Lawson L-4
| L-4 | |
|---|---|
| Role | Three-engined biplane airliner |
| Manufacturer | Lawson Airplane Company |
| First flight | 1924 |
| Primary user | Lawson Airplane Company |
| Number built | 1 |
|
| |
The Lawson L-4 was the last in a series of Lawson biplane airliners designed and built by the Alfred Lawson under the livery of the Lawson Airplane Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The largest of the series, it designed for long distant flights. Completed in 1920 but never flew, crashing on its initial takeoff.
Design and development
After Alfred Lawson completed his 2000-mile Lawson L-2 flight, Mr. Lawson's Lawson Airplane Company built the Lawson Midnight Liner for use on the night service between Chicago and New York. The Midnight Liner was larger with three 400 hp Liberty engine - one on each wing and another in the nose. The airliner sported sleeping berths and a shower. It was his objective to produce large number of these aircraft to outfit his airline, but the 1920 recession deprived Lawson of the investment funds to meet payroll and other development expenses. The first and only Lawson “Midnight Liner” was completed on December 9, 1920. Bad weather, however, delayed its maiden flight. As Lawson’s the financial situation worsened, Lawson decided to fly his new airliner from a space near the factory, rather than make a costly ground transport move to Hamilton Field (now Gen. Mitchell Field). The prepared strip was only about 300 feet long. Lawson finally gave the order to attempt flight on May 8. The aircraft did not clear an elm tree and crashed on takeoff. The pilots were unhurt but the airliner was never repaired.[1][2]
Lawson had a 100 passenger, a double decked version, on the drafting board, but the Lawson "Midnight Liner" was the last. The company folded in 1922, and the assets were auctioned off. The Lawson Air Liners are renowned due to its size (for the time) and the ambition of its flamboyant promoter, Alfred Lawson.
Operators
Specifications (L-4)
General characteristics
- Length: 54 ft 2 in (16.51 m)
- Wingspan: 111 ft 5 in (33.96 m)
- Height: 17 ft 6 in (5.33 m)
- Wing area: 2,028 ft2 (188.4 m2)
- Empty weight: 9,759 lb (4427 kg)
- Gross weight: 18,645 lb (8457 kg)
- Powerplant: 3 × Liberty L-12 V-12 piston engine, 420 hp (313 kW) each each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 110 (estimated) mph (177 (estimated) km/h)
See also
- Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
References
- ↑ "LAWSON "AIR LINER"". ASME Milwaukee Chapter. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
- ↑ "Milwaukee-Made Lawson Air Liner Pioneers Transportation Delux". The Milwaukee Journal. Dec 26, 1920.
- The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.
- Alfred, Lawson (1928). 200 Mile Trip in First Airliner.
- Lawson - Aircraft Industry Builder. Humanity publishing company. 1930.
External links
Media related to Lawson L-4 at Wikimedia Commons