The Thulin E was a Swedish reconnaissance aircraft built in the late 1910s. It was the first indigenous design conceived by Enoch Thulin's company, AB Thulinverken (originally Enoch Thulins Aeroplanfabrik), which became Sweden's first aircraft manufacturer.
Design and Development
The Thulin E was a two-seat biplane with the lower wings mounted at the bottom of the fuselage. The upper wing was supported by four wing struts and four V-shaped fuselage struts. Only the upper wings were fitted with ailerons. The fuselage was provided with two open cockpits arranged in tandem under the upper wing. The rear landing gear consisted of a fixed spur spring. An attempt was made to equip the biplane with floats for water operations.
Following the outbreak of World War I, the Swedish parliament decreed the purchase of four reconnaissance biplanes, leading to the design and production of the Thulin E. Although similar in appearance to the Gotha LD 5 (Kavallerie Flugzeug), the Thulin E was a distinct indigenous design.
Operators
- Swedish Air Force (primary user)
Specifications
- Crew: 2
- Length: 6.45 m (21 ft 2 in)
- Wingspan: 11.4 m (37 ft 5 in)
- Height: 2.96 m (9 ft 9 in)
- Gross weight: 655 kg (1,444 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × Thulin A nine-cylinder air-cooled rotary aircraft engine, 67 kW (90 hp)
- Propellers: 2-bladed fixed-pitch propeller
Performance
- Maximum speed: 110 km/h (68 mph, 59 kn)
- Cruise speed: 80 km/h (50 mph, 43 kn)
Number built: 5
First flight: 1916
