Standard E-1

The Standard E‑1 was a single‑seat, low‑wing monoplane produced by the Standard Aircraft Corporation in the closing years of World War I. Designed in 1917 as an experimental fighter‑trainer, the aircraft first flew in early 1918 from the company’s facilities in Long Island, New York. Although only a handful of prototypes were built, the E‑1 embodied several forward‑looking concepts that would influence later American designs. Its 80 hp Le Roi rotary engine gave the type a top speed of roughly 115 mph and a respectable climb rate for the period, while the streamlined wooden fuselage and fabric‑covered wings reduced drag compared with contemporary biplanes. The aircraft featured a simple yet sturdy steel tube forward structure, an adjustable cockpit for pilot training, and detachable wing panels that facilitated transport and storage.

The Standard E‑1 never entered mass production, but its development provided critical data on monoplane stability, control surface sizing, and aerodynamic polishing that fed directly into the post‑war Standard J‑1 and the broader shift toward low‑wing fighters in the United States. As a bridge between wartime biplane practice and the emerging interwar monoplane era, the E‑1 holds a modest but noteworthy place in aviation history.

Standard Aircraft Corporation

Classification

Production & History

Design & Classification