Marlman Flying Girder
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| Flying Girder | |
|---|---|
 Front quarter view of the Marlman Flying Girder | |
| General information | |
| Type | Agricultural airplane |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | William A. Marlman |
| Number built | 1 |
| History | |
| Introduction date | 1957 |
The Marlman Flying Girder was a low-cost American cropduster developed in the 1950s.[1]
The Flying Girder was the project of William A. Marlman, who was based in Las Animas, Colorado. A 1955 newspaper report detailed that Marlman had designed an agricultural aircraft, referred to the "Pack Air", and that it was currently under construction.[2] If the aircraft proved successful, Marlman planned to establish a factory at Las Animas in order to produce them.
Two aluminum channels, 20 ft (6.1 m) in length, were bolted together to form a single box-section beam that formed the basis of the design.[3] A 260 hp (190 kW) Lycoming engine, driving a tractor propeller, was fitted to the foremost point of the box beam. Positioned behind the engine was a simple slab-sided enclosed fuselage. The aircraft had a constant chord rectangular wing planform, with no dihedral. The wings featured full-span flaps, and endplates fitted to the wingtips.[3] A conventional tailplane and tailfin were located at the aftmost point of the box beam. The Flying Girder was fitted with a fixed conventional undercarriage.
To cater to its intended function as an agricultural aircraft, it was designed to spread both dust and sprays. A 20 cu ft (0.57 m3) hopper was incorporated into the rear of the fuselage, and 50 US gal (190 L) tanks were built into the wings.[3]
Operational history
By early 1957 the aircraft had been approved by the CAA. Its operational history is not known.[3]