Larson Speed Bird

Based on a standard Taylorcraft taildragger, the Larson Speed Bird was an experimental testbed built to evaluate a unique, all-metal wing design. Designed and built by Merle Larson, a former WWII B-24 pilot and inventor, it utilized a conventional 85-horsepower Continental engine but replaced the large, fabric-covered wing with a far smaller metal wing that incorporated flaps and spoilers.

With a span of only 12 feet and a chord of only 3 feet, the new wing was tiny, with a mere 36 square feet of area. In comparison, the standard Taylorcraft wing had an area of 184 square feet. Larson’s goal was likely to assess whether an effective flap design could enable the smaller, faster wing to fly slowly enough for takeoff and landing.