Maule M-4
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Maule M-4 | |
|---|---|
| Type | Four-seat cabin monoplane |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Maule Aircraft Company |
| Designed by | Belford Maule |
| Maiden flight | 1960 |
| Introduced | 1961 |
| Produced | 1963-1983 |
| Number built | 474 |
| Variants | Maule M-5 |
The Maule M-4 is an American four-seat cabin monoplane designed by Belford Maule and built by the Maule Aircraft Company.
[edit] Design and development
The design of the M-4 was started in 1956 by Belford Maule and the prototype Bee Dee first flew in February 1957. Maule started the Maule Aircraft Company to develop and build the aircraft in Jackson, Michigan as the Maule M-4. The first M-4 flew on the 8 September 1960The M-4 was a steel-tube and fabric high-wing braced-monoplane with a cantilever tailplane with a single fin and rudder. It has a fixed tailwheel landing gear and the prototype was powered by a nose-mounted 145hp (108kW) Continental O-300 engine. It has an enclosed cabin with two-rows of side-by-side seating for a pilot and three passengers. The prototype first flew on the 8 September 1961 and production started in 1963. Other variants were introduced including the Rocket which was powered by a 210hp (157kW) Continental IO-360-A engine and a de-luxe Franklin-powered M-4 Astro-Rocket and a Franklin-powered Rocket which was known as the M-4 Strata-Rocket.
A STOL variant of the Strata Rocket was developed as the Maule M-5 Lunar Rocket.
[edit] Variants
- Bee Dee
- Prototype with a 145hp (108kW) Continental O-300-A piston engine, 11 built.
- M-4 Jetasen
- Production version of the earlier Maule Bee Dee with 145hp (108kW) Continental O-300-A piston engine, 94 built.
- M-4C Jetasen
- Fitted with a cargo door, 11 built.
- M-4S
- Upgraded equipment, three built.
- M-4T
- Dual-control trainer withouth rear-seats or rear-entry door, three built.
- M-4C-180 Astro-Rocket
- M-4C with a 180hp (134kW) Franklin 6A-335-1A engine, seven built.
- M-4-210 Rocket
- M-4 with a 210hp (157kW) Continental IO-360-A engine, 45 built.
- M-4-210C Rocket
- M-4-210 fitted with a cargo door, 117 built.
- M-4-220C Strata Rocket
- M-4C with a 220hp (164kW) Franklin 6A-350-C1 engine, 190 built.
- M-4-220S
- M-4S with a a 220hp (164kW) Franklin 6A-350-C1 engine, one built.
- Mexican M-1 Cuauhtemoc
- License-built M-4 with a 180hp Lycoming O-360 engine, three built.
[edit] Specifications (M-4-220C Strata Rocket)
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Capacity: 3
- Length: 22 ft 0 in (6.71 m)
- Wingspan: 29 ft 9 in (9.07 m)
- Empty weight: 1280 lb (581 kg)
- Gross weight: 2300 lb (1043 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Franklin 6A-350, 220 hp (164 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 180 mph (288 km/h)
- Range: 680 miles (1094 km)
- Service ceiling: 15,498 ft (4725 m)
[edit] References
- Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions.
- Simpson, R.W.. Airlife's General Aviation. England: Airlife Publishing, 190. ISBN 1 85310 104 X.
- The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.
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