Description
The Lockheed Vega was a single-engine, American high-wing, wooden aircraft with fixed landing gear. Power was provided by a single Pratt and Whitney Wasp radial engine with 450 HP. A prototype flight took place in 1927, and serial production began shortly after. About 120 aircraft of this type were built.
The Vega was created as a grassroots initiative with and its designers, John Northrop and Gerald Vultee, later founding their own aviation companies. For its time the aircraft was demonstrated good aerodynamics and high speed for an aircraft of this class. It was also able to carry 4 to 6 passengers. Several development versions of this aircraft were created in the course of production, for example: Vega 1 (the first production version, powered by the Wright Whirlwind engine), Vega 5 (version powered by the Wasp engine) or Vega 5 A (transport version). The plane of this type was also used by GH Wilkins to fly to the Arctic in 1928