Wright Model K

what is it?

The Wright Model K was a prototype floatplane built by the Wright Company in 1914 and sold to the U.S. Navy. Its layout was generally similar to the Wright Model F: a typical Wright-style wing cellule and powerplant installation combined with a more modern fuselage design. The Model K was the first Wright design to use ailerons instead of wing warping, and the first to feature tractor propellers.

🔎How to recognise it: 1 piston engine with propeller · biplane · float gear · 11.8 m wingspan

base stats

• speed 129 km/htop speed
• size 522 kgmax take-off weight

Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).

fun facts

• 🎂First flew 111 years ago, in 1915.
• 🚗Wingspan of 11.8 m: about 3 cars parked nose to tail.

piston: A car-like piston engine turning a propeller: simple and cheap, the classic small plane.

spec sheet

first flight

1915

number built

—

role

military floatplane

origin

🇺🇸 United States

makers

Wright

engines

1× Wright 6-60

crew

2

length

8.3 m

wingspan

11.8 m

height

2.6 m

max take-off weight

522 kg

top speed

129 km/h

range

—

wings

biplane

landing gear

float gear

Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.