Stits SA-3A Playboy
Stits · United States · first flew 1952 · light aircraft
The Stits SA-3A Playboy is a single-seat, strut-braced low-wing monoplane designed by Ray Stits for amateur construction.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Very short fuselage, about 5.3 m |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Strut-braced low wing
- Single seat with a small tractor engine
- Very short fuselage, about 5.3 m
A tiny strut-braced low-wing monoplane 5.28 m long with a span of 6.76 m.
Specifications
- The Stits SA-3A Playboy has a length of 5.28 m (17 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 6.76 m (22 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 233 km/h (145 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The prototype was designed and completed in a three-month period in 1952. The design became one of the most influential in the post-war boom in aircraft homebuilding.
Variants
A side-by-side two-seat version is known as the SA-3B. It also led to the VanGrunsven RV-1 and Van's RV-3.
Where you'll see it
It was built by amateurs. It was powered by an 85 hp Continental C85 and reached about 145 mph (233 km/h).
Related aircraft
- Stits SA-2A Sky Baby
- Stits DS-1 Baby Bird
- AISA I-115
- Beecraft Honey Bee
- Brochet MB.60
- Canadair CT-133 Silver Star
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