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The Elias EM was a 1920s
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
general-purpose and marine expeditionary biplane built by
Elias
Elias is the Greek equivalent of Elijah ( he, אֵלִיָּהוּ ''ʾĒlīyyāhū''; Syriac: ܐܠܝܐ ''Eliyā''; Arabic: الیاس Ilyās/Elyās), a prophet in the Northern Kingdom of Israel in the 9th century BC, mentioned in several holy ...
.
Development
The company designed the Elias EM-1 to meet a
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
requirement for a multirole marine expeditionary aircraft. It was required to operate on either floats or wheels. The EM-1 was a tandem two-seat unequal-span biplane powered by a 300 hp (224 kW) Wright-Hispano H engine. The prototype was modified with equal-span wings and delivered to the Marine Corps in 1922. Six production aircraft were built (designated EM-2) having equal-span wings, being powered by 400 hp (298 kW) Liberty 12 inline engines.
One production aircraft was delivered to the United States Marine Corps and five to the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
. One of the Navy aircraft was modified as an observation aircraft and redesignated EO-1.
Variants
;EM-1
:Prototype with a 300hp (224kW) Wright-Hispano H engine, one built.
;EM-2
:Production aircraft with a 400hp (298kW) Liberty 12 inline engine, six built including one later converted to an EO-1.
;EO-1
:One EM-2 aircraft converted as an observation aircraft.
Operators
;
*
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
*
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
Specifications (EM-2)
See also
References
* John Andrade, U.S.Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909, Midland Counties Publications, 1979, (Page 171)
* The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985), 1985, Orbis Publishing
{{USN observation aircraft
Floatplanes
1920s United States attack aircraft
EM
Biplanes
Single-engined tractor aircraft