Experimental

Testing the Boundaries of Early Observation Design

Alongside its production observation aircraft, Consolidated inherited and developed a series of experimental observation types—aircraft that never saw large-scale deployment but quietly shaped the engineering path of the company. These were the prototypes, testbeds, and one-off designs that allowed Consolidated’s engineers to explore new materials, new control systems, and aerodynamic refinements long before they appeared in mass-produced airplanes.

Though less documented and far less famous than the O-19, these experimental projects reflected Reuben Fleet’s belief that aviation could only advance through measured, persistent innovation. Each prototype—successful or not—offered insights that influenced the next generation of aircraft.

Why Experimental Aircraft Mattered

In the late 1920s and early 1930s, observation roles demanded new ideas:

better visibility for mapping and photography
stronger structures for rough, improvised fields
improved cockpit layouts for communication
more reliable engines for long-duration patrol
aerodynamic refinements for stability

Production aircraft could not test every idea. Experimental projects allowed engineers to evaluate innovations without disrupting the military’s contract flow.

These prototypes helped identify which improvements were worth pursuing and which concepts were not yet ready for service.

The Thomas-Morse Legacy and Consolidated’s Innovation

When Fleet acquired the Thomas-Morse Aircraft Company, he did not simply obtain completed designs—he acquired unfinished ideas, prototypes in development, and the engineers who had been testing new approaches to observation work.

Dorothy Fleet notes that Reuben moved the entire Thomas-Morse operation to Buffalo, tools and personnel included, ensuring that the experimental work continued inside Consolidated’s walls.

This infusion of experience provided Consolidated with:

access to evolving Army requirements
the ability to test improvements without risking existing contracts
a design culture that welcomed incremental innovation

Many of these experimental types never entered full production, yet they informed the refinement of the O-19 and contributed to the company’s future designs.

A Human Moment: Keeping the Engineers Working

During the Depression, experimental aircraft programs also served a practical purpose: they kept engineers employed.

William Wagner records that in 1932, only about a hundred airplanes were sold in the entire United States—an astonishingly small number for the whole aviation industry.
While production work slowed, experimental projects helped maintain Consolidated’s design capability and ensured that skilled engineers remained with the company instead of dispersing to competitors.

This continuity proved essential when larger, more ambitious military contracts arrived in the mid-1930s.

What These Experiments Led To

Though few experimental observation aircraft gained their own designations, their influence can be traced into several major Consolidated successes:

cockpit visibility improvements carried into patrol aircraft
stronger landing gear designs incorporated into flying boats
control refinements that improved the P2Y and XP3Y
understanding of long-endurance handling that shaped the PBY Catalina
internal design processes later used to build the B-24 Liberator

In other words, these prototypes were not dead ends—they were stepping stones.

Legacy of the Experimental Observation Program

Consolidated’s experimental observation aircraft represent the quiet, essential work that underpins every major aviation accomplishment. They were not built to be famous. They were built to teach.

From them, Consolidated gained:

risk-free spaces to test innovation
insight into Army needs and preferences
engineering habits that emphasized reliability
design principles that scaled into larger aircraft

These experimental types rarely appear in museums or history books, yet they form a hidden foundation beneath the company’s greatest triumphs.

Explore More

O-Series Overview
O-19
Recon Development