Wright XF3W Apache
| XF3W | |
|---|---|
| |
| Wright XF3W Apache | |
| Role | Racer |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Wright Aeronautical Corporation |
| First flight | 5 May Template:Avyear[1] |
| Number built | 1 |
The Wright XF3W was an American racing aircraft built by Wright Aeronautical Corporation for the United States Navy.
Development and design
After the U.S. Navy declared its preference for radial engines, Wright developed the P-1 Simoon. To demonstrate the engine, the F3W was designed to carry it. The F3W was a single-seat biplane, with a steel tubing fuselage and wood wings, covered by fabric. Designed to be a carrier-based fighter and powered by the Simoon engine, its performance was poor. After the Navy took delivery of the aircraft, they installed a rival companies engine, the Pratt & Whitney R-1340 radial. The aircraft was redesignated XF3W, and flew with the new engine for the first time on 5 May 1926. [1]
Operational history
The Navy used the XF3W as a test bed for the Pratt & Whitney engine until 1930, during which time the aircraft set a number of records. On September 6, 1926, the XF3W set the world altitude record for seaplanes of 38,500 ft (11,700 m). On April 6, 1930, it set the landplane altitude record of 43,166 ft (13,157 m).
Specifications
Data from Angelucci, 1987. p. 462.[1]
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
Performance
References
Bibliography
- Angelucci, Enzo (1987). The American Fighter from 1917 to the present. New York: Orion Books. ISBN 0-517-56588-9.