Monoplane

AMV 211

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AMV 211 Prototype

The 2003 AMV 211 VTOL experiment with ducted-fan propulsion. A 450hp turbocharged Mazda rotary driving a belly-mounted, 94″ five-blade prop. Wings were set at an angle to the fan, and the fuselage itself provided lift. Take-off was with the fan horizontal, blowing downward. As the ship tilted forward, wings would provide lift and the fan would then start blowing rearward through a system of louvers. For landing, the process was reversed.

Engine: 450hp turbocharged Mazda rotary
Prop: 94″ five-blade
Wingspan: 20’0″
Length: 20’0″
Useful load: 900 lb

Arup S-4

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Arup S-4 N14529 with S-2

The 1935 Arup S-4 was a remake of the S-3, with a 70hp LeBlond engine. Small elevators were added atop the fin. Some reports tell of a return to conventional gear, but photos in Aug 1935 Popular Aviation show a nose gear.

US patent #2,062,148 was assigned to Cloyd Snyder in 1937 for a variable wingform aircraft.

Registered N14529, it was first flown on 19 March 1935. Only the one was built.

A smaller single-place replica was built and flown c.1985 in Bristol IN.

Engine: 70hp LeBlond
Wingspan: 22’0″
Length: 18’6″ Useful load (included two parachutes): 550 lb
Max speed: 110 mph
Stall: 28 mph
Ceiling: 9,000′
Aspect ratio 1:1.78
Seats: 2

Arup S-3

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The 1934 Arup S-3 was a two-place flying wing larger version of S-2 with ailerons moved flush with the wing-tips, and tricycle gear.

Registered N14147, it first flew on 15 July 1934.

It was destroyed by an unsolved arson fire after its test flight.

Engine: 70hp LeBlond 5DE
Wingspan: 22’0″
Length: 17’6″
Useful load: 490 lb
Max speed: 97 mph
Cruise: 90 mph
Stall: 20 mph
Seats: 2

Arup S-2 / Snyder A-2

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Arup S-2 N12894

The 1933 Arup S-2, or Snyder A-2, single-place flying wing was designed by Raoul Hoffman and C L Snyder. Developed from Snyder’s flying-wing glider, Arup 1 Dirigiplane, it featured wing-tip “ear” ailerons, and STOL flight characteristics.

Arup S-2 N12894

Registered BX/R12894 it first flew on 7 September 1933, piloted by Glenn Doolittle. Only the one was built.

Engine: 36hp Continental A-40
Wingspan: 19’0″
Length: 17’2″
Seats: 1

Schaef Vogel

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Arthur Schaef was a Wellington photographer who had a strong interest in machinery and motion. In 1909 he built a plane called Vogel, which is German for bird. But when he tried to take off the English engine lacked sufficient power.

Schaef’s friend, Percy Fisher, rebuilt the engine and finally, on 5 March 1911 at Lyall Bay, Wellington, New Zealand, Vogel flew.

Evening Post reporter, Charles Marris, was on hand to describe the historic moment:

“Schaef lifted the flier with his tailplane, and with graceful coordinated movement the main planes thrust upward, and the monoplane was afloat, about fifteen feet in the air. With wonderful stability the machine glided forward past the onlookers, who scattered when she rose, to settle down, bird-like, on the base some yards further on…”

Schaef’s flight was more of a long hop of 50 metres.