Standard J

Standard J
Role Trainer
National origin USA
Manufacturer Standard Aircraft Corporation
Designer Charles Healy Day
First flight 1916
Number built 1,600+
Unit cost $6,000
Developed from Sloan H series

The Standard J was a substitute standard basic trainer aircraft produced in the USA from 1916 to 1918. It was a 2-seat tandem biplane constructed from wood with wire bracing and fabric covering. Charles Healy Day had designed the Sloan H series of aircraft and continued the line under the Standard Aero Corporation (later Standard Aircraft Corporation). Four companies—Standard, Dayton-Wright, Fisher Body, and Wright-Martin—built 1,601 J-1s, all of which were delivered between June 1917 and June 1918. The J-1 was considered from the beginning as a stopgap to supplement the more favored Curtiss JN-4 production. Though the J-1 and its variants were produced in large numbers, it was disliked by instructors and students alike because of its highly vibration-inducing and unreliable four-cylinder Hall-Scott A-7a engine. Fatality records show while the JN-4 production outnumbered the Standards by only about two to one to June 1918, the number of fatalities in J-1's to JN4's was about one to seven, which is probably indicative of the actual limited use of the available aircraft. Many of the later production J-1's were never taken out of their delivery crates. In June 1918, even while training was at a fever pitch, all Standard J-1's were grounded, and although it was considered for adaptation to the OX-5 engine used by the Curtiss JN-4, the $2,000.00 cost of conversion was not seen as cost effective, as the supply of OX-5–powered JN-4's was now considered sufficient for military elementary training needs. All contracts for 2,600+ JS-1's were canceled, and those not used for ground instruction by the US Army were retired to be sold on the civilian market or scrapped. The manufacturer of Standard's chief competitor (Curtiss JN series) bought many of the surplus J-1's for modification (different engine) and resale. Many J-1's carried on with civilian flying schools, joy-riding and barnstorming operations until they wore out, or were forced to be retired by the nascent air transport legislation, introduced in 1927, which forbade the use of wooden aircraft for passenger transport. Many people confuse the Standard J-1 with the Curtiss JN series, even believing that Charles H. Day was responsible for both, but the forward landing gear strut angle, when seen from the side, quickly distinguishes the Standard J-1 from the Curtiss aircraft.

Variants

Operators

 United States

Survivors

Over a dozen J-1s are on display or being restored. Others projects are incomplete and awaiting restoration.

Specifications (SJ-1)

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

Related lists

Notes

  1. ^ The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft p.2835
  2. ^ Taylor 1989, p.774
  3. ^ United States Air Force Museum 1975, p. 7.

References

Aircraft produced by Ryan Aeronautical

Standard J • Cloudster • M-1 • M-2 • NYP • Brougham • Foursome • S-C • S-T • Navion

Military designations
Trainers: YPT-16 • PT-20 • PT-21 • PT-22 • PT-25 • NR
Fighters: FR • XF2R
Observation: L-10 • YO-51
Research: X-13 • VZ-3 • XV-5 • XV-8
Lists relating to aviation
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