Barnhart Twin 15

The prototype was built in Pasadena, California in 1920 by G.E. Barnhart, an engineer for the Handley Page program.[1]

The "Wampus-Kat" was a twin engine conventional landing gear-equipped biplane with folding wings. There are ailerons on both upper and lower wings. The wooden fuselage had a small nose-mounted door that allowed access for four passengers inside and one pilot in an open cockpit above. All surfaces are fabric covered except the cabin. The main fuel tank was below the fuselage with a small gravity feeder tank.[2]

The Wampus-Kat was christened with a spray of roses in Pasadena in August 1921. Four passengers flew in a flight demonstration.[3] It was wrecked in a windstorm at the (Altadena golf course) Makepeace Airport in California. Financing for a rebuild was not obtained, and further development stopped.[4]

Data from Flight: THE BARNHART TWIN 15 "WAMPUS-KAT,[2] Aerofiles BA[5]

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Capacity: 4 pax / 1,404 lb (637 kg)
• Length: 30 ft 10 in (9.40 m)
• Wingspan: 50 ft (15 m)
• Width: 22 ft (6.7 m) wings folded
• Height: 11 ft (3.4 m)
• Wing area: 484.9 sq ft (45.05 m²)
• Airfoil: R.A.F. 6A
• Empty weight: 2,611 lb (1,184 kg)
• Gross weight: 4,015 lb (1,821 kg)
• Fuel capacity: fuel and oil 540 lb (240 kg)
• Powerplant: 2 × Curtiss OX-5 V-8 water-cooled piston engines, 90 hp (67 kW) each
• Propellers: 2-bladed fixed pitch propellers

Performance

• Maximum speed: 90 mph (140 km/h, 78 kn)
• Stall speed: 40 mph (64 km/h, 35 kn)
• Service ceiling: 11,600 ft (3,500 m)
• Rate of climb: 350 ft/min (1.8 m/s)
• Time to altitude: 3,500 ft (1,100 m) in 10 minutes (fully loaded)
• Wing loading: 8.23 lb/sq ft (40.2 kg/m²)
• Power/mass: 22.3 lb/hp (13.6 kg/kW)

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• Handley Page Type O