Arcraft Quiz #49

DougRobertson

What was the World's very First successful aircraft to be nicknamed the "Flying Whale"? This aircraft featured a number of aircraft "Firsts".

(The 1914 concept aircraft called "Sky Whale" does not count for a right answer).

1. Builder?

2a. Aircraft nomenclature? 2b. Year of conception? 2c. Variant nomenclature?

3a., 3b. Name at least two of the aircraft's several "Firsts".

4a. Total production number built? 4b. What was unusual about the number of production aircraft built? Be specific with your answer.

A tough quiz-prove me wrong

SunvisorFlyer

So, I don't know everything here, but I think this is the right aircraft

1. Curtiss-Wright Corporation

2a. C-46 Commando

2b. 1937, first flight 1940

2c. CW20, R5C-1, various others

3a. Double-bubble fuselage

3b. A tunnel cowl on the engine nacelle

4a. 3181

4b. Not sure

DougRobertson

Sorry, wrong on all answers. Please keep trying.

SunvisorFlyer

Shoot. C-46 is the "flying coffin", not whale. I'll keep thinking.

DougRobertson

The Curtiss C-46 transport was derived from a commercial design, the pressurized CW-20; and unrelated to the quiz question. Please keep trying.

Helicopterfriend

1.Builder? Boeing

2a. Aircraft nomenclature? In 1935 Boeing designed a four-engined airliner based on its B-17 heavy bomber (Boeing Model 299), then in development, calling it the Model 307. It combined the wings, tail, rudder, landing gear, and engines from their production B-17C with a new, circular cross-section fuselage of 138 in (351 cm) diameter, designed to allow pressurization.

2b. Year of conception? 1935

2c. Variant nomenclature? 300 original concept designation of 307.

307 equipped with Wright Cyclone GR-1820-G102 engines with single speed supercharger; 5 crew.

307B equipped with Wright Cyclone GR-1820-G105A engines with two-speed supercharger for improved high altitude performance; seven crew.

C-75 Five Trans World 307Bs were pressed into service with the USAAF as military transports; the cabin pressurization was removed to save weight.

307B-1 Following military service, the C-75s were overhauled and updated with B-17G wings and Tail plane, four Wright Cyclone GR-1820-G606 engines, and B-29-type electronics.

3a., The first in-service pressurized airplane and airliner

3b. Name at least two of the aircraft's several "Firsts". First airplane to have a flight engineer as a member of the crew

4a. Total production number built? 10

4b. What was unusual about the number of production aircraft built? Be specific with your answer. Production stopped at the onset of war, and five were drafted into the Army Transport Command as C-75 military transports.

DougRobertson

Sorry Walt, wrong on all answers. Please keep trying.

moxy

I'll give this a whirl.

1. Martin

2a. Model 123 (B-10)

2b. 1932

2c. XB-907, XB-10, YB-10, YB-10A, XB-14, B-12A, B-10B.

3a. First all metal monoplane bomber used by USAAF.

3b. First mass produced bomber that had a better performance than the pursuit aircraft used by the army at the time.

4a 348 4b. The order for 103 B-10B models by the army was the largest procurement of bomber aircraft since WW1.

DougRobertson

Pretty good whirl, Rob! Here are my answers.

1. Glenn L. Martin Company.

2a. Same. Designed/prototype built without ANY military contract as Martin Model 123. Unusual at the time.

2b. 1932

2c. Yours plus XB-907A, B-10, B-12.

3a. 3b. First all metal monoplane bomber produced in quantity-having retractable landing gear, rotating gun turret, enclosed cockpits. Flew faster (207 mph) at 6,000' by XB-907A than any US Army Air Corps pursuit/fighter aircraft of the time in level flight.

4a. Same, 4b. Yes, plus MORE production B-10s (189 B-10 variants) were built on contracts for export to foreign nations than were built/delivered to the USAAC-that was an unusual "first".

The Martin B-10 bomber won the Collier trophy in 1932, presented by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and was "nicknamed" Flying Whale. The B-10 served with EVERY US Army Air Corps bomb group in the 1930s. The B-10 was the first bomber to test the famed Norden Bomb Sight. It's speed did not require pursuit/fighter escort for defense in combat missions. The Netherlands and the China B-10 export versions saw combat in WWII.

The B-10B had two Wright Cyclone R-1830-33 9 cylinder radials of 775 Hp each. The B-12A version had two Pratt & Whitney Hornet R-1690-11 radials of 775 Hp each. There were several variant engines among the XB and B-10's and -12's models. General Henry H. "Hap" Arnold led ten B-10s to Alaska from Washington, D.C. and back (8,290 miles) and called the B-10 "the airpower wonder of its day." The B-10 was overtaken in the late 1930s by the Boeing B-17 prior to WWII. Only ONE Martin B-10 remains to this day, on display in the Early Years Gallery of the United States Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson AFB. I've seen it there-but no photo taken then.

Specs-Martin B-10B 4/5 seat all-metal mid-wing light bomber, enclosed cockpits.

Powerplants: two Wright Cyclone R-1820-33 9 cylinder radials- 775 hp each

Max speed: 213 mph at 6,000' Cruise speed 193 mph

Service ceiling: 24,200'

Range: 1,240 miles

Weights: Empty-9,681 lb, max takeoff 16,400 lb

Wing Span: 70' 6"

Length: 44' 9"

Height: 15' 5"

Wing area: 678 sq. ft.

Armament: Three 0.30 cal (7.62 mm) machine guns-one each in nose & rear turrets and one in ventral position. With up to 2,260 lb of bombs carried internally.

Thanks to all who viewed/tried this quiz.