Thursday 20 June 2013

Spartan 7W Executive



Spartan Executive 7W Single-engine radial luxury Business Aircraft of   the 1930s-1940s

Spartan Executive:-

The Spartan 7W Executive was the most popular and well-known aircraft
produced by the Spartan Aircraft Company during the late 1930s and
early 1940s. Designed for wealthy clientele, the 7W was produced with
a number of trend-setting features such as retractable undercarriage
and an all metal structure, and gained orders from some of the world's
wealthiest individuals.

Role:-      Personal luxury transport
National origin:-United States
Manufacturer:-  Spartan Aircraft Company
Designer:-      Spartan Aircraft Company
First flight:-  March 8, 1936[1]
Introduction:-  1936
Produced:-      1936 - 1940
Number built:-  34
Unit cost:-     $23,500 USD
Variants:-      Spartan 12W


Contents:-

1. Development
2. Notable owners
3. Specifications (Spartan 7W Executive)
4. Military Operators

1.Development:-

Designed for comfort, the interior of the 7W was spacious and featured
18 in (46 cm) of slide-back seat room for front-seat passengers, arm
rests, ash trays, dome lighting, deep cushions, cabin heaters,
ventilators, extensive soundproofing, large windows, and interior
access to the 100 lb (45 kg) capacity luggage compartment. Built
during the Great Depression, the 7W was the brainchild of
company-founder William G. Skelly of Skelly Oil who desired a fast,
comfortable aircraft to support his tastes and those of his rich
oil-executive colleagues.
    The Executive's high performance allowed the aircraft to compete
in the 1939 Bendix Air Races piloted by Arlene Davis where it earned
fifth place.[2] A military variant of the 7W Executive with a
greenhouse canopy covering a tandem cockpit was produced by Spartan
with a more powerful 600 hp (447 kW) Pratt & Whitney Wasp engine and
named the Spartan 8W Zeus.

2.Notable owners:-

Especially remarkable was the aircraft's popularity given the low
production number built - a mere 34. Notable owners of 7Ws included
aircraft designer and aviator Howard Hughes, wealthy industrialist J.
Paul Getty, and King Ghazi of Iraq. King Ghazi's Spartan Executive was
designated "Eagle of Iraq" and was specially outfitted with his Coat
of Arms, an extra-luxurious interior, and many additional customized
features.

3.Specifications (Spartan 7W Executive):-


General characteristics:-

.Crew: one, pilot
.Capacity: 3 or 4 passengers
.Length: 26 ft 10 in (8.18 m)
.Wingspan: 39 ft 0 in (11.89 m)
.Height: 8 ft 0 in (2.44 m)
.Wing area: 250 ft² (23.23 m²)
.Empty weight: 3,400 lb (1,545 kg)
.Max. takeoff weight: 4,400 lb (1,996 kg)
.Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-985-AN3 9-cylinder air-cooled
radial engine, 450 hp (336 kW)

Performance:-
.Maximum speed: 223 knots (257 mph, 414 km/h)
.Cruise speed: 186 knots (215 mph, 346 km/h)
.Range: 870 nm (1,000 miles, 1,610 km)
.Service ceiling: 24,000 ft (7315 m)
.Rate of climb: 1,080 ft/min (330 m/min)

4.Military Operators:-

 Canada:-
        .Royal Canadian Air Force
        3 Examples based in Montreal, formerly Royal Air Force
examples used in California.
 China:-
        .Chinese Nationalist Air Force
        The second prototype was exported to China and serialed 1309.
It was damaged beyond repair and captured by the             Japanese
who displayed it along with other captured Chinese aircraft.
 Spanish Republic:-
         .Spanish Republican Air Force/Aviación Nacional
        At least one example was received by the by LAPE (Líneas
Aéreas Postales Españolas) to be used as an airliner         marked as
EC-AGM until requisitioned by the Spanish Republican Air Force and
marked as 30+74. It was later         captured by the Nationalists.
Several others were purchased by the Republicans but don't seem to
have made it past         the Mexican docks.
 United Kingdom:-
         .Royal Air Force
        1 Example impressed as AX666, was originally built for King
Ghazi of Iraq. Used by No. 1 Photographic         Reconnaissance Unit
RAF. 3 Examples with serials KD100, KD101 & KD102 were used in
California for flight training.
        United States



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aircraft of the 1930s-1940s:-

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