__NOTOC__ The Security Airster S-1 is an American two-seat single-engined

monoplane A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple planes. A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing confi ...

Bert Kinner Winfield Bertrum "Bert" Kinner (December 16, 1882 – July 4, 1957) was an American aircraft engine designer and designer of the first folding wing aircraft. Kinner founded Kinner Airplane & Motor Corporation in Glendale, California which p ...

and built by his Security National Aircraft Corporation later named the American Aircraft Corporation.

Development

The Airster S-1 appeared in 1933 after the designer

had started the Security National Aircraft Corporation to build it. The Airster S-1-A was a side-by-side two-seat single-engined low-wing braced monoplane, it had folding wings and a fixed tailwheel landing gear. The aircraft was powered by one of Kinners engines the 100 hp (75 kW)

Kinner K-5 The Kinner K-5 was a popular engine for light general and sport aircraft developed by Winfield B. 'Bert' Kinner. With the boom in civilian aviation after Charles Lindbergh's transatlantic flight the K-5 sold well. The K-5 was a rough running but ...

radial. A ''coupe'' option was available to enclose the open cockpit. The economic situation in the United States of the early 1930s was not a good time to launch a light aircraft and only 15 were built when production of the S-1A stopped in January 1935. One of the purchasers of the aircraft turned out to be

Edgar Rice Burroughs Edgar Rice Burroughs (September 1, 1875 – March 19, 1950) was an American author, best known for his prolific output in the adventure, science fiction, and fantasy genres. Best-known for creating the characters Tarzan and John Carter, he ...

, author of the Tarzan series. In 1939 with the company renamed the American Aircraft Corporation, Kinner attempted to restart production with a revised Airster S-1-B, again powered by his own engine a 125 hp (93 kW) Security S5-125 radial. Times were no better and only about five were built before the factory and assets were bought in 1942 by the National Airplane & Motor Company.

Variants

;Airster S-1 :Prototypes powered by 100hp (75kW)

radial engine, two built. ;Airster S-1-A :Production version, 12 built. ;Airster S-1-B :Revised 1939 variant with a 125hp (93kW) Security S5-125 radial engine, five built.

Specifications (S-1-A)

References

Notes

Bibliography

* * {{refend 1930s United States civil utility aircraft Low-wing aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1933