Lockheed Explorer

The Lockheed Explorer was the least successful wooden airplane design produced by the Lockheed Aircraft Company. The Vega fuselage was combined with a cantilevered low wing. Seating for a single pilot was provided in an open cockpit behind the wings.

Work on the Explorer was commenced in 1927 for Sir Hubert Wilkins as an aircraft for use in exploration of Antarctica. However, this configuration was judgeed impractical, and Sir Wilkins opted to use a Vega equipped with floats instead. The incomplete aircraft was brought out of storage to make an attempt at a nonstop flight between Japan and the United States, funded by lumber dealer John Buffelen and members of the Tacoma Chamber of Commerce. Named City of Tacoma, the first Pacific crossing attempt ended in disaster when overfilled fuel tanks spilled over on takeoff. Two subsequent attempts in newer Explorers were also met with failure.

Parts of an Explorer and an Orion were combined to make an Orion-Explorer hybrid. It crashed near Point Barrow, Alaska on August 15, 1935, taking the lives of aviator Wiley Post and humorist Will Rogers.

Lockheed built a total of four Explorers, all of which were destroyed in crashes.

Specifications (Explorer 4)

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 27 ft 6 in (8.38 m)
• Wingspan: 48 ft 6 in (14.78 m)
• Height: 8 ft 2 in (2.49 m)
• Wing area: 313 ft (29.077 m)
• Empty weight: 3,075 lb (1,395 kg)
• Loaded weight: 9,008 lb (4,086 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: lb (kg)
• Powerplant: 1× Pratt & Whitney Wasp , 450 hp (kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 165 mph (265 km/h)
• Range: 5,500 mi (8,850 km)
• Service ceiling: ft (m)
• Rate of climb: 1,200 ft/min (366 m/s)
• Wing loading: 28.8 lb/ft² (140.5 kg/m²)
• Power/mass: hp/lb (kW/kg)