Lakes Sea Bird

Sea Bird
Role	passenger and training seaplane
National origin	UK
Manufacturer	Lakes Flying Co.
First flight	28th August 1912
Number built	1

The Lakes Sea Bird was a two-seat floatplane built during 1912 by the Lakes Flying Company using the fuselage of the Avro Duigan. It gave many visitors to Windermere their first flight in the suummer of 1913

Contents 1 Development 2 Operational history 3 Specifications 4 References

Development

After damaging his aircraft and returned to Australia the fuselage and tail unit was sold to the Lakes Flying Co. based at Windermere, who rebuilt it as a two-seat floatplane. The straight parallel-chord high aspect ratio wings of irregular three-by layout resembled those of Avro's Avro Type D. It was originally fitted with a single central two step float, later changed to a pair of narrower floats, and demountable so that the aircraft could readily be used as a landplane. It was powered by a rotary 9-cylinder Gnome of 50 hp (37 kW),

Operational history

The single Sea Bird carried many holiday makers in 1912-3. Later, it was was restored for training and it was ultimately lost when a student pilot spun in in 1915.

Specifications

Data from Jackson 1965, pp. 36–7

General characteristics

• Crew: 1 pilot
• Capacity: 1 passenger
• Length: 29 ft 4 in (8.94 m)
• Wingspan: 39 ft 4 in (12.00 m)
• Height: 10 ft 6 in (3.2 m)
• Wing area: 350 ft² (32.5 m²)
• Powerplant: 1 × Gnome 9-cylinder rotary, 50 hp (37 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 62 mph (100 km/h)

References

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