Metal Aircraft Corporation Flamingo

G-2-W Flamingo
El Rio Caroní
Role	Passenger monoplane
National origin	United States of America
Manufacturer	Metal Aircraft Corp
Designer	Ralph R. Graichen
Status	On display
Unit cost	around $23,000 in 1929

The Metal Aircraft Corp G-2-W Flamingo was a monoplane produced by the Metal Aircraft Corporation in the 1930s.^[1] The company had purchased the design from the Halpin Development Co. and unveiled it at the 1929 National Air Races with Elinor Smith.^[2][3] The plane is best remembered for its role in the discovery of Angel Falls by Jimmy Angel in 1935. Although well known to the local indigenous population, the falls had been glimpsed only by European explorers until Jimmy Angel crash-landed while attempting to land above the falls on Auyán-tepui during gold exploration.

The Metal Aircraft Corporation Flamingo that crashed above the falls was recovered by helicopter in the 1960s by the Venezuelan government and is on display at the entrance of the Ciudad Bolívar airport, in Venezuela. A replica was put in its place for visitors of the crash site.^[4]

Other operators included the Mason & Dixon airline.^[5]

Variants

• Halpin Flamingo - six-passenger 410hp P&W
• G-1 - five-passengeer 450hp P&W
• G-2 - six-passenger
• G-2-H six-passenger 525hp P&W
• G-2-W eight-passenger 410hp P&W
• G-MT-6 five-passenger 410 or 525 P&W^[6]

Specifications (Flamingo G2W)

Data from Skyways, Air and Space

General characteristics

• Capacity: eight
• Length: 32 ft 6 in (9.91 m)
• Height: 9 ft 6 in (2.90 m)
• Empty weight: 2,960 lb (1,343 kg)
• Gross weight: 5,600 lb (2,540 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney Wasp Radial, 410 hp (310 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 117 kn; 217 km/h (135 mph)
• Cruise speed: 100 kn; 185 km/h (115 mph)
• Rate of climb: 800 ft/min (4.1 m/s)

References

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