Paterson Biplane

The Paterson Biplane was an early British biplane designed by Cecil Compton Paterson and built at the Liverpool Motor House, where Paterson was a director.[1] It was later called the Paterson No. 1 Biplane to distinguish it from subsequent aircraft designed by Paterson.

Paterson Biplane
RoleExperimental biplane
National originUnited Kingdom
DesignerCecil Compton Paterson
First flight14 May 1910
Number built2

Design and development

Built between 1909 and 1910, the Paterson Biplane was a similar design to the Curtiss Biplane. It was an open-framed pusher biplane with a main frame made from bamboo and a tubular steel tricycle landing gear. It had a biplane front elevator and a single rear elevator with a rudder. It first flew from the beach at Freshfield north of Liverpool on 14 May 1910.[1] It flew a second time on 23 June 1910 but was damaged: after repair it was used by Paterson to obtain his aviator's certificate which was issued in December 1910. He built a second Biplane with a larger engine for Gerald Higginbotham, later called Biplane No. 2. This was completed in January 1911 . Both aircraft were based at Freshfield.[2]

Variants

Replica Patterson No. 2 biplane at the South African Air Force Museum, AFB Swartkop
Biplane No. 1
Anzani powered early biplane.[1]
Biplane No. 2
Similar aircraft with a 50 hp (37 kW) Gnome air-cooled rotary engine.[2]

Specifications (No. 1)

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Length: 31 ft 0 in (9.45 m)
  • Wingspan: 34 ft 4 in (10.47 m)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Anzani three-cylinder air-cooled piston engine , 30 hp (22 kW)

References

Notes