DAN SHUMAKER COLLECTION
No. 13792. Southern Aircraft BM-10 (NX17670)
Source unknown
Southern Aircraft BM-10

03/15/2020. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "The Southern Aircraft Corporation (SAC) was formed as a division of the Portable Products Corporation at Garland, Texas, USA, in 1940. In July of that year the BM-10 two-seat training biplane was completed, which was designed to conform to the requirements of the USAAC.

The BM-10 was originally offered with a 225 hp seven-cylinder radial engine, optionally a Continental W-670-K, or Jacobs L-4, or Lycoming R-680-BC4, or Wright R-760-ET, eventually it was first flown fitted with the Continental and was later re-engined with a Jacobs. The Model BM-10 was offered to both the USAAC and the Civilian Pilot Training Program (CPTP), but was not ordered and the program was terminated.

Till the end of WWII, SAC focused on the manufacture of component parts under sub-contract from other aircraft manufacturers, eventually becoming Grumman's largest subcontractor."

Type: Two-seat primary training biplane.
Wings: Unequal-span single-bay staggered biplane, N-71 wing-sections. Center section, incorporating fuel tank, carried above fuselage on splayed-out struts. One set of 'N'-struts on each side of fuselage with streamline wire external bracing. Wing structure consisted of solid spruce spars, spruce and plywood girder-ribs, aluminum-alloy leading edge and compression members, and fabric covering. Metal-framed fabric covered ailerons on bottom wings only.
Fuselage: Welded steel-tube structure covered forward with detachable metal panels and aft with fabric over light metal fairing structure. Detachable sheet-metal tail-cone.
Tail unit: Braced monoplane type. Tail-plane and fin had spruce spars, plywood ribs and plywood covering. Elevators and rudder had aluminum-alloy frames and fabric covering. Trimming-tabs in elevators and rudder.
Landing gear: Split type. Consisted of two side Vees, incorporating Cleveland pneumatic shock-absorbers, and half-axles hinged to V-cabane beneath the fuselage. Hydraulic brakes. Steerable tail-wheel.
Power plant: One 225 hp Continental W-670-K, or Jacobs L-4, or Lycoming R-680-BC4, or Wright R-760-ET radial air-cooled engine on detachable welded steel-tube mounting. Hamilton-Standard controllable-pitch airscrew. Fuel tank in center section.
Accommodation: Tandem open cockpits with dual control.

Created March 15, 2020