The Spartan C2 is a

light aircraft A light aircraft is an aircraft that has a maximum gross takeoff weight of or less.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third edition'', page 308. Aviation Supplies & Academics, 1997. Light aircraft are used as utility aircraft c ...

produced in the United States in the early 1930s as a low-cost sport machine that would sell during the

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

Design and development

The C2 is a conventional, low-wing monoplane design with two seats side-by-side in an open cockpit.''The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft'', p.2955Taylor 1989, p.835 The wing was braced with struts and wires and it carried the main units of the divided fixed undercarriage. Power was supplied by a small radial engine mounted tractor-fashion in the nose, which drove a two-bladed propeller. Spartan introduced the C2 in 1931 with a 55-hp engine, and sold 16 examples before ongoing economic circumstances brought production to a halt. Spartan then built 2 examples with 165-hp engines to use in their own flying school. These latter aircraft were fitted with hoods that could be closed over the cockpit for training pilots in instrument flying."C2-60, -165", ''Aerofiles''"Spartan's Aircraft Manufacturing History" Spartan offered this version to the U.S. military as a trainer,"The Spartan Aircraft Company" but officials at the time believed that low-wing monoplanes were unsuitable for pilot training. Spartan also tendered a proposal to the U.S. Bureau of Air Commerce to provide its inspectors with a two-seat light aircraft. The design in question was probably the C2-60, but in any case, the tender was not accepted.

Variants

* C2-60 — initial production version with Jacobs L-3 engine (16 built) * C2-165 — trainer with

Wright J-5 The Wright R-790 Whirlwind was a series of nine-cylinder air-cooled radial aircraft engines built by Wright Aeronautical Corporation, with a total displacement of about and around . These engines were the earliest members of the Wright Whirlwin ...

engine and hood for instrument training for Spartan School of Aeronautics (2 built)

Operators

* Spartan School of Aeronautics (2 × C2-165)

Aircraft on display

Three C2s are preserved in museums — a restored example on display at the

Tulsa Air and Space Museum The Tulsa Air and Space Museum (TASM) is an ''aerospace museum'' in Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States. It is located in the northwest corner of the Tulsa International Airport property. It has of historical exhibits, hands-on activities, and vintage ...

, a restored and flyable example at the

Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum The Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum (WAAAM) is located in Hood River, Oregon, United States, adjacent to the Ken Jernstedt Memorial Airport. WAAAM is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization committed to the preservation of, and educatio ...

Hood River, Oregon The city of Hood River is the seat of Hood River County, Oregon, United States. It is a port on the Columbia River, and is named for the nearby Hood River. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 8,313. It is the only city in Oregon whe ...

, and an example awaiting restoration at the Golden Wings Flying Museum,

Blaine, Minnesota Blaine is a suburban city in Anoka and Ramsey counties in the State of Minnesota, United States. Once a rural town, Blaine's population has increased significantly in the last 60 years. For several years, Blaine led the Twin Cities metro region i ...

."Aircraft", Golden Wings Flying Museum

Specifications (C2-60)

References