Airster
L–R: Neta Snook and Amelia Earhart in front of Earhart's Airster, c.1921
Role	Two-seat biplane Type of aircraft
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Kinner Airplane & Motor Corporation
Designer	Bert Kinner
First flight	1920

The Kinner Airster is an American two-seat single-engined biplane designed by Bert Kinner and built by his Kinner Airplane & Motor Corporation.^[1]

Development

The Airster appeared in 1920 designed by Bert Kinner, it was a one or two seat open-cockpit single-engine biplane. The first single-seat Airster was powered by a 60 hp (45 kW) Lawrance L-4 radial engine. When the prototype crashed on a test flight it was rebuilt as a two-seater with a wider cockpit. One Airster named The Canary was bought by Amelia Earhart while she was learning to fly. Later production aircraft had slab-sided plywood fuselages and were powered by a variety of 60 hp (45 kW) engines.^[1]

In 1927 the company produced a three-seat variant powered by a 100 hp (75 kW) Kinner K-2 engine, with the last Airster being built in 1927. Design rights were sold to the Crown Carriage Works in 1929 who produced a version designated the Crown B-3.^[1]

Specifications

Data from ^[1]

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Length: 21 ft 4 in (6.50 m)
• Wingspan: 28 ft 0 in (8.53 m)
• Powerplant: 1 × Lawrance L-5 radial piston engine, 60 hp (45 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 85 mph (137 km/h, 74 kn)
• Cruise speed: 70 mph (110 km/h, 61 kn)
• Range: 300 mi (480 km, 260 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 14,000 ft (4,300 m)