The Spencer Amphibian Air Car is an American light amphibious aircraft. The name was first used in 1940 for a prototype air vehicle that developed into the Republic Seabee. The name was later used by its designer Percival Spencer for a series of homebuilt amphibious aircraft roughly based on the Seabee design.[4]
S-12-D Air Car
Spencer Air Car at Mill Valley Seaplane base near San Francisco in April 1989 with engine cowling open
Percival H. Spencer formed the Spencer-Larsen Aircraft Corporation and designed the SL-12C amphibian. Disenfranchised with corporate policies in the development of the SL-12C amphibian, Spencer started the Spencer Amphibian Air Car in 1940. The original Spencer Amphibian Air Car was test flown in 1941. The aircraft was put into storage due to wartime restrictions in effect in the US during World War II. The aircraft and rights to its design were sold to Republic as the "Seabee" in 1943.[5] After leaving Republic, he designed the on-off two-seat Air Car. In 1968, Spencer and retired USAF Col. Dale L. "Andy" Anderson formed a new company to market a four-place amphibious homebuilt design once again called the Spencer Amphibian Air Car, with S-12C, S-12D, S-12E, and S-14 variants. The first example was test flown in 1970 in Chino, California. The unit had a build cost of $8700.00
The S-12-D Aircar is an improved and larger four-seat aircraft, which retains the basic layout of the Seabee. The two seat S-14 used advanced composites and was test flown by Spencer in 1983 at the age of 86. Its design did not meet expectations and the sole example was donated to the EAA AirVenture Museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.[citation needed]
The Air Car is built from wood, steel and glass-fibre. It has a strut-braced high wing and the cabin and fuel-carrying floats are similar to the Seabee, but the tail unit is more angular and a retractable tricycle undercarriage is fitted.
In addition to examples constructed by Spencer, plans of the design have been sold for home construction and the first amateur-built Air Car flew in September 1974. Over 50 had flown by 2001.[3] Examples are currently (2009) flying in the US and Canada.
Later prototype built in association with the (Victor A) Larsen Aircraft Co, incorporating many design changes, but flight test were unsuccessful and the sole prototype was dismantled after 10 hours flying.[6]
Specifications S-12-Eedit
Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1975-76,[7] Airlife's World Aircraft[3]
General characteristics
Crew: 1
Capacity: 3 passengers / 1,050 lb (476 kg) payload
^"American airplanes: sk - ss". Aerofiles.com. March 16, 2009. Retrieved April 6, 2011.
^Taylor, John W.R., ed. (1975). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1975-76 (66th annual ed.). New York: Franklin Watts Inc. pp. 463–464. ISBN978-0531032503.
^Lednicer, David. "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". m-selig.ae.illinois.edu. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Spencer Air Car.
aerofiles
SPENCER AMPHIBIAN AIRPLANE Percival H. Spencer
PERCIVAL HOPKINS SPENCER
January 01, 1970
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The Spencer Amphibian Air Car is an American light amphibious aircraft The name was first used in 1940 for a prototype air vehicle that developed into the Republic Seabee The name was later used by its designer Percival Spencer for a series of homebuilt amphibious aircraft roughly based on the Seabee design 4 S 12 D Air Car Spencer Air Car at Mill Valley Seaplane base near San Francisco in April 1989 with engine cowling open Role single engine amphibian National origin United States Manufacturer Spencer Larsen Aircraft Corporation Spencer homebuilt Designer Percival H Spence Spencer First flight 8 August 1941 1 May 1970 homebuilt 2 Introduction 1941 1968 homebuilt Status in operation Primary user private owner pilots Number built 1 prototype over 50 homebuilt completions 3 Developed from SL 12C amphibian Republic Seabee Contents 1 Design and development 2 Variants 3 Specifications S 12 E 4 References 5 External linksDesign and development editPercival H Spencer formed the Spencer Larsen Aircraft Corporation and designed the SL 12C amphibian Disenfranchised with corporate policies in the development of the SL 12C amphibian Spencer started the