RETRO: 1949 Crosley First Disc Brake Used Airplane Parts

RETRO: 1949 Crosley First Disc Brake Used Airplane Parts

In 1949, the tiny Crosley two-door weighed just 1,000 lbs, and the brakes were hydraulically actuated 6-inch discs. The brakes were adapted from a Goodyear-Hawley design and used off-the-shelf aviation parts. While this article from the April 1949 issue touts the advanced design and jet-age technology of the Crosley, after a year, the system was dropped for two reasons. First, the aircraft alloy parts had corrosion problems. Second, airplanes typically use the brakes only during takeoff and landing. Thus, constant use of the brakes caused the caliper mechanism to fail prematurely.

In 1949, the tiny Crosley two-door weighed just 1,000 lbs, and the brakes were hydraulically actuated 6-inch discs. The brakes were adapted from a Goodyear-Hawley design and used off-the-shelf aviation parts. While this article from the April 1949 issue touts the advanced design and jet-age technology of the Crosley, after a year, the system was dropped for two reasons. First, the aircraft alloy parts had corrosion problems. Second, airplanes typically use the brakes only during takeoff and landing. Thus, constant use of the brakes caused the caliper mechanism to fail prematurely. 

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