The Stinson Detroiter was a six-seat cabin airliner for passengers or freight designed and built by the Stinson Aircraft Syndicate, later the ''Stinson Aircraft Corporation''. Two distinct designs used the Detroiter name, a biplane and a monoplane.

Development

The first design from the Detroit-based Stinson Aircraft Syndicate was the Stinson SB-1 Detroiter, a four-seat cabin biplane with novel features such as cabin heating, individual wheel brakes and electric starter for the nose-mounted 220 hp (164 kW)

Wright J-5 Whirlwind 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. It made its first flight on Jan 25th, 1926. The Harley Davidson brakes were demonstrated on a snowy maiden flight requiring wheel chains to be added to prevent skidding. This aircraft was soon developed into the six-seat Stinson SM-1D Detroiter, a braced high-wing monoplane version which ultimately made quite a number of significant long-range flights. The aircraft was soon a success and it enabled Stinson to get $150,000 in public capital to incorporate the Stinson Aircraft Corporation on 4 May 1926. Seventy-five of the Wright J-5-powered versions were built, followed by 30 Wright J-6-powered aircraft. From 1928, SM-1 aircraft were used on scheduled services by Paul Braniff's Braniff Air Lines and by

Northwest Airways Northwest Airlines Corp. (NWA) was a major American airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines, Inc. by a merger. The merger, approved on October 29, 2008, made Delta the largest airline in the world until the American Airlines- ...

. In 1930 a SM-1FS with a crew of three reached

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from

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

, the first flight ever to the islands. Getting there the aircraft had to land twice, once because of darkness and later after running out of fuel. With a wing strut damaged, it was shipped back to New York. In 1928 Stinson developed the smaller SM-2 Junior model to appeal to private owners.

Variants

Stinson SB-1 Detroiter biplane (first version) 2

;SB-1 Detroiter :Original biplane version with a 220hp (164kW)

engine. 26 units built. Prototype sold to

Horace Elgin Dodge Horace Elgin Dodge Sr. (May 17, 1868 – December 10, 1920) was an American automobile manufacturing pioneer and co-founder of Dodge Brothers Company. Early years and business He was born in Niles, Michigan, on May 17, 1868.Burton, Clarence M., ...

, first production model sold to John Duval Dodge of Dodgeson. ;SM-1D :High-wing monoplane version with a 220hp (164kW) Wright J-5 Whirlwind engine. ;SM-1DA :As SM-1D with detailed improvements. ;SM-1DB :As SM-1D with minor improvements ;SM-1DC :As SM-1D with detailed improvements. ;SM-1DD :Freighter variant with two seats and cargo-carrying interior, one built. ;SM-1DE :Freighter variant with two seats and cargo-carrying interior, one built. ;SM-1DX :variant powered with a 225hp

Packard DR-980 The Packard DR-980 is an American nine-cylinder air-cooled aircraft Diesel engine first certificated in 1930. The engine was unpopular despite its economy and reliability due to the unpleasant nature of its diesel exhaust fumes and ...

Diesel engine, one built and first diesel powered aircraft to fly. ;SM-1F :Variant from 1929 with a 300hp (224kW)

Wright J-6 The Wright Whirlwind was a family of air-cooled radial aircraft engines built by Wright Aeronautical (originally an independent company, later a division of Curtiss-Wright). The family began with nine-cylinder engines, and later expanded to inc ...

engine. ;SM-1D300 :SM-1Ds modified with a 300hp (224kW) Wright J-6 engine. ;SM-1FS :Floatplane variant of the SM-1F. ;SM-6B :A larger capacity six-seat variant with a 450hp (336kW) Pratt & Whitney Wasp C1 radial engine, two were built followed by eight more with eight-seat interiors.

Operators

; *

China National Aviation Corporation The China National Aviation Corporation () was a Chinese airline which was nationalized after the Chinese Communist Party took control in 1949, and merged into the People's Aviation Company of China () in 1952. It was a major airline under the ...

China Airways Federal The China National Aviation Corporation () was a Chinese airline which was nationalized after the Chinese Communist Party took control in 1949, and merged into the People's Aviation Company of China () in 1952. It was a major airline under the ...

* Shanghai-Chengtu Airways (1920s–30s) ; * Faucett *

Peruvian Air Force The Peruvian Air Force ( es, link=no, Fuerza Aérea del Perú, FAP) is the branch of the Peruvian Armed Forces tasked with defending the nation and its interests through the use of air power. Additional missions include assistance in safeguardin ...

; * Braniff Air Lines *

North American Airways North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography. Etymology The word ''north'' i ...

; *Three aircraft of this model were bought by

Honduran Air Force The Honduras Air Force ( es, Fuerza Aérea Hondureña, sometimes abbreviated to FAH in English) is the air force of Honduras. As such it is the air power arm of the Honduras Armed Forces. History The first Honduras military flying took place ...

(1933)

Specifications (SM-1F)

Stinson_SM-1_3-view_L'Aérophile_September,1927

References

;Notes ;Bibliography * * * *

External links