Loening
 | |
 Loening OA-1A | |
| Industry | Aerospace |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1917 |
| Founder | Grover Loening |
| Defunct | 1928 |
| Fate | Merged with Keystone Aircraft in 1928 |
| Successor | Keystone-Loening |
The Loening Aeronautical Engineering Corporation was founded in 1917 by Grover Loening and produced early aircraft and amphibious aircraft. After it merged with Keystone Aircraft Corporation in 1928, some of its engineers left to form Grumman and Grover Loening went on to form a new enterprise, Grover Loening Aircraft Company.
History
[edit | edit source]In 1917, Grover Loening incorporated the Loening Aeronautical Engineering Company in New York City.[1][2][3] The company was originally located in Long Island City, Queens.[2][3] It later moved into a loft on the fifth floor at 351 West 52nd Street in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan.[4][5] In 1921, the firm leased a vacant lot at 420-428 East 31st Street in the Kips Bay neighborhood of Manhattan, located on the block between First Avenue and the East River, and built a new factory on the site.[4] The new plant on East 31st Street opened in 1922.[6] The company built a floating ramp for amphibian planes alongside the pier at the end of 31st Street—which it leased from the city—that enabled aircraft to taxi in and out of the water.[7] Before this, aircraft from the factory were brought out to the pier and had to be hoisted into the East River using a crane.[8]
In 1928, Loening merged with Keystone Aircraft Corporation and functioned independently as the Loening Aeronautical Division.[9][10] The following year, the unit became the Keystone-Loening Division of Curtiss-Wright.[3] With the planned closure of Loening's factory in New York City and a move of its operations to Keystone's plant in Bristol, Pennsylvania, several of Leoning's employees—including Leroy Grumman, Jake Swirbul and William Schwendler—decided to remain in New York and formed their own company on Long Island, the Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation.[11] In 1929, Grover Loening went on to establish a new firm on Long Island, the Grover Loening Aircraft Company in Garden City, which operated until 1936.[3]
Aircraft
[edit | edit source]| Model name | First flight | Number built | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loening Monoplane Flying Boat | |||
| Loening M-2 Kitten | 1918 | 3 | Convertible amphibian monoplane |
| Loening M-8 | 1918 | 55 | Monoplane fighter |
| Loening PW-2 | 1920 | 7 | Monoplane fighter |
| Loening Model 23 | 1921 | 16 | Monoplane pusher engine flying boat |
| Loening R-4 | 1922 | 2 | Monoplane racer |
| Loening PA-1 | 1922 | 1 | Biplane fighter |
| Loening OL | 1923 | 165 | Biplane flying boat |
| Loening C-1 | 1928 | 8 | Biplane flying boat |
| Loening C-2 | 1928 | 36 | Biplane flying boat |
| Loening XSL | 1931 | 1 | Submarine-based monoplane pusher engine flying boat |
| Loening C-5 | 1934 | 1 | Development of XSL |
| Loening XFL | N/A | 0 | Unbuilt carrier-based fighter |
See also
[edit | edit source]References
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External links
[edit | edit source]
- Defunct aircraft manufacturers of the United States
- American companies established in 1917
- Manufacturing companies established in 1917
- Manufacturing companies disestablished in 1932
- 1917 establishments in New York (state)
- 1932 disestablishments in New York City
- 1928 mergers and acquisitions
- Defunct manufacturing companies based in New York City
- Aeronautical company stubs