| Rambler | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Sportsplane |
| Manufacturer | Reid,Curtiss-Reid |
| Designer | |
| Primary user | Royal Canadian Air Force |
| Number built | 45[1] |
| History | |
| First flight | 22 September 1928 |
TheReid Rambler, later known under theCurtiss-Reid brand after Reid was purchased byCurtiss, was abiplane trainer/sport aircraft built inCanada in the early 1930s and used in small numbers as atrainer aircraft by theRoyal Canadian Air Force.
In 1928,Wilfrid Thomas Reid set up his own company inMontreal after working as an engineer forCanadian Vickers. His first design was a light aircraft that was intended to exploit a Canadian government programme to support the development of flying clubs. The Reid Rambler was primarily intended to be a training aircraft. The Rambler was a largely conventionalsesquiplane design with wings braced with Warren trusses and which could be folded backwards for transport or storage. The fuselage was of fabric-covered steel tube construction and the pilot and a single passenger sat in tandem, open cockpits.[2]
Theprototype (registration G-CAVO) was first flown at theCartierville Airport on 23 September 1928 by Martin Berlyn. The test flight was nearly a disaster because theailerons seized, leaving Berlyn with a dangerous approach and landing. A modification of the aileron control linkage rectified the problem. The Rambler continued to be developed, and in 1931, an improved version, the Rambler III, was flown with the more powerful Gipsy IIIengine. John C. Webster flew the MK III prototype in the BritishKing's Cup Race that year.[2]
In December 1928, theCurtiss Aeroplane & Motor Company purchased theReid Aircraft Company and renamed itTheCurtiss-Reid Aircraft Company. The new firm assumed control of the existing Rambler project and established a production line. A number of alterations were made to the production series including replacing the original ailerons withFrise-style ailerons, introducing an unbalancedrudder along with changes to the engine cowling, exhaust system and tailskid, and adding a head rest.[2]
Although it was intended principally for civilian use, theRoyal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) evaluated the aircraft as a basic training aircraft. Although the RCAF employed many other ab-initio aircraft including the ubiquitousde Havilland Moth, senior military staff elected to purchase a small number of the Ramblers.[2]
Curtiss-Reid Ramblers enjoyed a relatively productive and lengthy career both in civilian and military use lasting well into theSecond World War era.[2]
Data from:Canadian aircraft since 1909[2]
Data from Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1931,[3] Canadian aircraft since 1909[2]
General characteristics
Performance
