Culver Model V

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Model V
Culver Model V N8442B.JPG
Role Two-seat cabin monoplane
National origin United States
Manufacturer Culver Aircraft Company
First flight 1946
Number built 378 (V-1)

The Culver Model V was a two-seat cabin monoplane designed and built by the Culver Aircraft Company.

Design and development

Based on the pre-WWII Cadet and using the wartime experience with radio-controlled aircraft the company designed a two-seat cabin monoplane. The Model V had a low-set cantiliver wing with the outer panels having a pronounced dihederal. It had a tricycle retractable landing gear and an enclosed cabin with side by side seating for two. It was unique in that it had a system called Simpli-Fly Control where the aircraft was automatically trimmed for takeoff, landing and cruise, by turning a small metal wheel between the two seats and lining up two arrows with the mode of flying the aircraft. Interconnecting controls then adjusted the trim according to the arrow settings.[1] Simpli-Fly was not popular with pilots. Only a limited production run of 350 Model Vs was achieved before the company went bankrupt.

In 1956 the Superior Aircraft Company bought the assets of Culver and put the Model V back into production as the Superior Satellite. The main difference was the use of a 95 hp Continental engine which increased the cruise speed to 130 mph (209 km/h). Only a prototype and five production aircraft were built.

Variants

V-1
Initial production variant, 378 built (erroneous number, actual was closer to 90).
V-2
Improved variant, 15 built (Juptner reported 1 V-2 was built).
Superior Satellite
1956 variant with a 95hp Continental engine, six built.
TD4C
USN radio-controlled target version of the V-2
UC
The utility version of the TD4C, also converted to target drone as the UC-1K.

Specifications (V-1)

Data from [2]

General characteristics

  • Crew: one (pilot)
  • Capacity: one passenger
  • Length: 20 ft 8½ in (6.31 m)
  • Wingspan: 29 ft 0 in (8.84 m)
  • Height: 6 ft 9½ in (2.07 m)
  • Wing area: 125.9 ft2 (11.70 m2)
  • Empty weight: 1070 lb (485 kg)
  • Gross weight: 1600 lb (726 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Continental C85 4-cyl. air-cooled horizontally-opposed piston engine, 85 hp (63 kW)

Performance

  • Cruise speed: 125 mph (201 km/h)
  • Range: 338 miles (544 km)
  • Service ceiling: 13,200 ft (4025 m)

References

Notes

  1. "Culver Model V", August 1946, Popular Science bottom page 30
  2. Oribis 1985, page 1215

Bibliography

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External links