In 1938, Chile's two aircraft manufacturers will be introducing a total of four new aircraft. In January 1938, ENAER opens its new Puerto Montt factory, which will be accompanied by the license to build FMA I-01-II Buchon fighters. Additionally, ENAER will introduce the brand-new ENAER Coati for civilian and military service. Valdivia Aviation, noted for their very successful twin-engined "Twin Condor" transport, will also be introducing a new flying boat and a compact four-engined transport/airliner.
[SIZE=3]ENAER Coati Advanced Trainer[/SIZE]
Statistics
- Crew: 2 (trainee pilot + instructor)
- Length: 29.5 ft (9m)
- Wingspan: 39.4 ft / 12m
- Height: 9.8 ft / 3m
- Wing area: 226 ft² / 21m²
- Empty weight: 4,400 lbs (1,995 kg)
- Loaded weight: 5,511 lbs (2,500 kg)
- Powerplant: Bristol Mercury (870hp) radial standard, Spartan-900 V12 (900hp) optional
- Armament: 2x.30cal MG (wings) for target training, 5lb or 10lb underwing smoke bombs for training
Performance
- Maximum speed: 250 mph / 402 kph (217 knots)
- Max Range: 400 mi (644 km)
- Service ceiling: 25,000 ft (7,620 m)
- Rate of climb: 7.5 ft/s (2.29 m/s)
Notes
The Coati is a single-engined, retractable-gear, low-wing monoplane with an enclosed cockpit. The instructor sits behind the pilot trainee. Controls are designed to instruct trainees on the information necessary to fly modern frontline fighters. Two .30cal machine guns are installed in the wings for gunnery practice, and five-pound or ten-pound smoke bombs can be carried in underwing stations. It should be noted that the Coati is not armoured for combat. Civilians can also purchase the Coati, albeit without bomb racks.
A Coati test aircraft has been demonstrated to be capable of carrier landings, and the plane can be fitted with arrestor hooks; this option is being offered under the name Coati-N. Under the 1938 fiscal year budget, the FACh has ordered thirty-six Coatis, while the Armada de Chile Arma Aerea has ordered twelve Coati-N for training purposes. An additional foreign customer is also reportedly interested in the Coati-N.
[SIZE=3]ENAER Sea Coati Naval Recce Plane[/SIZE]
Statistics
- Crew: 2 (pilot + spotter/radioman)
- Length: 31 ft (9.5m)
- Wingspan: 42 ft / 12.8m
- Height: 9.8 ft / 3m
- Wing area: 236.8 ft² / 22m²
- Empty weight: 5,100 lbs (2,313 kg)
- Loaded weight: 6,000 lbs (2,721 kg)
- Powerplant: Bristol Mercury (870hp) radial, optional Spartan-900 V12 (900hp)
- Armament: 2x.30cal MG (rear cockpit), two under-wing depth-charges or 100lbs bombs
Performance
- Maximum speed: 185 mph / 418 kph (225 knots)
- Max Range: 700 mi (1,126.5 km)
- Service ceiling: 18,000 ft (5,486.4 m)
- Rate of climb: 7 ft/s (2.13 m/s)
Notes
The Armada de Chile Arma Aerea (AdCAA) requested ENAER to look into developing a modern monoplane for use as floatplane scouts aboard the Navy's cruisers. ENAER, in the midst of developing the Coati advanced trainer, decided to use the design as the basis for a floatplane prototype. The ENAER design team quickly determined that merely fitting the Coati design with floats was insufficient, as the floats cut into speed and the Coati's range proved too limited for the AdCAA's use. The designers remodeled the aircraft and modified its dimensions, increasing range by 75% and managing to provide capacity to carry two depth charges or very light bombs. The machine-guns were also moved to the rear of the cockpit, as their former positioning interfered with the need for folding wings. Originally, the Sea Coati was equipped with two twin floats under the fuselage, but the designers later modified their design to carry a single float, with wingtip stabilizers, as they found this worked better for the plane's aerodynamics and stability. The Armada de Chile has placed an order for twenty-four Sea Coatis.
[SIZE=3]Valdivia Frigatebird Flying Boat[/SIZE]
Statistics
- Crew: 2 (pilot + spotter/radioman) + 4-6 passengers with
- Length: 42.6 ft (13m)
- Wingspan: 59 ft / 18m
- Height: 17.2 ft / 5.25m
- Wing area: 333.7 ft² / 31m²
- Empty weight: 5,952 lbs (2700 kg)
- Loaded weight: 11,000 lbs (4,989 kg)
- Powerplant: Two de Havilland Gipsy Twelve inline piston engines, 525 hp
- Armament: 2x.30cal MG (rear cockpit)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 200 mph / 321.9 kph (173.8 knots)
- Max Range: 920 mi ( km)
- Service ceiling: 12,000 ft (3,657 m)
- Rate of climb: 6.4 ft/s (1.95 m/s)
Notes
The Valdivia Frigatebird was designed as a parasol-winged flying boat for the Armada de Chile. The Frigatebird has two engines in a sponson, operating in push-pull configuration, above the wings. A passenger-compartment aft of the cockpit is suitable for four to six passengers in cramped conditions. The Frigatebird was offered to the Armada de Chile Arma Aerea for consideration as a shipboard floatplane, but the AdCAA felt the Sea Coati, despite its lesser speed, was the superior aircraft. Nevertheless the AdCAA has purchased two as patrol and liaison planes for the region of Tierra del Fuego and the southern coast.
[SIZE=3]Valdivia Royal Condor Airliner[/SIZE]
Statistics
- Crew: 2
- Passengers: 16-22
- Length: 60 ft (18.3m)
- Wingspan: 76 ft / 23.2m
- Height: 19 ft / 5.8m
- Wing area: 645 ft² / 59.9m²
- Empty weight: 6,613.9 lbs (3,000 kg)
- Loaded weight: 10,472 lbs (4,750 kg)
- Powerplant: 4x de Havilland Gipsy Twelve 12 piston engines, 525 hp
Performance
- Maximum speed: 250 mph / 402 kph (217 knots)
- Max Range: 1,600 mi (2,574 km)
- Service ceiling: 23,000 ft (7,010 m)
- Rate of climb: 7 ft/s (2.13 m/s)
Notes
The Royal Condor is a high-winged four-engine airliner capable of carrying up to twenty-two passengers. The designers at Valdivia Aviation were seeking to build a native Chilean airliner, but did not feel their company could compete with the various foreign-built airliners with their increasing size, capacity, comfort and speed. As a result, Valdivia decided to build an airliner intended to operate off smaller runways which the newer, larger airliners are not able to service (many Chilean runways are shorter in any case). Though the prototype Royal Condor performed fairly well, in October 1937 the prototype stalled out in midair and pancaked during landing tests (fortunately without casualties). The designers spent most of summer '37-'38 working on the flaps, finally contracting the designer of the "Fowler flaps" to design a complicated double-flap arrangement. The plane finally entered service in March 1937. One plane has been ordered as a presidential transport, while the remaining orders have been made by civilian airlines.