Stout 2-AT Pullman

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stout_2-AT_Pullman

The Stout 2-AT "Pullman" or "Air Pullman" was a single engine all-metal
monoplane that was used for early airline travel and air mail transport in
America.

William Bushnell Stout started in aviation working for Packard on the Liberty
engine during World War I. He promoted early innovative designs, based on the
1915 innovations of German aviation engineer Hugo Junkers, such as a blended
wing concept, and pioneered all-metal aircraft construction in America using
Junkers-devised concepts. The 2-AT was a more conventional layout using the
familiar and plentiful Liberty engine of the time.

The first use of the nickname "Tin Goose" was applied to this aircraft by the
news media. The name was later attributed to the Ford Trimotor.

Design

The 2-AT was a high-wing conventional gear monoplane. The original design
featured an open cockpit for the pilots, followed by an enclosed cockpit with
opening side windows. The aircraft featured wallpaper, padded seats,
semi-circular opening windows, and a bathroom. It was the first all-metal
aircraft certified in America. It was eventually redesigned to accommodate three
engines, becoming the Stout 3-AT trimotor, and again redesigned to become the
more well-known Ford Trimotor. The aircraft was under development as a Stout
aircraft when Ford bought all controlling interests, creating the Stout Metal
Airplane Division of the Ford Motor Company. Development hastened with the
infusion of resources from Ford.

Stout's chief engineer, George H. Prudden, was credited for the new wing design
using principles from Stout's earlier "thick wing" aircraft. Each 2-AT was
powered by a Liberty engine, one example was tested with a Pratt and Whitney
Wasp radial engine.


Role


National origin
United States

Manufacturer
Stout Engineering Company

Designer
William Bushnell Stout, George H. Prudden.

First flight
April 23, 1924

Introduction
1924

Retired
1928

Status
All aircraft scrapped or destroyed.

Primary user
Airline and Air mail transport

Number built
11

Unit cost

$25,000 (1925)


Developed from
Stout 1-AS Air Sedan

Variants
Stout 3-AT

The first flight was performed by Walter Edwin Lees at Selfridge Field. The
windshield blew in locking the controls, forcing a landing on a frozen lake. In
1925 the 2-AT was demonstrated at the Ford National Reliability Air Tour by E.G.
Hamilton. While just completing the event would have won an award, the 2-AT
completed it with a perfect score. At the Air Tour, the first aircraft sale was
announced. It was sold to John Wanamaker & Co. to haul passengers and freight
between Philadelphia and New York. Wanamaker's was an early seller of Ford
products, and in turn became the first reseller of Ford aircraft, displaying the
aircraft in their New York showroom. The 2-AT was listed in their lineup for
$25,000.

The United States Postal Office ordered one model for airmail service. The
aircraft was modified with a 500 hp Packard engine.

The aircraft were put into service for the newly formed Ford Air Transport
Service in 1925. The first 2-AT was built at the Stout factory in Dearborn and
called the "Maiden Detroit". The aircraft was outfitted with a nickel-plated
Liberty engine bought from a trophy case at the Marmon assembly plant. The other
aircraft in the fleet were also 2-AT's, named "Maiden Dearborn I, II, III and
IV". Initially the aircraft were for Ford's company use. The first scheduled
commercial flights in America were begun when The "Maiden Detroit" flew 1,000
lbs. of freight between factories in Detroit and Chicago on April 14, 1925. Ford
Air Transport served routes between Chicago, Detroit and Cleveland.

The "Maiden Detroit" entered Contract Air Mail service on February 15, 1926. The
aircraft flew from Detroit to Cleveland with the first commercial transport of
air mail. The routes would be known as CAM-6 (Detroit to Cleveland), and CAM-7
(Detroit to Chicago).

Four aircraft were sold to Florida Airways. The first three were given in
exchange for a stake in the airline by Henry Ford. One was used on CAM-10
(Atlanta to Jacksonville).

On May 18, 1926 at Argo, Illinois, a Ford Air Transport 2-AT Maiden Deaborn I
was involved in the first fatal accident for a commercial US aircraft. The
Contract Air Mail pilot crashed and was killed due to flight into poor weather
conditions.

In 1928, U.S. Commerce department declared the wings to be structurally unsafe.
All remaining 2-AT's were scrapped.

Specifications Stout 2-AT Pullman

General characteristics
Crew: 1
Capacity: 9
Length: 45 ft 8 in (13.92 m)
Wingspan: 58 ft 4 in (17.78 m)
Height: 11 ft 10 in (3.61 m)
Wing area: 600 sq ft (56 m2)
Empty weight: 3,638 lb (1,650 kg)
Gross weight: 6,017 lb (2,729 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Liberty V12 , 400 hp (300 kW)

Performance
Maximum speed: 100 kn (120 mph, 190 km/h)
Cruise speed: 87 kn (100 mph, 160 km/h)
Endurance: 4 hr
Service ceiling: 12,000 ft (3,700 m)
Rate of climb: 500 ft/min (2.5 m/s)




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