Log in
New user? Sign up for free
|
N854N
|
1929 Davis D-1-W C/N 127Discuss this aircraft in forum |
by Clayton Eddy
by Bill Larkins
by Bill Larkins @ SAC
by A sibling of an employee of the owner.
| Manufacturer: | Davis |
| Model: | D-1-W Search all Davis D-1-W |
| Year built: | 1929 |
| Construction Number (C/N): | 127 |
| Aircraft Type: | Fixed wing single engine |
| Number of Seats: | 2 |
| Number of Engines: | 1 |
| Engine Type: | Reciprocating |
| Engine Manufacturer and Model: | Warner first engines: LeBlond 60, 70 |
| Registration Number: | N854N |
| Mode S (ICAO24) Code: | ABB760 |
| Certification Class: | Standard |
| Certification Issued: | 2006-01-23 |
| Air Worthiness Test: | 1956-07-16 |
| Last Action Taken: | 2006-01-23 |
| Current Status: | Valid |
| Registration Type: | Corporation |
| Owner: | Loughrea Maritime Ii Llc |
| Address: | Charlotte, NC 28277 United States |
| Region: | Eastern |
| Landing Gear Type: | Long stroke oleo dampening strut (by Doug Robertson on 2006-12-03 00:00:00) |
| Endurance: | 4 hours/125 mph cruise speed (by Doug Robertson on 2006-12-03 00:00:00) |
| Fuel consumed per hour (Gallons): | 7 gal/hr with Warner 125 Hp (by Doug Robertson on 2006-12-03 00:00:00) |
| Endurance: | Range: 480 miles (by Doug Robertson on 2006-12-03 00:00:00) |
| Service ceiling: | 19,000 ft (by Doug Robertson on 2006-12-03 00:00:00) |
| Max rate of climb: | 1,270 ft/min (by Doug Robertson on 2006-12-03 00:00:00) |
| Max speed: | 142 mph (by Doug Robertson on 2006-12-03 00:00:00) |
| Cruise speed: | 123 mph (by Doug Robertson on 2006-12-03 00:00:00) |
| Max Fuel Capacity: | 30 US gallons (by Doug Robertson on 2006-12-03 00:00:00) |
| Max Ramp Weight: | 1,461 lbs (by Doug Robertson on 2006-12-03 00:00:00) |
| Empty Weight: | 904 lbs (by Doug Robertson on 2006-12-03 00:00:00) |
| Overall Height: | 7" 3" (by Doug Robertson on 2006-12-03 00:00:00) |
| Overall Length: | 20" 4" (by Doug Robertson on 2006-12-03 00:00:00) |
| Wing Loading: | 10 lbs/sq ft (by Doug Robertson on 2006-12-03 00:00:00) |
| Wing Area: | 144 sq ft (by Doug Robertson on 2006-12-03 00:00:00) |
| Wing Span: | 30" 2" (by Doug Robertson on 2006-12-03 00:00:00) |
| Doug Robertson, 2006-12-03 00:00:00 | |
| This parasol tapered-gull wing beauty was originally designed by the Vulcan Aircraft Corporation of Portsmouth, Ohio and called the American Moth. The plane's design was sold to the Davis Aircraft Corporation of Richmond, Indiana in 1929. It was then produced in small numbers as the Davis D-1 and D-1W monoplane until 1934. N854N is one of the earliest production models. LeBlond radial engines of 60 and 85 horsepower were first used. A 70 Hp LeBlond model was discontinued as insufficient performance difference was noted from the 60 Hp version. The Kinner K-5 125 Hp radial engine choice was first offered in 1931. The last engine offered was the 125 Hp Warner Scarab radial in 1933. At least one Davis D-1W was re-engined with a Warner Super Scarab of 145 Hp. My added performance figures reflect the 125 Hp version, not necessarily that of N854N. The ability to carry different sized small radial engines was a definite asset of the D-1 design. The graceful parasol tapered-gull wing with elliptical trailing edge and geometric pattern of landing gear struts and wing struts viewed head on were its most distinctive recognition features. The Davis wing had a 20 gallon fuel tank in the wing center section and a 10 gallon tank in the fuselage. This thin wing design with Gottingen 387 airfoil section tended to stall abruptly and sink faster near the stall point. It could side slip to advantage into a short field, but airspeed needed to be kept up under that condition to prevent loss of lift and an abrupt stall with unwelcome result so near the ground. The Davis D-1W was perhaps the most admired and coveted parasol wing aircraft of its time