In 1924, the Laird Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas, introduced its new light multi-purpose aircraft, named Laird Commercial. This was a three-seater, single-strut biplane with an open cockpit, initially powered by an eight-cylinder Curtiss OX-5 engine of 90 hp with a two-bladed propeller.
Early Development and Powerplants
Several units were also produced with a six-cylinder Curtiss C-6 engine of 160 hp. These variants included the Laird Commercial Special racing version and another with a 200 hp radial Wright engine.
Evolution and Later Models
In 1926, the company introduced the Laird LC-B Commercial variant, featuring a 200 hp Wright J-4 radial engine. Subsequently, several dozen copies of this aircraft were built in several main modifications. These included the LC-B200 (LC-1B200) with a 220 hp Wright J-5 Whirlwind, and the LC-B300 (LC-1B300) with a Wright J-6 Whirlwind of varying power from 250 to 330 hp. A 1935 variant, the LC-1B, featured an expanded fuselage.
Technical Specifications
| Modification | LC-B300 |
| Wingspan (upper) | 10.00 |
| Wingspan (lower) | 9.10 |
| Aircraft length, m | 7.24 |
| Aircraft height, m | 2.82 |
| Wing area, m2 | 27.40 |
| Empty weight | 875 |
| Maximum takeoff weight | 1370 |
| Fuel, l | 290 |
| Engine type | 1 Piston engine Wright J-6 Whirlwind |
| Power, hp | 1 x 300 |
| Maximum speed, km/h | 240 |
| Cruising speed, km/h | 190 |
| Practical range, km | 890 |
| Rate of climb, m/min | 486 |
| Crew, crew | 1 |
| Payload | 2 passengers |
Image gallery of the Laird Commercial
