Photograph:
An unregistered Allison Coupster (Author’s collection)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Single-seat light sport monoplane
Power Plant:
One 21 kw (28 hp) Lawrence two-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 7.92 m (26 ft)
- Length: 5.57 m (18 ft 3 in)
- Range: 644 km (400 miles)
History:
The Allison Aircraft Company of Fourth and Perry Streets, Lawrance in Kansas, USA was formed in 1920. Its main business was supplying aircraft parts and specialising in rebuilding Hi-lift wings for Curtiss JN-4 Jennys. It also built a number of light aircraft. The first major model of these was the Alco in 1928 with a 45 kw (60 hp) Le Blond 5D engine. This was followed by the Alco Sport, also known as the Junior Coupe, which was built between 1928 and 1933. It could be built as a single-seater or two-seater and plans and components were available to home builders under the Alco name. Examples were completed with Anzani, Harley Davidson, Curtiss OX-5, Ford A and Le Blond engines.
Other aircraft produced included the MT-3, some of these being known as the Utility or Junior, biplane with a 52 kw (70 hp) Siemens Halske engine and this could carry up to three persons. The Coupster in 1929 was a single-seater with a 21 kw (28 hp) Lawrance engine. Another was the Sportford in 1924, a single-seater with a Ford Model A engine. There was also the Trainer of 1929, a two-seater with a Le Blond or Velie engine.
At Whakatane in New Zealand John Allison in about 1929 built an example of what is thought to be a Coupster, being assisted by Victor Allen and Samuel Armstrong, fitted with a two-cylinder horizontally-opposed Lawrence engine which provided 21 kw (28 hp). After completion it was taken to Ohope Beach but was found to be under-powered.
Mr Allison was invited to fly the aircraft to an Air Pageant at Rotorua on 21 April 1930, the idea being to be met by Sqdn Ldr M C McGregor, who would be in an RNZAF aircraft, and guided to the aerodrome. The meeting in the air did not take place due to low cloud. Mr Allison continued on and found the aerodrome but on landing the aircraft struck trees, ripping off the undercarriage. The aircraft was conveyed to Rotorua Motors in Hinemoa Street and was repaired. It was after some weeks taken to the Rotorua aerodrome for its return flight to Whakatane. It took off but did not gain much altitude. The pilot elected to leave the aircraft in the air, the machine crashed and was wrecked, the pilot suffering only bruising.