with a beauty and grace that was exceedingly compelling to pilots who could fit its small tandem seating cockpits. This rare aircraft is highly valued by antique hunters and the few remaining are priced like that rare element Unobtainium. N845N was photographed at the 65th Anniversay celebration of the founding of Santa Paula Airport in 1995 as a fly-in visitor and I feel fortunate to have been in its presence. This is an aircraft that looks exactly "right" from any perspective with its delicate beauty and captivates both the fortunate pilot, passenger and photographer. My vintage photograph was taken with a 35mm SLR camera and the color print copied into a PC for uploading here. | |
| Doug Robertson, 2006-12-08 00:00:00 | |
| N854N was re-engined with a 145 horsepower Warner Super Scarab radial, and had this engine at the time (1995) of my photograph. Davis did not offer the Warner 145 horsepower engine during the aircraft's production run. There are 14 Davis D-1/V-3 aircraft currently on the FAA register. I find that five of them have been re-engined with the Warner Super Scarab 145. N854N would have higher performance figures than those I have listed above for the D-1W Warner 125 horsepower production version. The Davis D-1K was another production variant using the Kinner R-5 100 horespower radial engine. There are three Davis D-1Ks on the register; two with the R-5 and one re-engined with a Continental C-125 engine. Two of the D-1s still have the original LeBlond 85 horsepower radial engines with the D-1-66 designator. One of the D-1Ws has been re-engined with a smaller LeBlond 85. One of the Davis V-3s (1928 production) now is N62298 reclassed by the FAA as Experimental with unknown engine. The five Davis V-3 models of the fourteen extant deserve special mention. Vulcan Aircraft Company used the V-3 designation for the American Moth predecessor design purchased by Davis and renamed Davis D-1 (with engine suffix) with their new production starting in 1929. I believe the five V-3s of the present register were aircraft acquired by Davis from Vulcan, as one is a 1928 model which production date predated the Davis acquisition of the Vulcan American Moth V-3 design. The other Davis V-3s are all 1929 models, so it is reasonable to assume the U. S. Register at the time allowed them to be called Davis V-3s. Three of the V-3 models have been subsequently re-engined with the Warner Super Scarab 145. The Davis wing viewed head-on is a tapered gull wing built around the Gottingen 387 airfoil, thinner than that of the later Stinson Reliant gull wing series, and thinner than that of the different Clark Y airfoil on the Piper J3C Cub. The davis D-1 wing houses a 20 gallon fuel tank in its center section and tapers in thickness and chord from root to tip with an elliptical trailing edge. N13546 which is also pictured in the A-D site appears considerably different from stock as it sports a full NACA-type speed ring cowl around its LeBlond 85 engine. No Davis D-1s had an engine cowl as production aircraft, using instead exposed cylinder radials of various horsepower, first with LeBlond 60 and 85 horsepower, then a 70 horsepower version was offered in 1931 and 1932. This was discontinued as it was not sufficiently different in performance. The Kinner K-5 100 horsepower radial was offered in 1931 as the D-1K. The last production power change was the Warner Scarab 125 horsepower radial version added in 1933 as the Davis D-1W. My personal opinion of the design's beauty and grace lies with the original uncowled Davis D-1s. I believe addition of an engine cowl to the radial engine substantially detracts from the Davis D-1 design appearance. Do not confuse the Davis D-1 parasol wing design with the different Davis DA-2A or Davis DA-5A low wing vee tail experimental homebuilt designs of the 1960s and 1970s, respectively. | |