American Eagle Eaglet 31

Design and development

The American Eagle Aircraft Corporation found that demand for their A-129 biplane and their other models was badly affected by the Wall Street stockmarket crash of late 1929 which ushered in the Great Depression. The small ultra-light, tandem two-seat Eaglet was therefore designed to capture demand from pilots with more modest pockets. The first model was the Eaglet 230 of 1930, initially engined by the 25 h.p. Cleone. Most later Eaglet 230s were powered by a 30 h.p. Szekely three-cylinder radial engine and the bulk of these were produced after American Eagle's merger with Lincoln Aircraft in May 1931.

The single Model A-31 of 1931 was fitted with the more powerful Continental A-50 of 50 h.p., and was followed by 13 Model B-31 and B-32 powered by the 45 h.p. Szekely SR-3.

Production rights to the Eaglet later went to American Eaglecraft who produced and rebuilt further aircraft of this design.

Operational history

The various models of the Eaglet were flown prewar by private owner pilots. Approximately 12 original aircraft were in existence in 2001, of which some were still airworthy.

The American Eagle Eaglet is a two-seat tandem, not two-seat side-by-side.

Variants

Eaglet 230 

30 h.p. Szekely SR-3;

Eaglet 231 

40 h.p. Salmson AD-9 (2 modified from model 230);

Eaglet A-31 

50 h.p. Continental A-50;

Eaglet B-31 & B-32 

45 h.p. Szekely SR-3; (B-32 had minor control modifications)

Specifications (Eaglet 230)

Data from Simpson, 2001, p. 41

General characteristics

Crew: one

Capacity: two

Length: 21 ft 9 in (6.63 m)

Wingspan: 34 ft 4 in (10.44 m)

Height: 7 ft 9 in (2.36 m)

Empty weight: 467 lb (212 kg)

Gross weight: 867 lb (393 kg)

Powerplant: 1 × Szekeley SR-3, 30 hp (22 kW)

Performance

Maximum speed: 80 mph (129 km/h)

Cruise speed: 70 mph (113 km/h)

Range: 280 miles (450 km)

Rate of climb: 650 ft/min (3.3 m/s)