Top speed 219 km/h Length 6.76 m | Wingspan 9.45 m | |
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The Lockheed Model 34 Big Dipper was an American two-seat monoplane, designed and built by Lockheed at Burbank for research, only one was built.
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Development
The Model 34 was intended as a research aircraft for a proposed light aircraft, it was also seen to have potential for both military and civil use. The aircraft was built at Burbank from July 1945. To keep the project secret the aircraft was moved to Palmdale by road when completed. It first flew from Palmdale on 10 December 1945 and flew another 40 hours before returning to Burbank for modification. It was decided not to complete the modification and the aircraft was to be flown back to Palmdale on 6 February 1946. To try to keep the aircraft secret it was decided to use a shorter upward sloping runway nearer the factory, and in a steep climb needed during take off the aircraft stalled and crashed. The project and a proposed high-wing four-seat Super Dipper was abandoned.
Design
The Model 34 was a low-wing cantilever monoplane with a fixed nosewheel landing gear. It had an enclosed side-by-side cabin for two. Unusually the Continental C100 piston engine was fitted in the centre fuselage behind the cabin, driving a two-bladed pusher propeller mounted at the rear of the aircraft.
Specifications
Data from
General characteristics
Performance