Towle TA-2
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| TA-2 | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Type | Amphibious aircraft |
| National origin | United States of America |
| Manufacturer | Towle Aircraft Company |
| Designer | |
| History | |
| Introduction date | 1929 |
| First flight | 7 November 1929 |
| Developed from | Towle WC |
The Towle TA-2 was an amphibious aircraft based on the Towle WC built for a 1929 round-the world flight.
Thomas Towle was an engineer that had been involved with many early aircraft designs. Having just co-designed the Eastman E-2 Sea Rover and the Towle WC, Towle found funding to create a new entity, the Towle Aircraft Company to produce the TA-2.[1]
Design
The TA-2 featured a corrugated aluminum hull. The wings were all metal with internal stiffeners, rather than ribs, based loosely on the Ford Trimotor, which Towle worked on previously. The twin Wright R-540 engines sat on small pylons on top of the shoulder mounted wing.[2][3] Two floats were mounted directly below the engine pylons which incorporated the hydraulically actuated landing gear.[4] The prototype was originally designed for 165 hp Wright 540 engines.[5]
Operational history
The TA-2 was tested in Lake St. Clair on 7 November 1929 by test pilot George Pond and James Bradley. It broke up on takeoff and sank to the bottom of the lake.[6] The aircraft appears to have been rebuilt as a Towle TA-2 and was reported to have visited Lympne Airport, Kent, United Kingdom in February 1930.[3] The wing from the prototype was salvaged and used on the next iteration, the Towle TA-3.
Variants
- Towle WC The basis for the TA-2