Metal Aircraft Corporation Flamingo

Design and development

The Metal Aircraft Corporation purchased the design from the Halpin Development Co. and unveiled it at the 1929 National Air Races with Elinor Smith.

Operational history

One G-2-W, named El Rio Caroní, is best remembered for its role in the discovery of Angel Falls by Jimmy Angel in 1935. Although well known to the local indigenous population, the falls had been glimpsed only by European explorers until Jimmy Angel crash-landed while attempting to land above the falls on Auyán-tepui during gold exploration.

The Metal Aircraft Corporation Flamingo that crashed above the falls was recovered by helicopter in the 1960s by the Venezuelan government and is on display at the entrance of the Ciudad Bolívar airport, in Venezuela. A replica was put in its place for visitors of the crash site.

Other operators included the Mason & Dixon airline.

Variants

Halpin Flamingo

six-passenger 410hp P&W

G-1

five-passenger 450hp P&W

G-2

six-passenger

G-2-H

six-passenger 525hp P&W

G-2-W

eight-passenger 410hp P&W

G-MT-6

five-passenger 410 or 525 P&W

Specifications (Flamingo G2W)

Data from Skyways, Air and Space

General characteristics

Capacity: eight

Length: 32 ft 6 in (9.91 m)

Height: 9 ft 6 in (2.90 m)

Empty weight: 2,960 lb (1,343 kg)

Gross weight: 5,600 lb (2,540 kg)

Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp 9-cyl. air-cooled radial piston engine, 410 hp (310 kW)

Performance

Maximum speed: 117 kn; 217 km/h (135 mph)

Cruise speed: 100 kn; 185 km/h (115 mph)

Range: 869 nmi; 1,609 km (1,000 mi)

Rate of climb: 800 ft/min (4.1 m/s)