The Stout Metal Airplane ST-1 was a specialized military prototype developed in 1922 by the Stout Metal Airplane Company. Based in the Detroit, Michigan area, the company was founded by William Bushnell Stout, who served as the primary designer and driving force behind the aircraft's development. The ST-1 was commissioned by the U.S. Navy to serve as a twin-engine torpedo bomber, marking an early attempt to integrate all-metal construction into naval aviation during an era when most aircraft utilized mixed structures of wood and metal covered in fabric.
Technically, the ST-1 was a significant departure from contemporary design norms. It is recognized as one of the first cantilever-wing aircraft produced in the United States, a feature that eliminated the need for external bracing and contributed to its streamlined profile. The aircraft featured a wingspan of 60 feet, a length of 37 feet, and a height of 14 feet. In terms of weight, the prototype had an empty weight of 6,557 lb and a gross weight of 9,817 lb. Its fuel capacity was rated at 195 gallons.
Performance data for the ST-1 indicates a maximum speed of 110 mph and a landing speed of 58 mph. The aircraft was capable of reaching a service ceiling of 10,000 feet. While the U.S. Navy ordered the aircraft as a military prototype, there is no documented evidence of the ST-1 engaging in operational combat service or being deployed in wartime units.
The legacy of the ST-1 is tied closely to the evolution of the American aviation industry. The Stout Metal Airplane Company was acquired by the Ford Motor Company in 1924, subsequently becoming the Stout Metal Airplane Division of the Ford Motor Company. This organizational transition, fueled by the technical experiments seen in the ST-1, eventually led to the development of more successful aircraft, most notably the Ford Trimotor. Ford eventually closed its aircraft design and production division in 1936. No surviving airframes or museum examples of the ST-1 are known to exist today.