Colonial Skimmer

The Colonial Model C-1 Skimmer was an American small single-engined amphibian flying boat built by the Colonial Aircraft Corporation. It was the start of a line of very similar aircraft designed by David Thurston.

C-1 Skimmer
Role	two/three-seat amphibian
Manufacturer	Colonial Aircraft Corporation
Designer	David Thurston
First flight	1948
Primary user	private owner pilots
Number built	43
Variants	Lake Buccaneer

Design and development

In 1946 David Thurston established the Colonial Aircraft Corporation at Sanford Maine to build his design for a small amphibian flying boat, the Skimmer.

The resulting design was an all-metal shoulder-wing cantilever monoplane with a single-step hull and stabilizing floats fitted under each wing. A retractable tricycle landing gear allowed land operation. The Avco Lycoming engine with a pusher propeller was pylon-mounted above and aft of the enclosed cockpit.

The cabin had side-by-side seating for a pilot and passenger with room behind for another passenger.

1957-built C-1 Skimmer at Teterboro Airport New Jersey in 1970.

The prototype XC-1 Skimmer first flew on July 17, 1948, powered by a 115 hp (86 kW) Lycoming O-235 engine, but was later re-engined with a 125 hp (93 kW) Lycoming O-290 engine.^[1][2]

24 examples of the C-1 Skimmer were built and these were followed by 18 examples of the higher powered four-seat variant known as the C-2 Skimmer IV,^[3] which through a succession of companies became the Lake Buccaneer.

Specifications (C-1)

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1956–1957,^[4] Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1958-59^[5]

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Capacity: 2 passengers
• Length: 23 ft 6 in (7.16 m)
• Wingspan: 34 ft 0 in (10.36 m)
• Height: 8 ft 10 in (2.69 m)
• Wing area: 150.6 sq ft (13.99 m²)
• Empty weight: 1,450 lb (658 kg)
• Gross weight: 2,150 lb (975 kg)
• Fuel capacity: 30 US gal (110 L; 25 imp gal) normal ; 39 US gal (150 L; 32 imp gal) overload
• Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming O-320 4-cylinder air-cooled horizontally-opposed piston engine, 150 hp (110 kW)
• Propellers: 2-bladed Hartzell, 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) diameter constant-speed pusher propeller

Performance

• Maximum speed: 125 mph (201 km/h, 109 kn) at 5,000 ft (1,500 m)
• Cruise speed: 112–123 mph (180–198 km/h, 97–107 kn)
• Stall speed: 50 mph (80 km/h, 43 kn)
• Range: 500–600 mi (800–970 km, 430–520 nmi)
• Rate of climb: 700 ft/min (3.6 m/s)
• Wing loading: 14.27 lb/sq ft (69.7 kg/m²)
• Power/mass: 0.0698 hp/lb (0.1148 kW/kg)
  
• Take-off run: 1,500 ft (457 m) on water in still air
• Take-off run: 550 ft (168 m) on land in still air

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• Grumman G-65 Tadpole

Related lists

• List of flying boats and floatplanes

References

1. Bridgman, Leonard, ed. (1951). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1951-52. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, Ltd. p. 216c.
2. "American airplanes: Cl – Cr: Colonial". Aerofiles. Retrieved September 13, 2013..
3. Simpson, Rod (2005). The General Aviation Handbook. Midland Publishing. pp. 172–173. ISBN 1-85780-222-5.
4. Bridgman, Leonard, ed. (1956). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1956-57. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, Ltd. pp. 252–253.
5. Bridgman, Leonard, ed. (1958). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1958-59. London: Jane's All the World's Aircraft Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 280.

Further reading

• The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982–1985). Orbis Publishing.