Piper-Stinson 108-3 Voyager
Single-engine four-seat high-wing cabin monoplane

Archive Photos¹

Piper-Stinson 108-3 Voyager (N4143C, c/n 108-5143, 1950) on display at the 1992 Hawthorne Air Faire, Hawthorne, California (Photos by John Shupek)

Overview²

Originally the Taylor Aircraft Company, this firm was reorganized and renamed the Piper Aircraft Corp. in 1937.

in 1938, the Company’s first full year of production, 737 Cubs were built. The 1939 production totaled 1,806 and in 1940 3,016 Cubs were delivered. Production was further stepped up in 1941 and before the end of that year the 10,000th Cub had been completed.

During World War II, the Piper company produced the L-4 Grasshopper light liaison and observation monoplane.

After World War II, Piper re-entered the commercial market with the PA-11 Cub Special, a post-war version of the L-4 Grasshopper, and the new PA-12 Super Cruiser.

During 1949 Piper announced the PA-11 Trainer, PA-14 Family Cruiser, the PA-15, the PA-16 Clipper, the PA-17 Vagabond, and the Piper-Stinson Voyager and Piper-Stinson Station Wagon. The Piper-Stinson Voyager and the Piper-Stinson Station Wagon were added to the Piper range when on 1 December 1948, the Piper took over the Stinson Division from the Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation.

Specfications and Performance Data (1950 Piper-Stinson Voyager)²

Type

• Four-seat cabin monoplane.

Wings

• Strut-braced high-wing monoplane, NACA 4412 airfoil section.
• All-metal structure attached to the top of fuselage and braced to bottom of fuselage by V-struts on each side.
• Fabric covering.
• Dihedral 2½°.
• Metal ailerons with fabric covering.
• All-metal slotted flaps between ailerons and fuselage.
• Fixed leading-edge slots ahead of ailerons.

Fuselage

• Welded steel-tube structure.
• Vertical frames, longitudinal stringers and fabric covering.

Tail Unit

• Cantilever monoplane type.
• Metal structure with metal covering over all surfaces..
• Horn-balanced rudder and elevators.
• Trim-tab in port elevator.

Landing Gear

• Fixed two-wheel type.
• Each main wheel carried on single cantilever hydraulic shock-absorber strut.
• Mental spats.
• Hydraulic single-disc brakes.
• Steerable full-swiveling tail-wheel.
• Wheel landing gear may be replaced by skis or twin Edo floats.

Power Plant

• One 165 hp Franklin 6A4-150-B3 six-cylinder horizontally-opposed direct-drive air-cooled engine.
• Sensenich two-blade fixed-pitch wooden airscrew.
• Four-piece cowling.
• Fuel capacity 50 US gallons (189 liters).
• Oil capacity: two US gallons (7.6 liters).

Accommodation

• Enclosed cabin seating four in two pairs.
• Dual controls.
• Access door on each side.
• Fiberglas soundproofing.

Dimensions

• Wing span: 33 ft 11 in (10.33 m)
• Wing chord: 4 ft 9 in (1.45 m)
• Aileron span: 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m)
• Flap span: 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
• Slot span: 3 ft 2 in (0.96 m)
• Length: 25 ft 2 in (7.667 m)
• Height: 7 ft 6 in (2.28 m)
• Wheel track: 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m).
• Wheel base (tail down): 18 ft 7 in (5.66 m)
• Propeller diameter: 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
• Ground clearance (tail-up): 9.14 in (23 cm)

Areas

• Wing Area, gross: 155 ft² (14.39 m²)
• Aileron area (total): 18.02 ft² (1.67 m²)
• Flap area (total): 12.22 ft² (1.13 m²)

Weights and Loadings

• Weight empty: 1,294 lb (587 kg)
• Disposable load: 1,106 lb (502 kg)
• Weight loaded: 2,400 lb (1,089 kg)
• Wing loading: 15.5 lb/ft² (75.64 kg/m²)
• Our loading: 14.5 lb/hp (6.58 kg/hp)

Performance

• Cruising speed at 5,000 ft (1,525 m): 130 mph (208 kmh)
• Landing speed: 51 mph (82 kmh)
• Climb at S/L: 770 ft/min (235 m/min)
• Service ceiling: 14,000 ft (5,265 m)
• Range: 554 miles (870 km)
• Take-off run at sea level: 525 ft (160 m)

References

1. Photos: John Shupek
2. Bridgman, Leonard. (editor). Jane’s All The World’s Aircraft 1949-50, Sampson Low, Marston & Company, Ltd., London, 1949, pages 268c-269c