Alexander Eaglerock Bullet

{{Infobox aircraft begin

| name=Bullet Monoplane

| image=Alexander C-4 Bullet (4589591439).jpg

| caption=

}}{{Infobox aircraft type

| type=Cabin monoplane

| national origin=United States

| manufacturer=Alexander Aircraft Company

| designer=Albert Mooney

| first flight=February 1929

| introduced=1929

| retired=

| status=

| primary user=

| more users=

| produced=

| number built=11

| program cost=

| unit cost=C1 $8,888 C3 $6,666 in 1929

| developed from=

| variants with their own articles=

}}

The Bullet Monoplane or Alexander Eaglerock Bullet was a low wing cabin monoplane that was a departure from traditional biplane aircraft of the era.

Design and development

The Bullet was built at the beginning of the Great Depression. Company owner J Don Alexander said he was inspired by ducks tucking in their legs to build a retractable landing gear-equipped aircraft.{{cite book|title=The Denver Westerners brand book|author=Denver Posse|page=246}} The aircraft experienced stability problems in spin testing, killing two pilots.{{cite book|title=The air racers: aviation's golden era, 1909-1936|author=Terry Gwynn-Jones|page=185}} Few orders were delivered.{{cite book|title=A History in the Making: 80 Turbulent Years in the American General Aviation Industry|author=Donald M. Pattillo|page=8}}

The Bullet was a low wing, cabin aircraft with retractable conventional landing gear.{{cite journal|title=none|journal=Flying Magazine|date=August 1985|page=108}} The fuselage was constructed with welded steel tubing and the wings were constructed with wooden spars and ribs, both with aircraft fabric covering.{{cite journal|title=none|journal=Aeronautics|date=September 1929|page=28}}

Operational history

An Alexander Eaglerock Bullet competed in the 1929 National Air Races.{{cite book|title=U.S. Civil Aircraft Series, Volume 8|author=Joseph P. Juptner|page=64}} Female pilot Jessie "Chubbie" Keith-Miller won two transcontinental air races piloting an Alexander Eaglerock Bullet.{{cite book|title=A Question of Evidence: The Casebook of Great Forensic Controversies|author=Colin Evans|page=62}}

Variants

Data from: Aerofiles{{cite web |last1=Eckland |first1=K.O. |title=Alexander |url=http://aerofiles.com/_alex.html |website=aerofiles.com |accessdate=10 June 2020}}

;Eaglerock Bullet C-1

:Powered by a Wright J-6 Whirlwind

;Eaglerock Bullet C-3

:Powered by a Kinner K-5

;Eaglerock Bullet C-4

:Powered by a {{cvt|165|hp|0}} Wright J-6 5-cylinder radial (optional {{cvt|165|hp|0}} Comet 7-E or {{cvt|150|hp|0}} Axelson-Floco B)

;Eaglerock Bullet C-5

:Powered by a {{cvt|165|hp|0}} Wright J-6 5-cylinder radial (optional {{cvt|165|hp|0}} Comet 7-E or {{cvt|150|hp|0}} Axelson-Floco B)

;Eaglerock Bullet C-7

:Aerodynamically improved - ATC#318 issued on 6 May 1930.{{cite book|title=U.S. civil aircraft, Volume 4|author=Joseph P. Juptner|page=65}}

Specifications (C-7 Bullet)

File:Alexander_Eaglerock_C-3_Bullet_3-view_Aero_Digest_May_1929.png

{{Aircraft specs

|ref=American Airplane SpecificationsAviation July 1931, pp. 428, 431.

|prime units?=imp

|genhide=

|crew=1

|capacity=3 passengers

|length m=

|length ft=26

|length in=10

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|span ft=36

|span in=0

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|height ft=7

|height in=9

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|wing area sqm=

|wing area sqft=208

|wing area note=

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|empty weight kg=

|empty weight lb=1720

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|gross weight kg=

|gross weight lb=2780

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|fuel capacity={{convert|44|USgal|abbr=on}}

|more general=

|eng1 number=1

|eng1 name=Wright J-6 Whirlwind

|eng1 type=7-cylinder air-cooled radial engine

|eng1 kw=

|eng1 hp=165

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|max speed kmh=

|max speed mph=148

|max speed kts=

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|cruise speed kmh=

|cruise speed mph=122

|cruise speed kts=

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|stall speed kmh=

|stall speed mph=45

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|never exceed speed kmh=

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|range km=

|range miles=560

|range nmi=

|range note=

|endurance=

|ceiling m=

|ceiling ft=17000

|ceiling note=

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|glide ratio=

|climb rate ms=

|climb rate ftmin=700

|climb rate note=

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}}

{{aircontent

|see also=

|related=

|similar aircraft=

|lists=

}}

References

{{cite magazine|last=Miller|first=Ralph N. |title=Remember the Bullet? |magazine=Popular Aviation |date=January 1939|volume=XXIV|issue=1|pages=33, 76–78 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4gS1k0GnkNMC&q=Alexander+Bullet&pg=PA33}}
{{cite magazine|title=Table 2: American Airplane Specifications: Passenger Planes With Seats For More Than Three Persons |magazine=Aviation |date=July 1931|volume=30|issue=7|pages=428, 431 |url=http://archive.aviationweek.com/issue/19310701/#!&pid=428 |url-access=registration }}

External links

[http://msbullet.com/pages/1/index.htm Bullet Project] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303201145/http://msbullet.com/pages/1/index.htm |date=2016-03-03 }}

Category:Low-wing aircraft