One cannot discuss the Golden Age of Aviation with out acknowledging the Ford Trimotor.It was a key aircraft in the development of modern air travel.July 7,1929 Transcontinental Air Transport (TAT)later to become TWA began Transcontinental passenger service from San Diego to New York by using Ford Trimotors for day travel and passenger trains for night travel with famous passengers as Charles Lindberg and Amelia Earhart.
The Ford Trimotor was based on the general layout of the highly successful Fokker F.VII/3m (q.v.) three-engined high-wing monoplane,
except that the Ford was all-metal with corrugated metal skinning and was tagged with the nicknamed "Tin Goose". It's strong construction and flexible design made it a work horse in many countrys and a variety of power plants in the 300/450 horse power were installed on the Trimotor.It was originally designed by William B. Stout, who, in 1966, reintroduced the type for production as
the Bushmaster 2000, having modernized the design to meet modern-day requirements in terms of safety, comfort and operational
facilities as a simple and cheap transport aircraft for use from small grass fields
| Specifications: | |
|---|---|
| Ford Trimotor | |
| Manufacture: | Stout Metal Airplane Company (FORD) |
| Crew: | Two Pilots/One Stewardess |
| Dimensions: | |
| Wing span: | 77 ft. |
| Length: | 49 ft |
| Height: | 13 ft. |
| Weight: | |
| Max T/O Gross: | 13,250 lbs. |
| Performance: | |
| Maximum Speed: | 135 MPH |
| Cruise Speed: | 115 MPH |
| Stall Speed: | 64 MPH |
| Climb rate: | 1,100 FPM |
| Useful Load: | 4000 lbs. |
| Range: | 550 miles/4 1/2hours |
| Fuel Capacity: | 348 Gallons |
| Powerplant: | |
| Three Pratt & whitney,R-985 9 cylinder, radial air-cooled engines, each providing 450 h.p. @ take-off. | |
© 1998 dgraves549@aol.com
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