1928 Stinson Detroiter
THE SM-1 WAS A VERY REFINED AIRCRAFT FOR ITS DAY, HAVING AN ENCLOSED CABIN, WHEEL BRAKES AND A SELF STARTER. IT HAD A WRIGHT RADIAL ENGINE AND HIT THE HEADLINES WITH A NEAR 13,000 MILE FLIGHT FROM THE U.S. ACROSS THE ATLANTIC TO JAPAN. THIS HAZARDOUS FLIGHT, 2/3 RDS OF THE WAY AROUND THE WORLD, WAS ENDED IN TOKYO MORE OR LESS BY POPULAR DEMAND. THE AIRPLANE WAS SHIPPED HOME BY BOAT, TO THE RELIEF OF THE PILOTS, WHO NOW REALIZED THE FOLLY OF THEIR UNDERTAKING. A DETROITER ALSO MADE THE FIRST FLIGHT FROM NEW YORK TO THE BAHAMA ISLANDS, ALSO A RISKY FLIGHT AT THE TIME.
IN ITS BASIC FORM, THE SM-1 WAS A 6 PLACE FULLY ENCLOSED, STRUT BRACED, HIGH WING SEMI-CANTILEVER MONOPLANE-THAT WAS POWERED WITH THE 9 CYLINDER WRIGHT "WHIRLWIND J-5" ENGINE. 36 OF THESE PLANES WERE REPORTED BUILT IN 1927, ON THE AVERAGE OF ONE A WEEK. MOST OF THESE WERE USED FOR SOME SORT OF RECORD-FLIGHT OR ATTEMPT. 1927 WAS A VERY EVENTFUL YEAR IN THE ANNALS OF AVIATION HISTORY AND THE "DETROITER" MONOPLANES CONTRIBUTED OFTEN AND EAGERLY NO "STINSON'S" HAVE BEEN BUILT NOW FOR OVER A DECADE, BUT THERE ARE STILL PLENTY OF THEM FLYING IN VARIOUS MODELS, SOME WELL OVER 30 YEARS OLD.
PACKARD MOTOR CORP BOUGHT A DETROITER AND INSTALLED THEIR "NEW" DIESEL RADIAL AIRCRAFT ENGINE FOR FLIGHT TESTING. ALTHOUGH IT PERFORMED REASONABLY WELL AT LOWER ALTITUDES, IT DID NOT DO WELL AT HIGHER ALTITUDES, AND WAS EVENTUALLY ABANDONED.
THE MUSEUM'S "DETROITER" WAS ACQUIRED FROM THE FORD MUSEUM AND HAS THE DISTINCTION OF BEING THE FIRST AIRPLANE TO MAKE A DIESEL POWERED FLIGHT AND WAS ALSO FLOWN BY CHARLES LINDBERGH, ONLY ONE OF TWO LEFT.
SPECIFICATIONS:
ENGINE: WRIGHT J-5 RADIAL 220 HP CRUISE SPEED: 105 MPH
RANGE 700 MILES FUEL CAP: 90 GAL
MAX SPEED: 122 MPH SERVICE CEILING: 14,000 FT
WING SPAN UPPER: 45' 10" GROSS WEIGHT: 3485 LBS
RATE OF CLIMB: 750 FT/MIN PRICE. $12,500 AT FACTORY