Heath Parasol#Survivors

File:Heath Parasol LNA-40 Rhinebeck NY 10.06.05R.jpg

File:Heath LNB-4 Parasol (2835375756).jpg

In 1926, Edward Bayard Heath, a successful American air racer and the owner of an aircraft parts supply business, built the first example of the Heath Parasol, a small, single seat parasol winged airplane using surplus wings from a Thomas-Morse S-4, a World War One fighter trainer, mounted above a steel-tube structure fuselage and powered by a Henderson four-cylinder motorcycle engine. This was the prototype for a series of single and two-seat recreational craft that utilized the Clark Y airfoil. In 1929 Modern Mechanix magazine published the plans in a series{{Cite web |url=http://blog.modernmechanix.com/category/transportation/aviation/ |title=Modern Mechanics |access-date=2008-06-07 |archive-date=2008-06-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080626001655/http://blog.modernmechanix.com/category/transportation/aviation/ |url-status=dead }}{{failed verification|date=March 2021}} and the plans were reprinted in their "1930 Flying & Gliding Manual," which in turn has been reprinted periodically by the EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association).

Although Heath died in 1931, his Parasol designs remained extremely popular, being economical to build and operate as well as easy to fly. Subsequently, the Heath Company of St. Joseph / Benton Harbor Michigan sold nearly 1,000 kits on an installment basis.{{cite web |url=http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/ |title=Home |website=wisconsinhistory.org}} Fewer than 50 aircraft were factory built, but several hundred were completed and flown by homebuilders during the Great Depression. Heath is remembered today for having helped pioneer the homebuilt aircraft industry and for having introduced the kit concept of packaging the materials needed to build an aircraft.

When it ceased producing aircraft kits to concentrate on electronics (Heathkit), the Heath Company sold the ATC (CAA Aircraft Type Certificate) for the LNA-40 (ATC-487){{cite book |title=Aircraft Listing |date=1 July 1949 |publisher=Office of Aviation Safety, Civil Aeronautics Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce |location=Washington, D.C. |page=102 |url=http://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/001035802 |access-date=8 January 2025}} ATC 487 to the EAA, who continued to sell original plans to potential homebuilders.

File:Heath Parasol1.jpg

File:Heath Parasol Oshkosh 2003.jpg

Except for the prototype, the wings consist of two solid spruce spars, built up wooden ribs, compression struts, and internal drag and anti-drag bracing. The Parasol's empennage is built of wood and is externally braced. Depending on the model, the fuselage was built of wood, bolted steel tube, or welded steel tube. The wing, empennage, and fuselage are fabric covered. Two five gallon fuel tanks are typically installed at the root end of each wing, the fuel being gravity fed, sometimes to a small collector tank behind the firewall. The only tools necessary to assemble one of the Parasol kits were a pair of small pliers, screwdriver, hacksaw (with plenty of blades), hammer, small hand drill, chisel, center punch, file and drill.{{citation needed|date=May 2021}}

A variety of powerplants could be fitted, including the factory-supplied converted Henderson Motorcycle engine (viz. {{convert|25|hp|abbr=on}} Heath-Henderson B-4). Post-war, the VW boxer engine was used as well.

Production of an early version was undertaken as early as 1931, in Australia, by the Adcock-Heath Company.

Home building encourages local variations that blur type definitions for non-certificated versions.

;Prototype: Used the {{cvt|24|ft|0|in|m}}, wing from a Thomas-Morse S-4C "Tommy."

;CA-1 Parasol: Wingspan of {{cvt|24|ft|0|in|m}}, with square tips. Parallel wing struts. First built 1928. Not Certificated (nor required to be). One seat. 260 pound empty weight. Heath B-4 engine, 27 hp at 2800 rpm.{{cite magazine |last=McLaughlin |first=George F. |title=The Heath Parasol Sport |magazine=Aero Digest |date=March 1927 |volume= 10| issue=3 |page=184 |url=https://archive.org/details/aerodigest1019unse/page/184/mode/2up |access-date=March 13, 2021}}

;CA-1A Super Parasol: Wingspan of {{cvt|25|ft|0|in|m}}, with rounded tips. Parallel wing struts. First built 1929. Not Certificated (nor required to be). One seat. 260 pound empty weight. Heath B-4 engine, 27 hp at 2800 rpm.{{cite magazine |title=The Heath Super Parasol |magazine=Aero Digest |date=June 1929 |volume=14 |issue=6 |page=98 |url=https://archive.org/details/aerodigest1415unse/page/n377/mode/1up |access-date=March 13, 2021}}

