Air-Britain Archive 1997-03 / Extracts

NS65, the sole example of the SF-2 Plymocoupe which was designed to use the 80 hp engine from the Plymouth Sedan, as shown on the left, in an attempt to reduce the cost of light aircraft.
Flying, August 1950: * p. 54 - In another '15 Years Ago' feature there is mention of the Plymo-coupe produced by the Fahlin Company using a standard Plymouth auto engine. Top speed was 120 mph. Was this another one-off?
Flying, August 1950: * p. 54 - The Plymocoupe: a lot of information received on this, so let's hope we can combine it in good order!
In 1934 the US Dept of Commerce held a design competition for a safe, cheap ($700), two-seat runabout/trainer which would popularise flying for the public. Designers Sven Swanson and Ole Fahlin, of the Fahlin Aircraft Company, had built their SF-1 N271Y powered by a 75 hp Pobjoy in 1934. They used this design as the basis for the SF-2 Plymocoupe which they fitted with an inverted 80 hp 6-cyl Chrysler Plymouth auto engine and adapted car dashboard to further reduce costs. The aircraft was built at the Nicholas-Beazley factory at Marshall, Missouri and first flew in April 1935, being registered NS65 on 5.5.35 for DofC evaluation.
The Plymocoupe did not meet the full competition specifications, particularly when extra aerobatic requirements would have added a structural weight penalty, and the DoC contract was cancelled by 26.10.35 (the Stearman-Hammond entry was the winner). In 1936 the aircraft was sold to Carroll M Hawley of Spokane, Washington, who applied for a new registration on 15.6.36 and was granted identity 365 on 1.7.37 but by that time the (unlicenced) Plymocoupe had crashed in Alaska on 28.9.36.
Wingspan 32 ft (9.76 m) , length 17 ft 9 in (5.39 m), height 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) , empty weight 1075 lb (487 kg), loaded 1611 lb (730 kg), max speed 120 mph, cruise 104 mph (data varies according to source).