Culver Model V

Design and development

Based on the pre-World War II Cadet and using the wartime experience with radio-controlled aircraft the company designed a two-seat cabin monoplane. The Model V had a low-set cantiliver wing with the outer panels having a pronounced dihederal. It had a tricycle retractable landing gear and an enclosed cabin with side by side seating for two. It was unique in that it had a system called Simpli-Fly Control where the aircraft was automatically trimmed for takeoff, landing and cruise, by turning a small metal wheel between the two seats and lining up two arrows with the mode of flying the aircraft. Interconnecting controls then adjusted the trim according to the arrow settings. Simpli-Fly was not popular with pilots. Only a limited production run of 350 Model Vs was achieved before the company went bankrupt.

In 1956 the Superior Aircraft Company bought the assets of Culver and put the Model V back into production as the Superior Satellite. The main difference was the use of a 95 hp Continental engine which increased the cruise speed to 130 mph (209 km/h). Only a prototype and five production aircraft were built.

Variants

V-1

Initial production variant, 378 built (erroneous number, actual was closer to 90).

V-2

Improved variant, 15 built (Juptner reported 1 V-2 was built).

Superior Satellite

1956 variant with a 95hp Continental engine, six built.

TD4C

USN radio-controlled target version of the V-2

UC

The utility version of the TD4C, also converted to target drone as the UC-1K.

Specifications (V-1)

Data from

General characteristics

Crew: one (pilot)

Capacity: one passenger

Length: 20 ft 8½ in (6.31 m)

Wingspan: 29 ft 0 in (8.84 m)

Height: 6 ft 9½ in (2.07 m)

Wing area: 125.9 ft² (11.70 m²)

Empty weight: 1070 lb (485 kg)

Gross weight: 1600 lb (726 kg)

Powerplant: 1 × Continental C85 4-cyl. air-cooled horizontally-opposed piston engine, 85 hp (63 kW)

Performance

Cruise speed: 125 mph (201 km/h)

Range: 338 miles (544 km)

Service ceiling: 13,200 ft (4025 m)