Spencer Amphibian Air Car in 1940 The original Spencer Amphibian Air Car was test flown in 1941 The aircraft was put into storage due to wartime restrictions in effect in the US during World War II The aircraft and rights to its design were sold to Republic as the Seabee in 1943 5 After leaving Republic he designed the on off two seat Air Car In 1968 Spencer and retired USAF Col Dale L Andy Anderson formed a new company to market a four place amphibious homebuilt design once again called the Spencer Amphibian Air Car with S 12C S 12D S 12E and S 14 variants The first example was test flown in 1970 in Chino California The unit had a build cost of 8700 00The S 12 D Aircar is an improved and larger four seat aircraft which retains the basic layout of the Seabee The two seat S 14 used advanced composites and was test flown by Spencer in 1983 at the age of 86 Its design did not meet expectations and the sole example was donated to the EAA AirVenture Museum in Oshkosh Wisconsin citation needed The Air Car is built from wood steel and glass fibre It has a strut braced high wing and the cabin and fuel carrying floats are similar to the Seabee but the tail unit is more angular and a retractable tricycle undercarriage is fitted In addition to examples constructed by Spencer plans of the design have been sold for home construction and the first amateur built Air Car flew in September 1974 Over 50 had flown by 2001 3 Examples are currently 2009 flying in the US and Canada Variants editSpencer Amphibian Air Car initial two seat version S 12 C early production with 110 hp 82 kW Lycoming S 12 D main production version with 180 hp 134 kW Lycoming O 360 or 260 hp 194 kW Lycoming O 540 nbsp Spencer Air Car S 12 E S 12 E prototype re engined with 285 hp 213 kW Continental Tiara 6 285 S 14 Air Car Junior two seater twin booms Lycoming O 320 one example Spencer Larsen SL 12C Later prototype built in association with the Victor A Larsen Aircraft Co incorporating many design changes but flight test were unsuccessful and the sole prototype was dismantled after 10 hours flying 6 Specifications S 12 E editData from Jane s All the World s Aircraft 1975 76 7 Airlife s World Aircraft 3 General characteristicsCrew 1 Capacity 3 passengers 1 050 lb 476 kg payload Length 26 ft 5 in 8 05 m Wingspan 37 ft 4 in 11 38 m Height 12 ft 0 in 3 66 m including propeller Wing area 184 sq ft 17 1 m2 Airfoil NACA 4415 8 Empty weight 2 190 lb 993 kg Max takeoff weight 3 200 lb 1 451 kg Fuel capacity 94 US gal 78 imp gal 356 L fuel in fuselage tank and stabilising floats 2 25 US gal 2 imp gal 9 L oil Powerplant 1 Continental Tiara 6 285 B 6 cylinder air cooled horizontally opposed piston engine Propellers 3 bladed Hartzell 7 ft 0 in 2 13 m diameter metal constant speed reversible pusher propeller Performance Maximum speed 128 kn 147 mph 237 km h at sea level at MTOW Cruise speed 122 kn 140 mph 226 km h at 5 500 ft 1 676 m at MTOW 117 kn 135 mph 217 km h at 7 600 ft 2 316 m 65 power at MTOW dd dd Stall speed 46 kn 53 mph 85 km h flaps up 37 5 kn 43 mph 69 km h with 35 flap dd dd dd Range 695 nmi 800 mi 1 287 km 65 power at 7 800 ft 2 377 m with 30 minutes reserve Rate of climb 1 000 ft min 5 1 m s at sea level Wing loading 17 4 lb sq ft 85 kg m2 Power mass 0 0877 hp lb 0 1442 kW kg Take off time 16 seconds from calm water at sea levelReferences edit Johnson E R Everyman s Amphibian Aviation History November 2012 p 15 Johnson E R Everyman s Amphibian Aviation History November 2012 p 15 a b c Simpson Rod 2001 Airlife s World Aircraft Airlife Publishing Ltd p 518 ISBN 1 84037 115 3 Air Trails 82 Summer 1971 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Missing or empty title help Percival H Spencer American airplanes sk ss Aerofiles com March 16 2009 Retrieved April 6 2011 Taylor John W R ed 1975 Jane s All the World s Aircraft 1975 76 66th annual ed New York Franklin Watts Inc pp 463 464 ISBN 978 0531032503 Lednicer David The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage m selig ae illinois edu Retrieved April 16 2019 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Spencer Air Car aerofiles SPENCER AMPHIBIAN AIRPLANE Percival H Spencer PERCIVAL HOPKINS SPENCER Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Spencer Air Car amp oldid 1160485438, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
