Thomas-Morse S-4

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The Thomas Brothers S-4 was an American biplane advanced trainer, operated by the Army and Navy.

Development

Built by Thomas-Morse Aircraft in Bath, New York in avyear|1917, it was a compact single-seat open-cockpit biplane of equal span and a 100 hp (75 kW) Gnome rotary. Donald 1997, p875.]

Designed by Benjamin D. Thomas (no relation), [http://aerofiles.com/_thomas.html Aerofiles.com] retrieved 8 April 2008.] the S-4 made her maiden flight in June 1917 in the hands of Paul D. Wilson. Twelve went to the Navy.

The S-4B, with a 110 hp Gnome, span of 27’ (8.22 m), and length 20’3” (6.17 m) proved more successful, with three prototypes followed by an order of 97 for the Army and ten for the Navy, while six more were completed with two main and one tail floats as the Navy S-5.Swanborough and Bowers,1976, p.472.]

It was supplemented in 1918 by the S-4C, at a cost of US$5400 each. Six prototypes were built, and the 80 hp (60 kW) Gnome B-9 was replaced by the "more reliable" 80 hp (60 kW) Le Rhône C-9 with the fifty-second aircraft. Four S-4Cs with floats went to the Navy, and 461 for the Army. A single aircraft was fitted with new tail and 110 hp (82 kW) Le Rhône, becoming the S-4E aerobatic trainer. It was not adopted, and (fitted with a 135 hp (101 kW) Aeromarine V8 engine) became Basil Rowe‘s racer "Space-Eater".

About sixty surplus aircraft survive in civil service, most fitted with the Curtiss OX-5s.

Operators

;USA
*United States Army Air Service
*United States Navy

pecifications (S-4C, late production)

aerospecs
ref=Aerofiles, United States Navy Aircraft since 1911 Swanborough and Bowers 1976, p.471.] ,
met or eng?= eng

crew=1
capacity=
length m= 6.05 m
length ft=19
length in= 10
span m=8.08
span ft=26
span in=6
swept m=
swept ft=
swept in=
rot number=
rot dia m=
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dia m=
dia ft=
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width m=
width ft=
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height m=
height ft=
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wing area sqm=
wing area sqft=
swept area sqm=
swept area sqft=
rot area sqm=
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volume m3=
volume ft3=
aspect ratio=
empty weight kg=
empty weight lb=
gross weight kg=605
gross weight lb=1,330
lift kg=
lift lb=

eng1 number=1
eng1 type=Le Rhône aircooled rotary
eng1 kw=60
eng1 hp=80
eng1 kn=
eng1 lbf=
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eng2 number=
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max speed kmh=156
max speed mph=97
max speed mach=
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range km=
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endurance h=
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ceiling m=4500
ceiling ft=15,000’
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armament1=
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ee also

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see also=
related=
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*List of military aircraft of the United States

References

Notes

Bibliography

* Donald, David, ed. "Encyclopedia of World Aircraft", p.875, "Thomas Brothers and Thomas-Morse aircraft". Etobicoke, Ontario: Prospero Books, 1997.
*
* Swanborough, Gordon and Bowers, Peter. "United States Navy Aircraft since 1911." London:Putnam, Second edition, 1976. ISBN 0 370 10054 9.

External links

* [http://aerofiles.com/_thomas.html Aerofiles]