Sikorsky S-12
| S-12 | |
|---|---|
| 300px | |
| Sikorsky S-12 circa 1913 | |
| Role | Trainer |
| National origin | Russian Empire |
| Manufacturer | Russian Baltic Railroad Car Works |
| Designer | Igor Sikorsky |
| First flight | 1913 |
| Number built | 12 |
| Developed from | S-11 |
The Sikorsky S-12 was a Russian single engine trainer aircraft completed in the spring of 1913 by the Russian Baltic Railroad Car Works while Igor Sikorsky was the chief engineer of the aircraft manufacturing division.
Design and development
The S-12 was a single seat mid-wing monoplane with wire-braced wings and powered by a Gnome Lambda air-cooled rotary engine rated at 80 hp (60 kW). It was smaller and lighter than the S-11 on which it was based, and was specifically designed to be highly maneuverable.[1][2]
Operational history
The S-12 was the most successful monoplane Sikorsky designed during his time in Russia and twelve examples were produced. In September 1913 an S-12 became the first Russian aircraft to perform an inside loop at the Kolomyazhskiy hippodrome north of St. Petersburg. Later an S-12 set an altitude record of 3,680 metres (12,070 ft). During World War I and the Russian Revolution S-12s served with the Russian Air Force and some were still in service until 1922.[3]
Specifications
Data from Russian Aviation Museum[2]
General characteristics
- Crew: One
- Wing area: 212 sq ft (19.7 m2)
- Empty weight: 924 lb (419 kg)
- Gross weight: 1,501 lb (681 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Gnome Lambda 7-cylinder air-cooled rotary piston engine, 80 hp (60 kW)
- Propellers: 2-bladed
Performance
- Service ceiling: 12,073 ft (3,680 m)
- Wing loading: 7.1 lb/sq ft (34.5 kg/m2) max load
