Benoist XIV (Type XIV)

History

The Benoist XIV was an American passenger-oriented airship design of World War I (1914-1918). The aircraft first flew in 1913 and was officially launched the following year, with Benoist completing only two examples.

The design is attributed to company owner Thomas W. Benoist, who was both a pilot and an aircraft manufacturer and had a short career as a pilot - he retired in 1914.

Despite a limited flying career, the Type XIV was the world's first heavier-than-air airliner, and is notable for being the first airliner to enter service in the United States. The first production example was nicknamed the "Lark of Duluth" for its early passenger service in Duluth, Minnesota.

Its official name is "Type 43". The second aircraft, the "Type 45", was named "Florida" because it used to be a Florida passenger plane.

Model XIV features an equal-span double-wing arrangement, using parallel struts for support, and end-to-end wiring. At the heart of the design is an underwater fuselage pod that carries two people, the pilot and passenger, sitting side by side.

The hull also supports the installation of a single engine, as well as the necessary fuel supply. Power is provided by a 75-horsepower Roberts-branded inline-six engine used to drive a two-bladed wooden propeller in a "propeller" fashion, with the drive unit facing backwards and "pushing" the aircraft through the sky (rather than pulling). ). All told, the biplane has a top speed of 64 mph and a range of 125 miles.

After a poor performance in Duluth, Type XIV is operated by Thomas Benoist and his partner Percival Fansier as a passenger operator on the newly established St. Petersburg-Tampa airboat route.

The route operated between the two cities and established the first passenger-carrying commercial airline service in the United States.

Specification

Basic

Production

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Dimensions

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Performance

Performance

Armor

Changes