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Shrike Commander
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Specifications
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US$ Cost:
Primary Function:
Crew:
Engines:
Power:
Weight Empty:
Max. Weight:
Fuel Capacity:
Seating:
Length:
Wingspan:
Cruise Speed:
Vne Speed:
Initial Climb:
Ceiling:
Range:
First Flight:
Year
Deployed: |
$87,500
executive transport
one
Teledyne IO-540
2 x 290 hp
ea.
4,740 lbs.
6,750 lbs.
936 lbs.
1 pilot + 6 passengers
35' 1"
49' 6"
206 mph
288 mph
1,600 fpm
21,000 feet
1,150 miles
4/23/48
1951 |
 Top Notch Products Shrike Commander.
The Shrike Commander kit for sale by Top Notch Products. Its wingspan is 56" and weight about 3 lbs. Speed 480 size motors can power the scale rc model airplane.
The Shrike Commander, formerly named the Aero Commander, design dates back to just after World War II. That is when aircraft designer Ted Smith decided to start a company to produce
a light twin civil aviation transport. The general design of the Shrike Commander was fashioned after a World War II twin engine bomber that Smith worked on. It used the latest light weight engines and modern construction technology.
Giant Scale Twins rc Shrike Commander.
The Shrike Commander kit for sale by Giant Scale Twins. Its wingspan is 138" and it is 95" long with a weight of around 41 lbs. Construction is a glass fuse with sheeted foamy wings.
The Shrike Commander was fast for the time, roomy, nimble, reliable, and had smooth flight characteristics. It had excellent handling, superior visibility from its cockpit, well laid out controls, and could operate from smaller, unimproved airport runways.
 The Shrike Commander by Jetfixer.
The Shrike Commander shown above is being built by Jetfixer of RC Universe. It has a 74" wingspan and is 68" long. A pair of .46 engines will power the scale rc model airplane.
The original name of Smith's company was Aero Design & Engineering. However, by the mid 1960's Rockwell purchased the company and named the aircraft Shrike Commander.
 A Shrike Commander from a Ace RC kit.
A Shrike Commander built by Scale Dail of RC Universe. It is from kit for sale by Ace RC. Wingspan is 48", weight about 32 oz. with engines from .049 to .051.
To prove how easy the Shrike Commander was to handle, the prototype was flown a distance of some 1,340 miles from take off to landing using only one engine. The
aircraft later performed at airshows doing an aerobatic routine that demonstrated single engine and both engines-out performance.
 Aero-Big-Scale Shrike Commander.
The super giant scale Shrike Commander found at Aero-Big-Scale. Its wingspan is 24' 7" and weight around 657 lbs. Power comes from 680 cc engines.
Initially, successive Shrike Commander models retained their design, but added engines of increased horsepower.
Eventually, larger aircraft were produced with longer wings and cabins, and more streamlining, including the use of winglets, for
reduced drag. The Shrike Commander became the first non commercial aircraft to have a pressurized cabin.
At RC Universe fritzke posted a link to Shrike Commander plans. Wingspan is 50", length is 37", weight is about 40 oz. Power
can come from .049 - .070 engines or the electric motor equivalents.
The larger Shrike Commander aircraft required more powerful engines. This was done by adding turbochargers to the piston engines. Gear boxes were
used to produce higher propeller speeds. Unfortunately this resulted in less reliable engines with a shorter mean time between failures.
RCM has plans for the Shrike Commander for sale. Wingspan is 49.5". Engines are from .049 to .051 in size.
Eventually the turbocharged piston engines of Shrike Commander aircraft were replaced by turboprops,
solving reliability issues and providing much needed power for greater speeds and payloads. The new aircraft were known as Turbo Commanders.
Kit Cutters has a Shrike Commander kit for sale from Nexus Plans. Wingspan is 53 1/2".
By the mid 1960's there was even a jet powered version of the Shrike Commander produced that was called the Jet Commander. It was
a short to mid range aircraft that acquired a reputation for its spacious cabin and excellent maneuverability.
Kit Cutters has a Shrike Commander kit for sale. It is from Palmer Plans with a 118" wingspan and
is 88" long. Engines are .91 and weight is about 19 lbs.
In addition to use by private pilots, several airlines used the Shrike Commander for passenger and freight operations. The UCCG, USAF
and U.S. Army also used a number of the aircraft as utility transports as well as for observation missions. U.S. president Dwight Eisenhower even used the aircraft.
There are Shrike Commander plans for sale at the AMA Plans Service. The designer is Jim Moyniham. Wingspan is 49". Plan no. is 22584.
Over 2,800 Shrike Commander aircraft were produced through 1986.
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Aero Commander
