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The Monocoupe 90 was a two-seat, light cabin airplane built by Donald A. Luscombe for Monocoupe Aircraft. The first Monocoupe (Model 5) was built in an abandoned church in Davenport, Iowa, and first flew on April 1, 1927. Various models were in production until the late 1940s.

Development

The Monocoupes were side-by-side two-seat lightplanes of mixed wood and steel-tube basic construction with fabric covering. A braced high-wing monoplane with fixed tailskid landing gear, and the reverse curve rear fuselage lines that were to become one of the signature identifier features of the Monocoupes.

The aircraft was powered originally by either a 60&nbsp;hp (45&nbsp;kW) Anzani engine or the unsuccessful 65&nbsp;hp (48&nbsp;kW) Detroit Air-Cat radial.

Aircraft production halted during World War II, resuming briefly in 1948-1950 under the name Monocoupe Airplane and Engine Corporation.

The last of this remarkable line of two-seat aircraft was the Monocoupe D-145 of 1934, a high-performance version with a slightly enlarged cabin and powered by a 145&nbsp;hp (108&nbsp;kW) Warner Super Scarab engine.

;Monocoupe D-145

: Warner Super Scarab engine.

5 aircraft delivered to Madagascar in early September 1943 and operated by Escadrille d'Avions Sanitaires et de Liaison (EASL = Liaison and Medical Flight) based at Ivato.

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General characteristics

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|crew=1

|capacity=1 passenger

|length m=

|length ft=20

|length in=5+3/4

|span m=

|span ft=32

|span in=0

|height m=

|height ft=6

|height in=9+3/4

|wing area sqm=

|wing area sqft=134.5

|empty weight kg=

|empty weight lb=967

|gross weight kg=

|gross weight lb=1610

|fuel capacity=

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Powerplant

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|eng1 number=1

|eng1 name=Lambert R-266

|eng1 type=radial engine

|eng1 kw=<!-- prop engines -->

|eng1 hp=90<!-- prop engines -->

|prop blade number=<!-- propeller aircraft -->

|prop name=

|prop dia m=<!-- propeller aircraft -->

|prop dia ft=<!-- propeller aircraft -->

|prop dia in=<!-- propeller aircraft -->

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Performance

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|max speed kmh=

|max speed mph=130

|max speed kts=

|max speed note=at sea level

|cruise speed kmh=<!-- if max speed unknown -->

|cruise speed mph=110<!-- if max speed unknown -->

|cruise speed kts=

|stall speed mph=40

|range km=

|range miles=600

|range nmi=

|ceiling m=

|ceiling ft=16000

|climb rate ms=

|climb rate ftmin=850

|more performance=

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See also

References

;Notes

;Bibliography

  • Bell, Dana ed. The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Directory of Airplanes their Designers and Manufacturers. Stackpole Books Mechanicsburg, PA, 2002. .
  • Eden, Paul and Moeng, Soph, eds. The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. London: Amber Books Ltd., 2002. .
  • Fahey, James C. U.S. Army Aircraft 1908-1946. Ships and Aircraft, Falls Church, VA. 1946.
  • Simpson, Rod. Airlife's World Aircraft, Airlife Publishing, 2001.
  • "Specifications of American Airplanes". Aviation, March 1936, Vol. 35, no. 3. pp. 82–85. Registration required
  • Swanborough, F. G. and Bowers, Peter M.United States Military Aircraft Since 1909. Putnam New York, 1964. .
  • Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome's Monocoupe 90
  • Aerofiles
  • National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution
  • Monocoupe article at Fiddlersgreen.net
  • Monocoupe Brochure