Towle TA-2

The Towle TA-2 was an amphibious aircraft based on the Towle WC built for a 1929 round-the world flight.

Development

Thomas Towle was an engineer that had been involved with many early aircraft designs. Having just co-designed the Eastman-E2 Sea Rover and the Towle WC. Towle found funding to created a new entity, the Towle Aircraft Company to produce the TA-2.^[1]

Design

The TA-2 featured an corrugated aluminum hull. The wings were all metal with internal stiffeners, rather than ribs, based loosely on the Ford Trimotor, which Towle worked on previously. The twin Wright R-540 engines sat on small pylons on top of the shoulder mounted wing.^[2][3] Two floats were mounted directly below the engine pylons which incorporated the hydraulically actuated landing gear.^[4] The prototype was originally designed for 165 hp Wright 540 engines.^[5]

Operational history

The TA-2 was tested in Lake St. Clair on 7 November 1929 by test pilot George Pond and James Bradley. It broke up on takeoff and sank to the bottom of the lake.^[6] The aircraft appears to have been rebuilt as a Towle TA-2 was reported to have visited Lympne Airport, Kent, United Kingdom in February 1930.^[3] The wing from the prototype was salvaged and used on the next iteration, the Towle TA-3.

Variants

• Towle WC The basis for the TA-2

Specifications

Data from Flight, 14 February 1930, pp215-16.

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Capacity: 5 passengers
• Length: 33 ft (10 m)
• Wingspan: 47 ft 9 in (14.55 m)
• Wing area: 292 sq ft (27.1 m²)
• Gross weight: 4,420 lb (2,005 kg)
• Fuel capacity: 90 US gallons (340 l; 75 imp gal)
• Powerplant: 2 × Wright R-540 radial, 165 hp (123 kW) each
• Propellers: 2-bladed

Performance

• Maximum speed: 117 kn; 217 km/h (135 mph)
• Range: 600 nmi (690 mi; 1,111 km)
• Wing loading: 15.15 lb/sq ft (74.0 kg/m²)

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• Saro Cutty Sark

References