Koolhoven F.K.54
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| F.K.54 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Three-seat sports aircraft |
| National origin | Netherlands |
| Manufacturer | N.V. Koolhoven Vliegtuigen |
| Number built | 1 |
| History | |
| First flight | c. autumn 1938 |
The Koolhoven F.K.54 was a Dutch single-engine, three-seat touring aircraft with a retractable undercarriage. It flew shortly before the start of World War II and its development was abandoned after its first flight as attention turned to military aircraft.
The F.K.54 was most notable as Koolhoven's first aircraft with a retractable undercarriage. It was a high-wing monoplane; its wings tapered in plan and had rounded tips. They were braced with a pair of near-parallel struts on each side between wing spars and the lower fuselage longerons, assisted by short jury struts.[1]
The F.K.54's fuselage was flat-sided, with a 140 hp (104 kW) de Havilland Gipsy Major four cylinder inverted inline air-cooled engine in the nose driving a two blade propeller A three-seat, glazed cabin was located under the wing, entered by a port side door. The rear fuselage continued aft at cabin roof height, tapering towards the tail. The tailplane was mounted on top of the fuselage; the fin was straight-edged with a rounded top with a rudder that extended down to the keel. The novel undercarriage was hydraulically operated, the wheels lifting rearwards into the fuselage under the passenger seats. Long, horizontally hinged curved doors then enclosed wheels and legs.[1]
