Ford Trimotor

Ford Trimotor
(EAA) Ford 4-AT-E Trimotor "NC8407", 2005
Type:	Airliner
Design country:	United States
Manufacturer:	Stout Metal Airplane Co.- Division of Ford Motor Company
First flight:	June 11, 1926
Commissioning:	August 2, 1926
Production time:	1926 to 1933
Number of pieces:	199

Ford Trimotor is the common name for the three-engine passenger aircraft of the types Ford 4-AT and Ford 5-AT , which were produced by the Stout Metal Airplane Company , a subsidiary of the Ford Motor Company , from 1926 to 1933.

history

A Ford Trimotor of the first version 4-AT-A, which only offered space for eight passengers

cockpit

cabin

Basis of Trimotor series was that of William Bushnell Stout developed and with a Liberty engine equipped Stout 2-AT ( A ir T ransport), were made by the eleven machines. Only a prototype of the Stout 3-AT derived from it was created. For this, the concept of the self-supporting shoulder deck with metal planking made of corrugated iron was adopted . The machine had three bare radial engines . On January 17, 1926, a fire destroyed the production facilities and the prototype, which led to a dispute between Henry Ford and William Stout, who was subsequently fired by Ford.

On the basis of the Stout 3-AT, the development of an improved version began in February 1926, which was equipped with three 202 hp Wright J-4 Whirlwind engines. The prototype called Ford 4-AT , which was designed for eight passengers, completed its maiden flight on June 11, 1926 (test pilot: "Shorty" Schroeder ). The first series version emerged from it, the 4-AT-A , of which 14 machines were manufactured. The first 4-AT-A was put into service on August 2, 1926 by the company's own airline Ford Air Transport and used by her on CAM routes 6 and 7 from Detroit to Chicago and Cleveland . The following 4-AT-B had a larger wingspan and was designed for two pilots and twelve passengers. Series production of the Ford 4-AT series ended in 1929 with the 4-AT-E version .

Of the extended successor, the 5-AT , which was designed for up to 17 passengers and made its maiden flight in mid-1928, a total of 112 machines of different variants were built. The 5-AT series had an enlarged wingspan of 23.72 m , a newly designed, larger fuselage and more powerful Wasp engines. Versions produced in larger numbers were the 5-AT-B (42 machines) and 5-AT-C (48 machines) with a design for 15 or 17 passengers. The later versions differed mainly in their engines. Series production of the AT-5 ended in 1933.

The successful aircraft series quickly received the nickname "Tin-Goose " (sheet metal goose) or (based on the Ford Model T ) "Tin Lizzie" (sheet metal Lizzie). Pilots reported very good-natured flight characteristics, so that the machine could easily fly with only two engines in an emergency. It was also sturdy, extremely versatile, and so durable that some specimens still fly today. In the 1960s, attempts were made to revive the concept of the Trimotor in the form of the Bushmaster 2000 , but this was unsuccessful.

Versions

Ford 4-AT

The following versions of the AT-4 were manufactured:

3-AT

original prototype, still known as Stout 3-AT, which was destroyed by fire on January 17, 1926.

4-AT

Prototype of a passenger aircraft for eight passengers, equipped with three 200 hp (149 kW) nine- cylinder Wright J-4 radial engines ; a built airplane.

4-AT-A

first series model based on the 4-AT; 14 aircraft built.

4-AT-B

Series version with a wingspan increased from 20.97 m to 22.53 m and nine-cylinder radial engines of the improved Wright J-5 type with 220 hp (164 kW), designed for two pilots and twelve passengers; 35 aircraft built.

4-AT-C

based on the 4-AT-B, but with 400 HP (298 kW) nine-cylinder radial engines of the Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp type ; a built machine.

4-AT-D

based on the 4-AT-B, but with wings that were taken over from the AT-5, three aircraft built, each of which received different engines for test purposes.

4-AT-E

last production version manufactured in 1929 based on the 4-AT-B, but with detailed changes and Wright J-6 Whirlwind engines with an output of 300 hp (220 kW); 24 aircraft built.

4-AT-F

based on the 4-AT-E, but with detail changes; an aircraft subsequently built in 1931.

9-AT

based on the 4-AT-B, but with engines of the type Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Junior , which developed 300 PS (224 kW); a converted airplane.

11-AT

based on the 4-AT-E, but converted to 225 HP (268 kW) diesel engines of the Packard DR-980 300 HP (224 kW); an airplane.