;1930 Super Parasol: Also known as the V-Parasol. Span {{cvt|25|ft|0|in|m}}, various more powerful engines and V-form wing struts.[http://www.aerofiles.com/_heath.html Heath aircraft]{{Cite web |last=Bowers |first=Peter M. |title=The Heath Parasol |url=https://www.aeroresourcesinc.com/uploads/198201-1928-32%20Heath%20Parasol.pdf |access-date=April 16, 2024}}

;LNB-4 Parasol: Wing span increased to {{cvt|31|ft|5|in|m}}. N-form struts. One or two seat. 450 pound empty weight. Heath B-4 engine, 25 hp at 2800 rpm. Certificated (CAA, ATC-456) June 3, 1932.

;LNA-40 Parasol: Wingspan of {{cvt|31|ft|5|in|m}}, V-form struts. One or two seats. 465 pound empty weight. Door moved to opposite side of fuselage to accommodate hand-propping the clockwise turning {{cvt|37|hp|kW}} (at 2550 rpm) Continental A40 powerplant. First built 1932. CAA type certificated (ATC-457) June 3, 1932.{{cite journal|journal=Air Progress Sport Aircraft|date=Winter 1969|page=70}}

• LNB-4 on static display at the New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks, Connecticut.{{cite web |title=Heath LNB-4 "Parasol" |url=http://www.neam.org/shell.php?page=aircraft_collection_detail&name=heathlnb4 |website=New England Air Museum |access-date=23 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200805191405/http://www.neam.org/shell.php?page=aircraft_collection_detail&name=heathlnb4 |archive-date=5 August 2020}}
• An example is on static display at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington.{{cite web |title=Heath Parasol |url=http://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/heath-parasol |website=Museum of Flight |access-date=23 January 2023}}
• LNB-4 is on static display at the EAA Aviation Museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.{{cite web |title=Heath LNB-4 Parasol – N953M |url=http://www.airventuremuseum.org/collection/aircraft/Heath%20LNB-4.asp |website=AirVenture Museum |access-date=23 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070527181509/http://www.airventuremuseum.org/collection/aircraft/Heath%20LNB-4.asp |archive-date=27 May 2007}}
• LNA-40 is on static display at the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum in Reading, Pennsylvania.{{cite web |title=Heath LNA-40 "Parasol" |url=http://www.maam.org/aircraft/lna40.html |website=Mid-Atlantic Air Museum |access-date=23 January 2023}}
• An example is on display at the Western North Carolina Air Museum in Hendersonville, North Carolina.{{cite web |last1=Lilley |first1=Joseph W. |title=1928 Heath Parasol |url=http://www.westernnorthcarolinaairmuseum.com/1928-heath-parasol.html |website=Western North Carolina Air Museum |access-date=23 January 2023}}
• LNA-40 is on static display at the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in Red Hook, New York.{{cite web |title=Heath Parasol LNA-40 |url=http://www.oldrhinebeck.org/heath-parasol-lna-40 |website=Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome |access-date=23 January 2023}}
• An example is in storage at the Golden Age Air Museum in Bethel, Pennsylvania.{{cite web |title=Museum Collection |url=http://www.goldenageair.org/collection.htm |website=Golden Age Air Museum |access-date=23 January 2023}}
• An example is on display at the Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum in Hood River, Oregon.{{cite web |title=Airplanes by Year |url=http://www.waaamuseum.org/collections/airplanes/339-airplanes-by-year |website=Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum |access-date=23 January 2023}}
• LNB-4 on static display at the Tri-State Warbird Museum in Batavia, Ohio.{{cite web |title=Airframe Dossier - Heath Super Parasol, c/n 154, c/r N752Y |url=https://www.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=308113 |website=Aerial Visuals |access-date=23 January 2023}}
• An example is on display at the Shannon Air Museum in Fredericksburg, Virginia.{{cite web |title=Airframe Dossier - Heath Super Parasol, c/n 31919, c/r N1926 |url=https://www.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=127049 |website=Aerial Visuals |access-date=23 January 2023}}{{cite web |title=FAA Registry [N1926] |url=http://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N1926 |website=Federal Aviation Administration |publisher=U.S. Department of Transportation |access-date=23 January 2023}}
• An example is on display at the Moorabbin Air Museum in Melbourne, Victoria.{{cite web |title=McKenna Heath Parasol |url=http://www.aarg.com.au/mckenna-heath-parasol.html |website=Moorabbin Air Museum |access-date=23 January 2023}}
• An example is on display at the Eagles Mere Air Museum in Laporte, Pennsylvania.{{cite web |title=Antique Airplanes & Vintage Engines on Display |url=http://www.eaglesmereairmuseum.org/aircraft |website=Eagles Mere Air Museum |access-date=23 January 2023}}

