The Luton L.A.4 Minor was a 1930s

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

single-seat high-wing

ultra-light aircraft Ultralight aviation (called microlight aviation in some countries) is the flying of lightweight, 1- or 2-seat fixed-wing aircraft. Some countries differentiate between weight-shift control and conventional three-axis control aircraft with aile ...

. The prototype was built by the Luton Aircraft Limited, and design plans were later adapted and copies sold for homebuilding.

Design and development

The L.A.3 Minor ultralight was powered by a 35 hp

Anzani Anzani was an engine manufacturer founded by the Italian Alessandro Anzani (1877–1956), which produced proprietary engines for aircraft, cars, boats, and motorcycles in factories in Britain, France and Italy. Overview From his native Italy, An ...

inverted-vee air-cooled engine, and was of

spruce A spruce is a tree of the genus ''Picea'' (), a genus of about 35 species of coniferous evergreen trees in the family Pinaceae, found in the northern temperate and boreal (taiga) regions of the Earth. ''Picea'' is the sole genus in the subfami ...

, ply and fabric construction. It was designed by

C.H. Latimer-Needham Cecil Hugh (''Chookie'') Latimer-Needham (20 February 1900 – 5 May 1975) was a British aircraft designer, inventor and aviation author. He is best remembered for the series of aircraft he designed for the Luton Aircraft company and his inventio ...

, and built by Luton Aircraft at Barton-in-the-Clay, Bedfordshire in 1936, using the fuselage and components of the earlier experimental L.A.2 tandem-wing aircraft. The prototype L.A.3 Minor, registered ''G-AEPD'', first flew on 3 March 1937 at

Heston Aerodrome Heston Aerodrome was an airfield located to the west of London, England, operational between 1929 and 1947. It was situated on the border of the Heston and Cranford areas of Hounslow, Middlesex. In September 1938, the British Prime Minister, Ne ...

.Smith (2002) The aircraft was a successful flyer despite the low-powered engine, and it was then redesigned for home construction. Designated the L.A.4 Minor, it had a strutted undercarriage and parallel wing struts. The first L.A.4 Minor was built at the company's new factory (the Phoenix Works) at

Gerrards Cross Gerrards Cross is a town and civil parish in south Buckinghamshire, England, separated from the London Borough of Hillingdon at Harefield by Denham, south of Chalfont St Peter and north bordering villages of Fulmer, Hedgerley, Iver Heath and St ...

in Buckinghamshire. It was fitted with a 40 hp

ABC Scorpion The ABC Scorpion is a 30 hp (22 kW) two-cylinder aero engine designed by British engineer Granville Bradshaw for use in light aircraft. The engine was built by ABC Motors Limited and first ran in 1921.Gunston 1989, p.9. Variants ; ...

two-cylinder horizontally-opposed engine. All subsequent Luton Minors were home-built from plans sold by the company. Lutonminorg-aepd1937

The Phoenix Works had burnt down during 1943, and Luton Aircraft had closed, so designer C.H. Latimer-Needham and A.W.J.G. Ord-Hume created a new company in March 1958 to take over the design rights for the Luton Minor. Latimer-Needham updated the design to take more modern lightweight four-cylinder engines and an increased all-up weight. The redesigned aircraft was designated L.A.4A Minor. The design, and subsequently the aircraft, has been built all over the world as a homebuilt aircraft with a wide variety of engines, with the plans for the aircraft being passed on to the

Popular Flying Association The Light Aircraft Association (LAA) is the representative body in the United Kingdom for amateur aircraft construction, and recreational and sport flying. It oversees the construction and maintenance of homebuilt aircraft, under an approval from t ...

(now the

Light Aircraft Association The Light Aircraft Association (LAA) is the representative body in the United Kingdom for amateur aircraft construction, and recreational and sport flying. It oversees the construction and maintenance of homebuilt aircraft, under an approval from t ...

) in the UK.Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: ''World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011–12'', page 107. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485XTacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: ''World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16'', page 114. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015.

Operational history

Reviewers Roy Beisswenger and Marino Boric described the design in a 2015 review, saying, "it has a great deal of period charm and gives a back-to-basics feel, although performance doesn't match more modern designs. Predictable handling and sturdy construction make it a joy to own. A white scarf is a compulsory accessory.".

Variants

;L.A.3 Minor :Prototype ultralight, one built. ;L.A.4 Minor :Homebuilt version, one factory built and numerous homebuilt examples. ;L.A.4A Minor :Updated homebuilt version to take more modern engines, all homebuilt. ;Knowles Duet :The Knowles Duet was a side-by-side two seat version built by Alf Knowles in 1971, registered G-AYTT. ;Coates Swalesong S.A.I :A Luton Minor built by James Coates, registered as G-AMAW. Jenny Wren G-ASRF BH 18

;Gowland Jenny Wren :A Luton Minor with enclosed cockpit and tricycle landing gear; registered G-ASRF it first flew on 13 OCtober 1966 at Panshanger.

Specifications (L.A.4A)

Notes

References

* * * Smith, R. 2002. British Built Aircraft Vol.1 Greater London. Tempus. *

External links

{{commons category, Luton Minor
LAA specification sheet for Luton Minor
1930s British civil utility aircraft Homebuilt aircraft High-wing aircraft Single-engined tractor aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1937