St. Louis C2 Cardinal

C2 Cardinal
Role Sport Monoplane
National origin United States of America
Manufacturer St. Louis Aircraft Corporation
Produced 1928 - 1931
Number built 22

The St. Louis C2 Cardinal family are a series of light sport monoplanes built by the St. Louis Aircraft Corporation during the peak of the Lindbergh Boom after the Spirit of St. Louis flight of 1927.[1]

Design and development

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The Cardinal shares close proportions with the Monocoupe Model 22 also designed and built in St. Louis in 1927.[2] The Cardinal is a two seat high wing conventional geared aircraft with side-by-side configuration seating. The fuselage is constructed with welded steel tubing. The spar is made of spruce and ribs are basswood with aircraft fabric covering. The ailerons are controlled by push-pull tubes. The aircraft were delivered with progressively more powerful engines, the 65 hp (48 kW) LeBlond 5DE, 90 hp (67 kW) and 100 hp (75 kW) Kinner K-5, and one with a Warner 110 hp (82 kW) engine.[2]

Operational history

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The prototype was presented at the 1929 Detroit Air Show.[3]

Variants

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C2-60 Cardinal[4]
1929 - 60 hp (45 kW) LeBlond 5D - 10 built
C2-65 Standard Cardinal[4]
1929 - Modified C2-60 [C1111] - 65 hp (48 kW) LeBlond 5DE
C2-85 Cardinal[4]
1930 - 85 hp (63 kW) LeBlond 5DF - 1 built [NC559N].
C2-90 Senior Cardinal[4]
1929 - 90 hp (67 kW) LeBlond 7D - 6 built, with 1 converted from a C2-60.
C2-100 Super Cardinal[4]
1929 - 110 hp (82 kW) Warner Scarab - 1 conversion [X12319] for factory tests.
C2-100 Special[4]
1 converted from a C2-110
C2-110 Super Cardinal[4]
1929 - 100 hp (75 kW) Kinner K-5 - 5 built with one converted from a C2-60

Surviving aircraft

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Specifications (St. Louis C2-110 Super Cardinal)

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Data from Greater St.Louis Air & Space Museum

General characteristics

  • Capacity: 2
  • Length: 20 ft 6 in (6.25 m)
  • Wingspan: 105 ft 0 in (32 m)
  • Height: 7 ft (2.1 m)
  • Wing area: 160 sq ft (15 m2)
  • Airfoil: Clark Y
  • Empty weight: 1,006 lb (456 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Kinner K-5 5 cylnder radial, 100 hp (75 kW)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 109 kn (125 mph, 201 km/h)
  • Cruise speed: 93 kn (107 mph, 172 km/h)
  • Stall speed: 34 kn (39 mph, 63 km/h)
  • Service ceiling: 15,000 ft (4,600 m)
  • Rate of climb: 1,100 ft/min (5.6 m/s)

See also

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Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

References

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  1. ^ "St.Louis Aircraft Corporation". Archived from the original on 3 September 2011. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  2. ^ a b "A Cardinal Returns Home". Vintage Airplane. September 2004.
  3. ^ David Ostrowski (October 1995). The St.Louis Aircraft Corporation. {{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Eckland, K.O. (November 11, 2008). "AIRCRAFT Sa to Si". USA: Aerofiles.com. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  5. ^ "Airplanes by Year". Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
  6. ^ "FAA REGISTRY [N31H]". Federal Aviation Administration. U.S. Department of Transportation. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
  7. ^ "Museum Hangar 2". Historic Aircraft Restoration Museum. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
  8. ^ Parsons, Don (September 2004). "A Cardinal Returns Home" (PDF). Vintage Airplane. Vol. 32, no. 9. EAA Publications. pp. 9–12. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
  9. ^ "FAA REGISTRY [N951B]". Federal Aviation Administration. U.S. Department of Transportation. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
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