Loening XSL

The Loening XSL was an American submarine-based reconnaissance flying boat designed and built by Grover Loening Aircraft Company for the United States Navy.^[1][2]

XSL
The XSL-1
Role	Submarine-borne flying-boat
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Grover Loening Aircraft Company
First flight	1931
Primary user	United States Navy
Number built	1

Design and development

First flown in 1931, the Loening XSL was a lightweight flying-boat designed to be folded up and stored in an 8-foot-diameter watertight tube on the deck of a submarine.^[2] It was a single-seat, mid-wing monoplane powered by a 110 hp (82 kW) Warner Scarab radial engine mounted above the wing driving a pusher propeller.^[2] Originally designated the XSL-1 by the Navy, it was re-designated XSL-2 in 1932 when it was re-engined with a 160 hp (119 kW) Menasco B-6 engine.^[2] Only the prototype was built; it was not ordered into production.^[1]

Variants

XSL-1

Prototype with a Warner Scarab engine.^[1][2]

XSL-2

Prototype re-engined with a Menasco B-6 engine.^[2]

Specifications (XSL-1)

Data from aerofiles.com^[2]

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 27 ft 2 in (8.28 m)
• Wingspan: 31 ft 0 in (9.45 m)
• Gross weight: 1,500 lb (680 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × Warner Scarab radial engine , 100 hp (75 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 100 mph (160 km/h, 87 kn)
• Cruise speed: 88 mph (142 km/h, 76 kn)
• Service ceiling: 14,000 ft (4,268 m)

See also

Related lists

• List of flying boats and floatplanes
• List of United States Navy aircraft designations (pre-1962)