C-3

the USAAC procured a 4-AT-A for evaluation under the designation XC-3 in February 1928 , which was subsequently given the designation C-3.

C-3A

Ford then received an order for seven more 4-AT-E, which entered service as the C-3A in 1929.

C-9

from mid-1929 used military designation for the seven C-3A after they had received more powerful Wright-R-975-1 engines. The last copy was taken out of service in 1936.

JR-1

in March 1927 the US Navy procured the fourth serial machine of the 4-AT-A and gave it the designation XJR-1 ; later renamed RR-1.

JR-2

two 4-AT-E of the US Navy , the 1929 in Nicaragua stationed US Marine Corps were assigned unit VJ 6M; the designation was changed from JR-2 to RR-2 in 1931 .

Ford 5-AT

5-AT-A

based on the 4-AT series, but with a larger and higher fuselage, extended wingspan to 23.72 m and Wasp engines that developed 420 hp (313 kW); three aircraft built.

5-AT-B

Series version, designed for up to 15 passengers, equipped with engines of the same power type Wasp C-1 or, alternatively, Wasp SC-1; 42 aircraft built.

5-AT-C

Series version, designed for up to 17 passengers, equipped with the identical engines of the 5-AT-B; 48 aircraft built.

5-AT-D

based on the 5-AT-C, but with a higher takeoff weight and Wasp -SC engines with an output of 450 hp (336 kW); 24 aircraft built.

6-AT-A

based on the 5-AT-C, but with J-6 Whirlwind engines ; three aircraft manufactured.

7-AT-A

modified 6-AT-A, instead of the J-6 engine, a 420 hp (313 kW) Wasp engine was mounted on the bow ; a converted airplane.

8-AT

in 1931 presented cargo machine based on the 5-AT-C with a single 650 HP (478 kW) Hispano-Suiza engine on the aircraft nose; a built aircraft that was taken over by Pacific Alaska Airways and operated by them with floating runners.

13-A

Retrofitting a 5-AT-D with two J-6 engines and a Wright Cyclone radial engine mounted on the bow with an output of 575 hp (429 kW); a modified aircraft.

C-4

In mid-1929 USAAC procured a 5-AT-B for testing under the designation C-4. The Army then put four AT-5-D into service as C-4A in 1931. In 1932 the C-4 was upgraded to the C-4A standard. A C-4A received R-1340 engines, which was associated with a name change to C-4B . In early 1934 all C-4A were used in the airmail service, one of which was destroyed. The last machine was not taken out of service until mid-1938.

JR-3 / RR

The Bureau of Aeronautics of the US Navy acquired in 1930 three 5-AT-C as a JR-third One was used for staff transportation purposes, while the other two were assigned to Squadron VJ-6M. In 1931 the name was changed to RR-3 . In 1932 two more 5-AT-D were procured as RR-4 and RR-5 . The RR variants remained in service until the end of 1937.

Technical specifications

Parameter	Data of the Ford 5-AT-C Trimotor
crew	2 pilots, 1 flight attendant
length	15.19 m
span	23.72 m
height	4.2 m
Wing area	77.57 m²
Empty mass	3405 kg
Max. Takeoff mass	6129 kg
Tank size	1018 l, with additional tanks 1344 l
Payload	2724 kg
drive	three nine-cylinder radial engines Pratt & Whitney Wasp SC-1 with 420 HP each
Top speed	217 km / h
Cruising speed	185 km / h
Stall speed	103 km / h
Rate of climb	4.8 m / s
Service ceiling	5181 m
normal range	820 km, with additional tanks 1045 km

Web links

Commons : Ford Trimotor  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

1. ^ Robert F. Pauley: Michigan Aircraft Manufacturers . Arcadia Publishing, 2009, ISBN 978-0-7385-5218-7 , pp. 34 ( limited preview in Google Book search).
2. ^ Aero, issue 126, year 1985, page 3518
3. ^ ER Johnson: American Military Transport Aircraft. McFarland and Co., 2013, p. 26 ff.
4. ↑ Dan Shumaker Collection No. 9140, Ford 8-AT-A (X8499)
5. ↑ Pacific Alaska Airways Ford 8-AT-A, NC8499 (c / n 1)
6. ^ ER Johnson: American Military Transport Aircraft. McFarland and Co., 2013, p. 29 ff.