title: American Gyro AG-4 Crusader
text: # American Gyro AG-4 Crusader
  
  The American Gyro AG-4 Crusader is a small twin engine aircraft. The aircraft was designed as the Shelton Flying Wing in 1933 by Thomas Miles Shelton.
  
  ## Design
  
  The AG-4 was developed using wind tunnel tests. The American Gyro AG-4 Crusader is an aluminum skinned four place low-wing twin engine aircraft with fixed conventional landing gear, twin tail booms with individual rudders, and a teardrop shaped fuselage. The wing uses trailing edge flaps and 25 gallon fuel tanks are mounted in each wing root. Retractable landing gear were also tested on the model.
  
  ## Operational history
  
  The prototype was painted a copper color with green leather seats. It was tested in 1935 at Denver Colorado. The aircraft was funded from stock issued in the Crusader Aircraft Corporation, a parent of the American Gyro Company. The company folded in 1938 under securities fraud investigations before the Crusader could go into production
  
  ## Popular culture
  
  Tootsietoy came out with a die-cast metal toy of the plane, No. 719 in its catalogue. Hubley and Wyandotte also made toys based on the Shelton Flying Wing.
  
  ## Variants
  
  ### American Gyro AG-6 Buccaneer
  
      A six place variant design powered by Menasco engines
  
  ## Specifications (AG-4 Crusader)
  
  Data from AAHS Journal
  
  General characteristics
  
  * Crew: 1
  * Capacity: 3 passengers
  * Length: 21 ft 7 in (6.58 m)
  * Wingspan: 36 ft (11 m)
  * Height: 7 ft (2.1 m)
  * Wing area: 206 sq ft (19.1 $m^2)$
  * Empty weight: 2,000 lb (907 kg)
  * Gross weight: 3,000 lb (1,361 kg)
  * Fuel capacity: 50 gal
  * Powerplant: 2 × Menasco C4-S Inline four cylinder piston, 150 hp (110 kW) each
  * Propellers: 2-bladed
  
  Performance
  
  * Maximum speed: 202 kn (233 mph, 375 km/h)
  * Cruise speed: 180 kn (210 mph, 340 km/h)
  * Range: 520 nmi (600 mi, 970 km)
  * Service ceiling: 24,000 ft (7,300 m)
  * Rate of climb: 1,760 ft/min (8.9 m/s)
  