Great Lakes XSG

XSG
Role	Reconnaissance amphibian Type of aircraft
Manufacturer	Great Lakes
First flight	1931
Primary user	United States Navy
Number built	1

The Great Lakes XSG was an amphibious observation aircraft developed in the United States in the early 1930s for a US Navy competition. It was an ungainly and unorthodox biplane design with a single large pontoon mounted below the lower wing. This pontoon extended rearwards and carried the conventional empennage. On top of the lower wing, where the fuselage would normally be located, was a stubby nacelle containing the tractor-mounted engine and the pilot's cockpit. The rear of this nacelle was semi-enclosed with glazing and incorporated a position for a tail gunner. The main units of the wheeled undercarriage retracted into the sides of the central pontoon.

Development quickly ended when trials revealed that the aircraft was incapable of reaching the speeds required by the Navy, and only a single prototype was ever built.

Specifications

General characteristics

• Crew: Two, pilot and gunner
• Length: 32 ft 7 in (9.90 m)
• Wingspan: 35 ft 0 in (10.60 m)
• Height: 13 ft 0 in (3.90 m)
• Gross weight: 3,219 lb (1,912 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-985 , 400 hp (300 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 136 mph (219 km/h, 118 kn)
• Service ceiling: 14,700 ft (4,480 m)

Armament

• 1 × trainable, rearward-firing machine gun in aft cockpit

References

Scout

Aeromarine	AS
Curtiss	CS S2C S3C S4C SC3
Dayton-Wright	SDW
Bellanca	SE
Edo Aircraft	SE2 S2E
Grumman	SF
Great Lakes	SG
Handley Page	HPS
Loening	SL S2L
Martin	MS
Sikorsky	SS
Vought	SU
Cox-Klemin	XS

Scout Bomber

Brewster	SBA SB2A
Curtiss-Wright	SBC SB2C SB3C
Douglas	SBD SB2D
Grumman	SBF
Fairchild	SBF
Naval Aircraft Factory	SBN
Vought	SBU SB2U SB3U
Canadian Car and Foundry	SBW

Scout Observation

Curtiss	SOC SO2C SO3C
Bellanca	SOE
Edo Aircraft	SOE2 SO2E
Fairchild	SOK
Naval Aircraft Factory	SON
Ryan	SOR
Vought	SOU1 SO2U

Scout Trainer

Beechcraft	SNB
Curtiss-Wright	SNC
North American	SNJ SN2J
Vultee	SNV