File:Heath_Parasol_3-view_Aero_Digest_March_1927.jpg

{{Aircraft specs

|ref=Aviation{{cite magazine|title=Manufacturer's Specifications on American Commercial Airplanes as Compiled by Aviation |magazine=Aviation|date=January 18, 1930|pages=inside front cover|url=http://archive.aviationweek.com/issue/19300118/#!&pid=0_2 |url-access=registration }}

|prime units?=imp

|genhide=

|crew=1

|capacity=

|length m=

|length ft=17

|length in=0

|span m=

|span ft=25

|span in=0

|height m=

|height ft=4

|height in=6

|wing area sqm=

|wing area sqft=110

|empty weight kg=

|empty weight lb=280

|gross weight kg=

|gross weight lb=580

|fuel capacity={{convert|9|USgal|impgal L|abbr=on}}

|eng1 number=1

|eng1 name=Heath

|eng1 type=

|eng1 kw=

|eng1 hp=27

|eng1 shp=

|eng1 kn=

|eng1 lbf=

|eng1 kn-ab=

|eng1 lbf-ab=

|prop blade number=

|prop name=

|prop dia m=

|prop dia ft=

|prop dia in=

|perfhide=

|max speed kmh=

|max speed mph=70

|max speed kts=

|max speed mach=

|cruise speed kmh=

|cruise speed mph=65

|stall speed mph=32

|range km=

|range miles=270

|range nmi=

|ceiling m=

|ceiling ft=12500

|climb rate ms=

|climb rate ftmin=500

|more performance=

|avionics=

}}

• Heathkit descendant company, maker of electronic kits

{{aircontent|

|related=

|similar aircraft=

• Dormoy Bathtub
• Aerotique Parasol
• Fisher FP-505 Skeeter
• Loehle Sport Parasol
• Pietenpol Air Camper
• Pop's Props Cloudster
• Pop's Props Zing
• Powell P-70 Acey Deucy
• RagWing RW5 Heath Replica

|lists=

|see also=

}}

{{reflist|group=Notes|refs=

Built by Methodist missionary Harold Shepherdson on Elcho Island in the remote Arnham Land region of northern Australia. It was built from an imported kit and fitted with DH.60 Moth main wheels and a 34 hp two-cylinder Bristol Cherub. The Reverend Shepherdson completed a number of ground runs in his Parasol before severely damaging it by hitting a tree stump. Its remains are now in the collection of the Australian Aviation Heritage Centre in Darwin.

}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Refbegin}}

• {{cite magazine |last=Berkeley |first=John |title=Parasol's Progress |magazine=Aeroplane |date=April 2021 |volume=49 |issue=4 |pages=90–96 |issn=0143-7240}}

{{Refend}}

• {{cite magazine |last=Heath |first=E. B. |title=How to Build the Heath Parasol: Part II, The Wing Structure and Spars |magazine=Popular Aviation |date=January 1931 |pages=33–34, 54, 63 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BSZwdyVs8lYC&pg=PA33 |accessdate=20 January 2023}}
• {{cite book |last1=Matt |first1=Paul R. |title=Historical Aviation Album |date=1967 |location=Temple City, California |pages=181-187}}
• {{cite magazine |magazine=Sport Flying Quarterly |date=1975 |volume=9 |issue=7 |pages=54–63}}

{{commons category|Heath Parasol}}

• [http://www.jimforeman.com/Stories/heath.htm The Heath Story]
• [http://www.sun-n-fun.org/content/interior.asp?section=museum&body=planes/heathsuperparasolv V Parasol] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071009034427/http://www.sun-n-fun.org/content/interior.asp?section=museum&body=planes%2Fheathsuperparasolv |date=2007-10-09 }}
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=7-EDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA118 "1932 Ad for Heath home built aircraft" Popular Mechanics, August 1932]
• [https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Image/IM10318 Home-Built Heath – Wisconsin Historical Society]

Category:1920s United States civil utility aircraft

Category:Homebuilt aircraft

Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft

Parasol

Category:Parasol-wing aircraft

Category:Aircraft first flown in 1926

Category:Aircraft with fixed conventional landing gear

Category:Single-engined piston aircraft