Spartan C3

Development

The type originated as the Mid-Continent Spartan of 1926. The company was reorganised as Spartan Aircraft Company in 1928 and a series of Spartan C3 planes was built between that year and 1930 . The C3 was a tube, wood and fabric aircraft with two open cockpits accommodating three people, and the tail unit had a distinctive "rounded square" shape. Around 122 examples were completed with various engines leading to differing designations.

Operational history

The C3 was used by schools of flying for training instruction. Other firms utilised the aircraft's two-passenger capability in "barnstorming operations". Three C3 aircraft survived in the USA in 2001, of which two were airworthy. Currently, as of 2009, there is only one left that is airworthy. This plane is owned and operated by Lee Kunze of Howards Grove, Wisconsin, USA

Variants

(data from http://www.aerofiles.com)

C3-1 

125 h.p. Ryan-Siemens radial (main production version - approx 100 examples);

C3-2 

120 h.p. Walter (also known as the C3-120);

C3-3 

170 h.p. Curtiss Challenger;

C3-4 

115 h.p. Axelson A;

C3-165 

165 h.p. Wright J-6-5 (initially known as the C3-5);

C3-166 

165 h.p. Comet 7-E;

C3-225 

225 h.p. Wright J-6;

Specifications (C3-165)

Data from Simpson, 2001, p. 518

General characteristics

Crew: 1

Capacity: 2 passengers

Length: 23 ft 10 in (7.26 m)

Wingspan: 32 ft 0 in (9.75 m)

Height: 8 ft 10 in (2.69 m)

Empty weight: 1,650 lb (748 kg)

Gross weight: 2,618 lb (1,188 kg)

Powerplant: 1 × Wright J6-5-165, 165 hp (123 kW)

Performance

Maximum speed: 118 mph (190 km/h)

Cruise speed: 100 mph (161 km/h)

Range: 600 miles (965 km)

Rate of climb: 800 ft/min (4.1 m/s)