Culver Model V Explained

The Culver Model V was a two-seat cabin monoplane designed and built by the Culver Aircraft Company.

Design and development

Based on the pre-World War II Cadet and using the wartime experience with radio-controlled aircraft the company designed a two-seat cabin monoplane. The Model V had a low-set cantilever wing with the outer panels having a pronounced dihedral. It had a tricycle retractable landing gear and an enclosed cabin with side by side seating for two. It was unique in that it had a system called Simpli-Fly Control where the aircraft was automatically trimmed for takeoff, landing and cruise, by turning a small metal wheel between the two seats and lining up two arrows with the mode of flying the aircraft. Interconnecting controls then adjusted the trim according to the arrow settings.[1]

In 1956 the Superior Aircraft Company bought the assets of Culver and put the Model V back into production as the Superior Satellite. The main difference was the use of a 95 hp Continental engine which increased the cruise speed to 130 mph (209 km/h). Only a prototype and five production aircraft were built.

Variants

V-1
  • Initial production variant.
    V-2
  • Improved variant.
    Superior Satellite
  • 1956 variant with a 95hp Continental engine.
    TD4C
  • USN radio-controlled target version of the V-2
    UC
  • The utility version of the TD4C, also converted to target drone as the UC-1K.

    References

    Bibliography

    External links

    Notes and References

    1. https://books.google.com/books?id=LiEDAAAAMBAJ&pg=RA2-PA30 "Culver Model V", August 1946, Popular Science