Aircraft Quiz #83

[Doug Robertson]

This quiz may be my oddest yet because of the somewhat personal link information. I have thought about this sole aircraft for many years.

Only one of this exact model twin engine mostly metal, certificated sleek aircraft was ever built. It was refined/redesigned by a famous aircraft designer who was then living in the same State and County as the aircraft's hangar. The aircraft sole prototype still exists and is in registration. No production ensued. I had the pleasure of first seeing this aircraft outside its lone airport aircraft hangar in early 1967. It has intrigued me ever since.

Last summer we attended the wedding and reception dinner dance of my professional plumber friend and bride in and about that same hangar no longer with a taxiway to an airport, but in its same original location now separated by the airport fence. The huge Quonset Hut-like construction metal hangar building is now used as an events rental with kitchen facilities, extensive tables and seating, dance floor, toilets, an elevated stage and outdoor grass seating area with portable chairs in good weather where the wedding ceremony was held.

1a. Aircraft manufacturer name?, 1b. Full aircraft name/nomenclature?

2. Famous aircraft designer who tweaked the design?

3a. Engines make and model?, 3b. Horsepower each?

4. Current aircraft registry nomenclature?

5. Bonus for the adjacent airport name, designator?

[SunvisorFlyer]

This sounds like a Hughes project, but the XF-11 had more than one prototype.

[Doug Robertson]

Sorry, No. But keep trying. And it is not a military aircraft.

[Doug Robertson]

With the customary 500 views and no right answers: here they are.

1a. Saturn Aircraft & Engineering of Oxnard, California., 1b. Saturn Meteor II.

2. C. Gilbert Taylor of Piper and Taylorcraft fame.

3a. Lycoming, 3b. two O-360-A1A 180 Hp each.

4. N9700C, in current registration-Experimental, Research & Development

5a. Oxnard, California Airport, 5b. now KOXR.

This handsome twin engine aircraft had its genesis in the sole Meteor four seat twin engine aircraft introduced by Monocoupe Aircraft in 1954. No production ever ensued by Monocoupe.

Development, redesign and complete refinement of the airframe was taken over by Saturn Aircraft & Engineering of Oxnard, California with C. Gilbert Taylor as Chief Engineer. The prototype Saturn Meteor II was first flown on September 13, 1960. No production of the Saturn Meteor II was undertaken, but the prototype aircraft remains in registration, now in Ohio ownership by a Taylor, probably C. Gilbert's relative?

The Saturn Meteor II is a sleek, handsome twin engine aircraft with some reinforced 'plastic' streamlining in non-stress areas of the flush-riveted stressed-skin airframe construction. A fifth seat option was a provision of the Model II. Tricycle landing gear was retractable. The vertical fin was swept and tip-tanks were provided as standard.

This was the aircraft I first saw North of Oxnard Airport on its taxiway in front of its hangar/office, when I was regularly flying ASEL from that airport. That very large hangar (now re-purposed) remains in the 1800 block of Teal Club Road that runs from Ventura Road to Victoria Avenue in Oxnard. California. I seem to recall C. Gilbert Taylor was still living in Ventura County in 1967.

Specifications of the II.

Wingspan-36'0".
Length-28'8".
Height: 10'0"
Wing area: 180 sq. ft.
Weight empty: 2,250 lb. loaded: 3,800 lb.

Performance

Max speed: 212 mph
Economical cruise: 186 mph
Initial climb rate: 1,550 feet/min.
Range max.: 1,300 miles

I thank all who pondered this quiz and would welcome any non-copywrited photo of this sleek aircraft.

[SunvisorFlyer]

I would not have guessed this one. It looks like a stubbier version of the PA-30.

I found one picture of it in flight (stinsonflyer), but I think posting it here would be prohibited.

[Doug Robertson]

www.aerofiles.com has a good photo of the Saturn Meteor II N9700C under the S alphabet heading. Have a look there. Click on the camera motif to see. There are also many blog entries on the aircraft, some incorrect or speculative/bizarre elsewhere on the Web.