REVISED: 7/14/07

Great Lakes

1928: Great Lakes Aircraft Corp (pres: Benjamin F Castle), 16800 St Clair Ave, Cleveland OH, at former Martin plant. 1930: Refinancing. 1973: Great Lakes Aircraft Co, Wichita KS (pres: Douglas Champlin). SEE ALSO: Chaparral.

2-S-W 1934 = 2pCB; 145hp Warner Super Scarab; span: 26'8" length: 19'4". Evolved from 2-T and planned for the military trainer market, but there is no confirmation that it was actually built.

2-T-1 1929 (167) = 2pOB; 85hp Cirrus Mk III; span: 26'8" length: 20'4" load: 578# v: 115/97/45 range: 375. Charles Meyers. $4,990, lowered to $3,985. First production Great Lakes of consequence. POP: 40 to 50; the first four were the rare straight-wing design, one of which was modified into Special racer. Many motor variants, including 145hp and 185hp Warner, 200hp Ranger, war surplus 160hp Kinner R-540.
2-T-1 Special 1931 (2-339) = 1p 2-T-1E with 95hp Menasco B-4. POP: 1 [X213K] for competition.

Great Lakes 2-T-1A [NC539K] (Gene Palmer coll)
Great Lakes 2-T-1A Joe Meehan race #13 (K O Eckland coll)
Great Lakes 2-T-1A Special Dorothy Hester (K O Eckland coll)

2-T-1A 1929 (228 2-348) = 90hp ACE La.1 and a refined undercarriage. POP: about 200. (2-348) for one specially modified as 2-T-1A Special in 1931 for aerobat Dorothy Hester, a student of Tex Rankin [NC315Y]; bought in 1937 by Rankin and refitted with 150hp Menasco C-4, it was used in extensive exhibition flying [NX315Y]. Sold and rebuilt with 240hp Continental O-470, it broke up during aerobatics and crashed. Production resumed in 1973 with 140hp Lycoming O-320E; load: 610 v: 120/110/x range: 300 ceiling: 12,400'. $24,988.

Great Lakes 2-T-1E Was 2-T-2 [X700K] (Joseph Juptner coll)

2-T-1E 1930 (354 2-261 2-379) = 95hp Cirrus Hi-Drive; span: 26'8" length: 21'0" load: 568# v: 110/95/45 range: 375. $4,990; $3,735 (deluxe), and $3,155 (trainer) in 1931; POP: 12. (2-261) superseded by (354).

2-T-2 Speedster 1930 (2-339) = 2-T-1 with 95hp Cirrus Hi-Drive and straight top wing for racing competition. POP: 1, refitted with 125hp Menasco C-4 for 1930 Cirrus Derby [X/NC700K] (p: Charles Meyers), then converted to 2-T-1E under (2-339).
4-A-1 1929 = CBAm; two 115hp Cirrus Hermes. Holden Richardson, P B Rogers. POP: 3 [850K, 851K, 852K]. Repowered with 300hp Wright J-6 after the prototype [851K] was wrecked trying to take off.
41 1931 = 2pOB; 165hp Continental radial; span: 31'6" length: 23'0". All-metal military trainer, evolved from Inland Model T. Evaluated by Navy as XPT-930, but rejected. POP: 1 [X11396]. Used for many years at Chagrin Harbor Airport on Lake Erie. Nicknamed "Bubble" because of its floating qualities on landing. Crashed during reckless flying in the late 1930s.
Great Lakes XB2G-1 USMC [9722] (William T Larkins)

B2G 1936 = Redesigned BG-1 with internal bomb bay; similar specs. POP: 1 as XB2G-1 [9722]. Transferred to USMC as Command transport.
BG - USN scout-bomber. 2pCB; 750hp P&W R-1535; span: (upper) 36'0" (lower) 33'8" length: 28'9" load: (scout) 1845# (bomber) 2822# v: 210/188/66 range: 860-1000 ceiling: 24,950'.
Great Lakes XBG-1 (Clark Scott)

XBG-1 1937 = POP: 1 [9220].

Great Lakes BG-1 Trio (USN)
Great Lakes BG-1 (William T Larkins)

BG-1 1937 = POP: 60 [9494/9520, 9534/9550, 9840/9855].

Great Lakes XSG-1 (USN)
Great Lakes XSG-1 (USN)

SG 1931 = 2pOBAm; 400hp P&W R-985; span: 35'0" length: 32'7" v: 124/x/70. Actual speed fell 12mph below guaranteed speed and was rejected by USN. POP: 1 as XSG-1 [8974].
Great Lakes XTBG-1 [9723] (USN via W T Larkins coll)

TBG 1935 = USN torpedo bomber. 3pCB rg; 800hp P&W XR-1830; span: 42'0" length: 35'1" v: 185 ceiling: 15,600'; ff: 8/20/35. Third cockpit behind engine. POP: 1 as XTBG-1 [9723].
TG - Contract manufacture of 3p Martin T4M-1 with modified landing gear. Became Detroit (Lockheed) TE-1.
TG-1 1930 = 525hp P&W R-1690. POP: 18.

Great Lakes TG-2 [A-8727] (Gene Palmer coll)
Great Lakes TG-2 [A-8704] (Gene Palmer coll)

TG-2 1936 = 620hp Wright R-1820. POP: 32 [A8697/8728].

Great Lakes TG-1 Civil registry

TG-1 Commercial 1929 = 8pO/CB; 525hp P&W Hornet; span: 53'0" length: 33'2" (>35'0") v: 125/111/x range: 600. Civil version of USN Martin T4M-1. POP: 2, the first christened Miss Great Lakes [X520].
X1931 = 2-T-1E factory test-bed for various motors. POP: 1 [X863K], was active in Missouri as late as 1979.
XPT-930 (aka Model 41) 1933 = 2pOB military trainer, reportedly intended for USN; evolved from Inland T. 165hp Continental; span: 31'6" length: 23'0". POP: 1 [X11396].