Camair Twin Navion
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| Twin Navion | |
|---|---|
| Type | Utility aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Camair |
| Maiden flight | 1953 |
| Number built | 33 |
The Camair Twin Navion was a civil utility aircraft produced in the United States in the 1950s by converting single-engine Ryan Navions to twin-engine power. It was one of two such programmes to improve the performance of the otherwise-pleasing Navion that was generally considered to be underpowered (the other programme resulting in the Riley Twin Navion). This Twin Navion design was undertaken by the White brothers of White Engineering in San Antonio, Texas. They replaced the Navion's engine with a baggage compartment, mounted two engines within new nacelles attached to the wing leading edges, fitted the aircraft with a new tail fin made of fibreglass, and added tip tanks made from recycled WWII napalm canisters. Designated the WE-1, the prototype and the rights were sold to Camair soon after its first flight in 1953, and Civil Aviation Authority type certification was achieved in May 1955 under the name Camair 480 (the number referring to the total horsepower of the two engines). Sales were slow, and Camair built only 25 examples before selling off the rights in 1959. The ownership of these rights would change hands twice again over the following decade, but only another eight aircraft would be built after the end of Camair's involvement.
[edit] Specifications (480D)
General characteristics
- Crew: One pilot
- Capacity: 3 passengers
- Length: 28 ft 0 in (8.53 m)
- Wingspan: 34 ft 8 in (10.57 m)
- Height: 10 ft 8 in (3.25 m)
- Wing area: 184 ft² (17.1 m²)
- Empty weight: 3,000 lb (1,360 kg)
- Gross weight: 4,500 lb (2,041 kg)
- Powerplant: 2 × Continental IO-520, 300 hp (224 kW) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 215 mph (346 km/h)
- Service ceiling: 22,000 ft (6,700 m)
- Rate of climb: 2,000 ft/min (10.2 m/s)
[edit] References
- Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions, 225.
- Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1978-79. London: Jane's Yearbooks, 263-64.
- twinnavion.com
[edit] See also
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