General Aircraft Croydon
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| ST-18 Croydon | |
|---|---|
| Type | Cabin monoplane |
| Manufacturer | General Aircraft |
| Maiden flight | 1935 |
| Introduced | 1935 |
| Retired | 1936 |
| Number built | 1 |
The General Aircraft ST-18 Croydon was a British cabin monoplane built by General Aircraft Limited.
[edit] Development
Following the mixed success of the earlier Monospar aircraft the company designed a ten-seat light transport the ST-18 (later named Croydon). Due to the longer-span wing it was not a cantilever monospar wing but had to be fitted with bracing struts. The ST-18 was a low wing monoplane with a conventional tail unit and a tailwheel landing gear with hydraulically retractable main gear. Powered by two Pratt & Whitney Wasp Junior radial engines mounted on the wing leading edges. It had a crew of three and a cabin for ten passengers, a toilet and baggage compartment.
[edit] Operational history
The prototype and only aircraft G-AECB first flew on the 16 November 1935. It performed well but did not attract any orders so the aircraft was prepared to establish a record for an Australia to England flight. The crew left Croydon for Australia on 30 July 1936 and on the return flight they were not sure of their position during the flight over the Timor Sea the aircraft made a successful forced landing on a coral reef (Seringapatam Reef). On the 7 October 1936 the crew were rescued by local fisherman and the aircraft was abandoned.
[edit] Specifications
Data from The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985), 1985, Orbis Publishing, Page 1938
General characteristics
- Crew: 3 (pilot, co-pilot and wireless operator)
- Capacity: 10 passengers
- Length: 43 ft 3 in (13.18 m)
- Wingspan: 59 ft 6 in (18.14 m)
- Height: 13 ft 15 in (4.09 m)
- Wing area: 454 ft² (42.18 m²)
- Empty weight: 8000 lb (3639 kg)
- Gross weight: 11,350 lb (5148 kg)
- Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney SB-9 Wasp Junior 9-cylinder radial piston engine, 450 hp (336 kW) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 203 mph (327 km/h)
- Range: 900 miles (1448 km)
- Service ceiling: 19,500 ft (5945 m)
[edit] References
- The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985), 1985, Orbis Publishing, Page 1938
- A.J.Jackson, British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume 2, Putnam & Company, London, 1974, ISBN 370 10010 7, Page 310
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