Towle WC

The Towle WC, or Towle TA-1, was a custom built aircraft for a 1929 round-the world flight.

WC
General information
Type	Amphibious aircraft
National origin	United States of America
Manufacturer	Towle Marine Aircraft Engineering Company
Designer	Thomas Towle
Number built	2
History
Introduction date	1928
First flight	November 1928
Variant	Towle TA-2

Design and development

Thomas Towle was an engineer who had been involved with many early aircraft designs. Having just co-designed the Eastman-E2 Sea Rover, Towle was commissioned by Henry McCarroll to promote Detroit's aviation production capabilities.

The WC was a flying boat with an aluminum hull. The strut braced parasol wing was fabric covered.

Operational history

The prototype WC flew as far as Brazil before engine reliability issues forced the cancellation of the round-the-world flight attempt.

Variants

• Towle TA-2 Was built as a successor to the WC model

Specifications (Towle WC)

Data from Flight

General characteristics

• Capacity: 4
• Length: 35 ft (11 m)
• Wingspan: 52 ft (16 m)
• Empty weight: 2,750 lb (1,247 kg)
• Gross weight: 4,420 lb (2,005 kg)
• Powerplant: 2 × Comet R-612 Seven cylinder radial, 150 hp (110 kW) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 100 kn (115 mph, 185 km/h)
• Minimum control speed: 39 kn (45 mph, 72 km/h)

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• Fairchild FB-3