal monoplane resembling the Spartan Executive but with a tandem two-seat canopy.
Specifications
- The Spartan 8W Zeus has a length of 8.31 m (27 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 11.89 m (39 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 374 km/h (232 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The wing, undercarriage and lower fuselage were essentially a modified 7W structure, while the upper fuselage was redesigned with a tandem-seat glazed cockpit. It was powered by a 600 hp Pratt & Whitney Wasp.
Variants
A concept model, the Spartan FBW-1, portrayed an armed fighter-bomber version of the Zeus. None was produced.
Where you'll see it
The sole prototype was marketed without success to the United States Army Air Corps and flown to Glendale, California in 1939 for evaluation. It later served as a training tool at the Spartan School of Aeronautics.
Related aircraft
- Spartan 7W Executive
- Spartan NP
- Spartan C2
- Spartan C5
- Abrams P-1 Explorer
- Aeronca Chief
- Aeronca LB
- Airspeed Oxford
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