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The Stinson Model 105 Voyager is a single engine, high wing, three-seat, braced monoplane developed for general aviation as a light utility aircraft by the Stinson Aircraft Company in 1939. It was quite a success, selling for $2,995. The 105 model number was a marketing tool; it reflected the cruise speed of 105 mph to attract the general public.
Stinson was an innovator, having brought the SB-1 Detroiter to the market in 1926; it may have been the first fixed-wing aircraft with a heated, soundproof cabin, electric starter and wheel brakes. The Voyager featured slotted wing flaps and fixed wing slots for better low-speed handling, traits that were continued in most Stinson aircraft.
The 105 began it’s military career early in World War II after being redesigned and redesignated as the L-5 Sentinel; it was used by the US Army as a liaison aircraft for artillery spotting, medical evacuation, aerial reconnaissance and general transport duties. Under various model designations, Stinson produced 3,590 Sentinels between November 1942 and September 1945, 306 of which were diverted to the US Navy and Marine Corps.
Jimmy Stewart and Howard Hughes are said to have been owners of a 105, and it has been rumored that good ole Georgie Patton bought one when the US Army wouldn’t issue him one to do recon for his tanks!
- Powerplant: 75 hp Continental A-75 or 80 hp Continental A-80-6
- Cruise Speed: 100 mph
- Maximum Speed: 105 mph
- Range: 350 miles
- Service Ceiling: 10,500 feet
- First Flight: 1939
- Number Produced: 277 (Model 105); 775 (Model 10); one source claims that 535 Voyagers were sold in 1939 and 1940
Our Stinson: N23784
Stinson in CAP paint scheme
- Manufacturer: Stinson
- Model: HW75
- Year Built: 1939
- Construction Number: 7244
- Engine Manufacturer and Model: Lycoming 0-290 SERIES
(This section still under construction)
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