Flight, January 1935

AMERICAN MONOCOUPE RANGE
Economical two-seater cabin monoplanes - one of which, in a modified form, took part in the England-Australia Race

   WELL known in the United States as private owners' "Utility" types, the aircraft manufactured by the Monocoupe Corporation, of Lambert Field, Robertson, Mo., are high-wing monoplanes with side-by-side seating.
   Four models are produced, the Monocoupe "90" (Lambert R.266), which is produced as a landplane or seaplane, the De Luxe Model "90" using the same engine, the D.145 (Warner “Super-Scarab"), and the model 125 (Warner "Scarab").
   Structurally, all the machines are similar, being braced high-wing monoplanes with wooden wings and welded steel fuselage. Two solid spruce spars routed to "I" section with wire drag bracing, solid compression ribs and aluminium sheet leading edge, are employed for the wings.
   The Monocoupe "90" and De Luxe model "90" are equipped with trailing edge flaps. It is claimed that the De Luxe model "90" with flaps will take off in ten seconds in 328 ft. The landing run with full load without flaps or brakes is given as 400 ft., or 100 ft. with flaps and brakes.
   Pilot and passenger are seated side by side in a cabin beneath the wing. The machine may be flown from either seat, the starboard set of controls being quickly removable.
   Working parts of the control system are easily inspected by dropping a large metal cowling on the underside of the fuselage. The undercarriage is an exceptionally neat split wire braced type, using medium-pressure air wheels and brakes.

Lambert R.266 Engine

   The Lambert R.266 5-cylinder radial engine of 90 h.p. is used in the De Luxe model "90" with a specially developed "tunnel" type cowling. This engine is produced by the Lambert Engine and Machine Co., and is notable for its clean design, due to the grouping of the manifolds and valve gear behind the cylinders. The bore is 4.25 in., stroke 3.75 in., and the unit gives 85 h.p. at 2,250 r.p.m. and 90 h.p. at 2.375 r.p.m. The two-piece magnesium alloy crank case is split on a plane through the cylinder centres;. Cylinder barrels are of high-strength nickel iron The heat-treated chrome-nickel steel crankshaft is of the two-piece single-throw type, carried on three ball bearings, and the lubrication system is of the pressure dry-sump type. Without equipment the engine weighs 214 lb.
   A batch of Model D.145 Monocoupes, with special equipment, has been supplied to the Aeronautics Branch of the United States Department of Commerce. This version is fitted with the Warner "Super Scarab" engine of 145 h.p., which gives the machine a top speed of 160 m.p.h. and a cruising speed of 145 m.p.h. The rate of climb at sea-level is 1,500 ft/min. and the service ceiling 18,000 ft.
   “Cleaned up” Monocoupes have repeatedly distinguished themselves in races in the hands of Mr. John Wright, who, in company with Mr. John Polando, flew one of these machines in the MacRobertson England-Australia race.

MONOCOUPE DE LUXE MODEL “90”
Lambert R.266 - 90 h. p.

DIMENSIONS
   Span 32ft.(9,76 m)
   Length 20 ft. 6in. {6,3 m)
   Height 6 ft. 11 in. (2,1 m)
   Wing area 132.3 sq. ft. (12,28 m2)

WEIGHTS
   Wing loading 11.9 lb./sq. ft. (58 km/h)
   Power loading 17.6 lb./h.p. (7,9 kg/hp)
   Weight empty 935 lb. (567 kg)
   Gross weight 1,585 lb. (720 kg)

PERFORMANCE
   Maximum speed 140 m.p.h. (224 km/h)
   Cruising speed 120 m.p.h. (193 km/h)
   Landing speed 40 m.p.h. (65 km/h)
   Climb at sea level 900ft./min. (4,58 m/sec)
   Service ceiling 15,000 ft. (4,575 m)