Spartan Cruiser
Spartan Aircraft · United Kingdom · first flew 1932 · airliner
The Spartan Cruiser was a 1930s British three-engined transport monoplane for 6 to 10 passengers.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 3 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | All-metal fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Three-engined low-wing monoplane
- All-metal fuselage
- Cruiser III has trousered main undercarriage legs
A low-wing trimotor with three de Havilland Gipsy Major engines and an all-metal fuselage.
Specifications
- The Spartan Cruiser has a length of 11.94 m (39 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 16.46 m (54 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 214 km/h (133 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It was developed from the Saro-Percival Mailplane for passenger use, and the prototype first flew in May 1932. Spartan Aircraft built it at East Cowes on the Isle of Wight.
Variants
The Cruiser II had a modified fuselage and cockpit and Cirrus Hermes engines. The Cruiser III had a refined fuselage for eight passengers.
Where you'll see it
It entered service with Spartan Air Lines in 1933, and British Airways Ltd was among its users. Some were impressed into the RAF in 1940.
Related aircraft
- Spartan Clipper
- Spartan Arrow
- Airspeed Ferry
- Armstrong Whitworth Atalanta
- Bratu 220
- de Havilland DH.84 Dragon
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