LB-1

The L‑B‑1 was a pioneering single‑engine biplane developed by the Huff‑Daland Aero Corporation in the early 1920s. Conceived as a versatile trainer and light transport, the aircraft first flew in March 1922 at Huff‑Daland’s facilities in New York. Its wooden frame covered with fabric, a 220‑horsepower Wright J‑5 radial engine, and a two‑bay wing configuration gave it a modest top speed of 115 mph and a service ceiling of 12,000 feet. The cockpit accommodated a pilot and an observer side‑by‑side, while a small cargo compartment could carry up to 300 lb of freight or a pair of passengers. The L‑B‑1’s robust construction and forgiving handling made it popular with fledgling flight schools and regional airlines, helping to standardize pilot training practices after World War I. Though only a few dozen were built before Huff‑Daland merged into what later became the famed Convair, the aircraft’s emphasis on reliability and ease of maintenance influenced later designs such as the Model A and the early Convair transports. Today the L‑B‑1 is remembered as a modest but significant step toward the commercial aviation boom of the 1930s. Preserved examples can be seen at several aviation museums, where they serve as educational pieces illustrating early interwar engineering.