Like Kevin and Carlo, I've been thinking German - the tail looks Caspar-ish - there were also similar models by Bahnbedarf AG. But I've come to a dead end. Any more hints, Mike ? Are we barking up the wrong Teutonic tree ?
Kevin is right with the period and almost right with the country. Germany and that country share a border over which the former marched not too many years after this funny wee thing first saw the light of day. It was the first powered design of a subsequently relatively well known designer.
The photograph comes from a fascinating book on a rather obscure subject. There is no indication that the subject of the photograph is a model, although certainly I can see where those who think it is are coming from. The aeroplane itself appears to be obscure in that I can find no reference to it on the internet. But it may be one that is up the straβe of fabulousfour and giruxx!
I don't know a lot more about this aeroplane other than its weight, dimensions and powerplant. So if the foregoing doesn't take anyone any closer to an identity, within the next few hours, I'll reveal all (metaphorically speaking) so that we can move on.
It is indeed the Meindl M1 - and if my schoolboy German is not rusty to the point of disintegration, the caption to the photograph of the page you've posted, giruXX, indicates that those who thought my photograph to be of a model of the M1 were correct. So you have my apologies, although in mitigation I'll say that this was not stated in the book from which I obtained the photograph. Maybe, perhaps because it crashed on its maiden flight, no photograph of the actual aeroplane exists. Anyhow as giruXX beat fabulousfour to the answer by a short head, it's over to the former for the next offering.
The size, and all that strapping on the struts, remind me very much of those diddy Irwin aircraft, but I can't find an inverted sesquiplane amongst them !
I hope that one of our (American) friends here will come up with a more or less precise or at least plausible designation overnight. In any case I shall contribute my piece of cake tomorrow.
Lefty you are right and deserve the next . The picture appeared in Aero Digest, April 1928, page 634 with the following caption “The Irwin Meteorplane Racer, with a wing span of 14 ft. and powered with an Irwin 20 h.p. engine, has a speed of 137 m.p.h.”
It seems that this machine isn’t covered on aerofiles.com. The closest entry there is: Irwin M-T-2
M-T-2 aka SP-1 1926 = 1pOB; 25hp Irwin Meteormotor; span: 14'0" length: 12'0" load: 175# v: 85/75/24 range: 200. Plywood construction. $1,165; POP (Irwin's estimate): about 40 [2616, et al], plus an unrecorded number sold as kits for $350 [579M, 3685, 7788, et al], less motor (the Meteormotor went for $625). One of the world's first successful small, personal airplanes.
The strange thing about that mystery is, that there is a photo at flickr which shows exactly the same line-up of aircraft and persons, but with a completely different background.
Curious indeed - I suspect the hangar shot is the original - a clever job of replacing the scenery - difficult to do even in Photoshop..... I felt sure it was an Irwin - posted another model some years ago - and that Nieuport-style taping on struts and undercarriage is probably unique to Irwin.
hi Mike
If you would twist my arm (does not matter which one) behind my back and force me force me an answer, I would say something Bleriot XIish.
And then in particular a ""replica" to commemorate a 1914 long-distance flight by Turkish pilots.
Thank you Mike
Weather overhere is a pleasant 22-24C though with quite some wind the last few days.
Mind you, since are women team reached the European final on Sunday, temperatures will start to equal the rest of (mid-south) Europe.
The flight by Turkish Captains Fethi and Sadik was quite an achievement. A 2,500km flight Istanbul-Damascus-Jerusalem-Cairo-Alexandria in 1914.
The subject is not that rare. Several dozens (maybe up to 100) were built in the various versions.
Visualize her with a conventional gear, if that helps.
i
It looks like a tricycle undercarriage version of the Roger Adam RA-14 Loisirs. Maybe something that Maranda of Canada came up with after they bought (?) the rights to the design?
Bingo PH
Indeed a Canadian variant of the Adam RA-14, although not from Maranda, but a development from Chris Falconar as the Maranda 14H.
This particular aircraft was built in USA (N715RR).
Go ahead, sir!
Thank you, Walter. When first I saw the picture, it rang bells. But not until you suggested visualising it with conventional gear did the penny drop!
Anyhow, today I'm feeling just a little mischievous. So look at the image below - I apologise for the graininess but the original is very small - and don't give the obvious answer. Use that to pursue your research to say what, where and why it is!
How about a clue? It started its life in a different continent from that where it achieved the form illustrated in the photograph, which was taken in a country that has since changed its name, and the name attributed to the mystery aircraft is connected with an early British childrens' television programme that featured an eponymous puppet character that scared my sister witless!
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