The Spartan C2 is a light aircraft produced in the United States in the early 1930s as a low-cost sport machine that would sell during the Great Depression.
Design and development
The C2 is a conventional, low-wing monoplane design with two seats side-by-side in an open cockpit.[2][3] The wing was braced with struts and wires and it carried the main units of the divided fixed undercarriage. Power was supplied by a small radial engine mounted tractor-fashion in the nose, which drove a two-bladed propeller.
Spartan introduced the C2 in 1931 with a 55-hp engine, and sold 16 examples before ongoing economic circumstances brought production to a halt.[2] Spartan then built 2 examples with 165-hp engines to use in their own flying school. These latter aircraft were fitted with hoods that could be closed over the cockpit for training pilots in instrument flying.[1][4] Spartan offered this version to the U.S. military as a trainer,[5] but officials at the time believed that low-wing monoplanes were unsuitable for pilot training.[4] Spartan also tendered a proposal to the U.S. Bureau of Air Commerce to provide its inspectors with a two-seat light aircraft.[5] The design in question was probably the C2-60,[5] but in any case, the tender was not accepted.[5]
Variants
C2-60 — initial production version with 55–60 hp (41–45 kW) Jacobs L-3 engine (16 built)[1][2]
C2-165 — trainer with 165 hp (123 kW) Wright J-5 engine and hood for instrument training for Spartan School of Aeronautics (2 built)[1]
