Texas-Temple Sportsman

The Texas Aero Corporation of Temple, Texas was formed about 1927 to construct passenger and mail light aircraft. The companies origin can be traced back to George W Williams Texas Aero Manufacturing Company of 1911. It built a series of aircraft designs including the Texas-Temple Sportsman.[1]

The Sportsman was a parasol winged monoplane, equipped with two seats arranged in tandem. The cockpit had an open layout. A fixed tail-wheel undercarriage was fitted. The tailplane was set low on the fin. A 100 h.p. Cirrus III was initially fitted.[1]

Three examples of the Sportsman were completed: NC480 manufacturers number 1; NC852H and N987N manufacturers number 107. There was no N987N registered in FAA records at the time, so it is likely to be from a later registration. There was an NC987H, but that was the registration for a different make of aircraft, a Smith S-1 with a Velie engine.[1][2] The Sportsman was suitable for operation by individual sporting pilots. Williams was killed during 1930 in the crash while flying with a trainee pilot. The company folded after the accident.[1]

The Texas-Temple Sportsman on display at the Frontiers of Flight Museum

The third Sportsman survived the Second World War and was rebuilt in 1990 by J.D. Ferrel with a radial engine of unknown manufacture. It is still extant, but without a valid permit to fly.[3] N987N is publicly displayed (2007) in the Frontiers of Flight Museum at Dallas (Love Field) airport.[4]

Not available. The aircraft was originally fitted with a 100 h.p. ADC Cirrus III engine.[1] General characteristics Performance