The BSA Starlite was a rebadged BSA Beagle for the American market, introduced in 1964 to replace the aging Bantam. It was "powered" by a 75cc OHV engine feeding through a 4 speed transmission. It did not impress potential BSA customers and was completely eclipsed by the lightweights coming from Japan. After two years it was gone.
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| One from the west coast. Thanks, Bevin! |
On display on someone's lawn. It's apparently quite rare. Sadly not running, the engine is seized apparently. They're planning to get it operational. I want to drive it!
When Boeing introduced the 247 in 1933 as a larger 14 passenger airlines, a preliminary design review by airline pilots did not go well, the pilots thought there weren't enough airports with long enough runways, that the engines made too much power and unanimously recommended it be reduced in size. It was reluctantly redesigned as a smaller craft with a capacity of 10 passengers. The aircraft shown is an early model with the forward sloped windshield, designed to eliminate the glare from the instruments. However, it instead reflected the glare from outside lights making landing and taxiing at night difficult.
It was an advanced airplane, faster than the top of the one US fighter planes but when the 21 passenger Douglas DC3 appeared two years later, the 247 was obsolete. With this many passengers, the flight could be profitable on passenger fares alone, no need to carry additional freight, mail, etc. Only 75 247s were built.
