Sperry Messenger

__NOTOC__ Infobox Aircraft
name=Messenger


caption=
type=Single-seat communications biplane
manufacturer=Sperry Aircraft
designer=Alfred Verville
first flight=1921
introduced=
retired=
status=
primary user=United States Army Air Service
more users=
produced=
number built=42
variants with their own articles=The Sperry Messenger was a American single-seat biplane designed by the Engineering Division of the United States Army Air Service and built under contract by Sperry Aircraft Company of Farmingdale, New York. The aircraft was later designated the M-1 and MAT by the USAAS.

Development

In 1921 the Engineering Division of the USAAS designed a simple single-seat biplane to be used as a messenger aircraft to replace motorcycles. The aircraft was built by the Sperry Aircraft Company as the Sperry Messenger. The Messenger was a conventional biplane with a fixed tailskid landing gear and a nose mounted 60hp (45kW) Lawrance L-4 radial engine. In 1924 the military aircraft were given USAAS designations M-1, M-1A and MAT. The prototype was used by Lawrence Sperry who disappeared in 1923 flying a Messenger across the English Channel from France to England.

Operational history

As well as the original communications duties the Messenger was used for a number of experiments including eight built as radio-controlled aerial torpedos. Experiments were carried out with a hook fitted to enable the aircraft to attach itself to an airship in flight.

Variants

;Messenger:Sperry designation, 42 built later given USAAS designations M-1, M-1A and MAT.;M-1:Messengers used in communications duties, 26 built.;M-1A:Messengers with increased fuel capacity, 16 built.;MAT:Messengers used as aerial torpedos (Messenger Aerial Torpedo), eight conversions.

Operators

;USA
*United States Army Air Service

pecifications (M-1)

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eng1 type=Lawrance L-4
eng1 kw= 45
eng1 hp= 60
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ee also

aircontent
see also=
*Lawrence Sperry
related=
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sequence=
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*List of military aircraft of the United States

References

*
*cite book |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title= The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985)|year= |publisher= Orbis Publishing|location= |issn=|pages=2955

External links

* [http://www.cradleofaviation.org/exhibits/ww1/sperry/index.html Cradle of Aviation Museum]