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1916 Excelsior (Lawrance) A-3
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Description
In 1916, Charles Lanier Lawrance formed the Lawrance Aero Engine Corpoeration to design and manufacture aircraft engines. The military liked his design of the A-3 engine, a two-cylinder, horizontally opposed engine that produced 28 hp. But because the company was really just a loft in Brooklyn, the Joint Army and Navy Technical Board purchased the production rights and all the materials for $21,000 and awarded the manufacturing contract to the Excelsior…
In 1916, Charles Lanier Lawrance formed the Lawrance Aero Engine Corpoeration to design and manufacture aircraft engines. The military liked his design of the A-3 engine, a two-cylinder, horizontally opposed engine that produced 28 hp. But because the company was really just a loft in Brooklyn, the Joint Army and Navy Technical Board purchased the production rights and all the materials for $21,000 and awarded the manufacturing contract to the Excelsior Auto Cycle Motor Mfg. & Supply Company in Chicago, IL. The primary use of the A-3 was in the Breese Penguin, a pilot trainer that got its name because the plane was designed not to fly. The wings were too short and the A-3 engine too small to actually take off. The Penguin gave student pilots the ability to practice controlling an airplane without the risk of getting airborne.
Year:
1916
Make / Manufacturer:
Lawrance Aero Engine Company/Excelsior Auto Cycle Motor Mfg. & Supply Co.
Model:
A-3
Location Created:
New York, NY; Chicago, IL
Engine Type:
Gasoline