Towle WC

The Towle WC, aka Towle TA-1, was a custom built aircraft for a 1929 round-the world flight.

WC
Role	Amphibious aircraft
National origin	United States of America
Manufacturer	Towle Marine Aircraft Engineering Company
Designer	Thomas Towle
First flight	November 1928
Introduction	1928
Number built	2
Variants	Towle TA-2

Design and development

Thomas Towle was an engineer who had been involved with many early aircraft designs. Having just co-designed the Eastman-E2 Sea Rover, Towle was commissioned by Henry McCarroll to promote Detroit's aviation production capabilities.

The WC was a flying boat with an aluminum hull. The strut braced parasol wing was fabric covered.

Operational history

The prototype WC flew as far as Brazil before engine reliability issues forced the cancellation of the round-the-world flight attempt.

Variants

• Towle TA-2 Was built as a successor to the WC model

Specifications (Towle WC)

Data from Flight

General characteristics

• Capacity: 4
• Length: 35 ft (11 m)
• Wingspan: 52 ft (16 m)
• Empty weight: 2,750 lb (1,247 kg)
• Gross weight: 4,420 lb (2,005 kg)
• Powerplant: 2 × Comet R-612 Seven cylinder radial, 150 hp (110 kW) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 100 kn (115 mph, 185 km/h)
• Minimum control speed: 39 kn (45 mph, 72 km/h)

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• Fairchild FB-3