Robert Cumberford Design Article

[Mark Nankivil]

Good Day All -

Back when I was a fair bit younger, I remember this article in the November 1970 issue of Air Progress called "Light Planes of the '70s" by Robert Cumberford. I was fascinated by the design presented by the author in the article but alas, nothing of the sort came to pass. Still, the designs are interesting and worth sharing.

Enjoy the Day! Mark

 

[hesham]

Great find my dear Mark.

 

[riggerrob]

Robert Cumberford wrote a series of articles for "Air Progress" magazine back during the 1970s. Some were run-of-the-mill civil aviation. Some articles were humourous (e.g. fictional, updated Reno Air Races). But I especially liked Cumberford's design articles.
I think Cumberford also wrote a few articles for "Homebuilt Airplanes" (?) back during the early 1970s.

Last thing I heard (2001) was that Robert Cumberford was flying business jets out of Switzerland. Mind you, that story came from a Las Vegas taxi-driver named Cumberford who claimed to be his brother ......

 

[Apophenia]

All cabbies love to spin a good yarn ;D Since 1985, Robert Cumberford has been the Automotive Design Editor at Automobile magazine.

http://www.automobilemag.com/news/profile-automotive-design-editor-robert-cumberford/

 

[riggerrob]

Some of Cumberford's ideas made it into production.

His T-tail mounted propeller was incorporated into the Windex motor glider and Seawind production lines.

His composite fuselage and sheet metal wing configuration makes for ease of assembly on the Glastar series of kit-built bush planes.

For example, his mid-engined, tractor-propeller configuration powers the Stemme 10 motor-glider. Everyone who flies Stemmes delivers rave reviews.

Cumberford's catamaran seaplane predicts the lines of the prototype Privateer floatplane currently in development.