Loening OA-1A Scout Observation
Model Airplane News Cover Art for February, 1958
by Jo Kotula
Note the misspelling "Leoning" on the cover
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The Loening OL was an American two-seat amphibious biplane built for the United States Army Air Corps and the United States Navy.

  

Loening OA-1A Scout Observation
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First flown in 1923, the OL was a high-performance amphibian with a large single float and stabilizing floats fitted underneath each lower wing. It had retractable landing gear and a tailskid for operations on land. It had a tandem open cockpit for a crew of two. A number of variants were introduced for both the Army and United States Navy. During later production the company merged with the Keystone Aircraft Corporation.

The historic Pan-American Goodwill Flight of 1926 and 1927 through Mexico and Central and South America was intended to improve relations with Latin American countries, to encourage commercial aviation, and to provide valuable training for Air Corps personnel. The flight was made by ten pilots in five Loening OA-1A amphibian aircraft. To stimulate public interest, each airplane was named after a major U.S. city-the New York, the San Antonio, the San Francisco, the Detroit, and the St. Louis. The 35,200 km (22,000 mi) flight began on December 21, 1926, from San Antonio, Texas. The journey took 59 flying days, interspersed with 74 days for scheduled maintenance and diplomatic meetings and ceremonies. The flight concluded at Bolling Field in Washington, D.C., on May 2, 1927. Within three weeks, however, the impressive achievement was eclipsed by Lindbergh's solo trans-Atlantic flight.

This airplane is a popular subject for modelers. here is a kit with particularly impressive cover art.,?p>

Kit for a Model of the Loening Amphibian
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