Solar MS-1

The Solar MS-1 was a prototype airliner built in the United States in 1930. It was a sesquiplane design, its wings braced to each other with warren truss-style struts. The stubby lower wings carried the divided main units of the fixed undercarriage. The fuselage was of rectangular cross-section and featured a fully enclosed flight deck and passenger cabin. The tail was of conventional design with strut-braced stabilizers and carrying a fixed tailwheel. Construction was of metal throughout,^[2] and the aircraft was powered by a single radial engine in the nose.

The MS-1, registered X258V, flew for the first time on 21 January 1930 with Doug Kelly at the controls.^[1] Kelly described it as "one of the finest closed planes I have ever flown",^[1] and Charles Lindbergh also praised the MS-2 when he flew it a few days later.^[1] Despite this, airlines did not order the type, although Northwest Airways considered buying ten examples.^[1] Solar made the prototype available for charter types for a while, but in 1931 sold it to an operator in Mexico who used it to transport coffee beans.^[1] On the Mexican register as XB-AFK, the MS-1 was destroyed in a crash in 1936.^[2]

Specifications (variant)

Data from Munson 1982, p.212, except as noted.

General characteristics

• Crew: two pilots
• Capacity: six passengers
• Length: 35 ft 11 in (10.95 m)
• Wingspan: 56 ft 6 in (17.23 m)
• Height: 12 ft in (3.66 m)
• Wing area: 497 ft² (46.2 m²)
• Empty weight: 3,665 lb (1,666 kg)
• Gross weight: 5,650 lb (2,568 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-1340, 420 hp (313 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 130 mph (210 km/h)
• Range: 500^[2] miles (800 km)

Notes

References

• "MS-1". Aerofiles. Retrieved 2011-02-27. 
• Munson, Kenneth (1982). U.S. Commercial Aircraft. London: Jane's. 
• Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. p. 829.