In 1930 Boeing designed the Monomail 200 prototype.Designed as a high speed mail/passenger plane.The Monomail had a low cantilever wing that provided room for a relatively short lightweight retractable landing gear. The Monomail was so aerodynamically clean that the engine would over-rev in level flight at full throttle because the propeller was adjusted on the ground to a low pitch to provide high enough rpm for takeoff. Achieving the highest possible cruising speed would have required a controllable propeller, which was not yet available. Only two Monomails were built.In 1934 the Department of Commerce made multiengine configurations a requirement for passenger transports. the Monomail's development was a result of Boeing's experience in the airline business during the 1920s.Boeing Air Transport, as the airline subsidary was known, later became the basis for today's United Airlines.
The Monomail was the true begining of the unbroken line of highly successful Boeing airliners leading up to today's Model 777.
SPECIFICATIONS
Span: 59 ft.
Length: 41 ft.
Weight: Payload of 23,000 lbs of mail.
Engine: Pratt & Whitney Hornet 525-hp
PERFORMANCE
Maximum speed: 158 mph.
Range: 600 miles
© 1998 dgraves549@aol.com
|
Home |
Links
Gee Bee |
|
Pictures |
Golden Age of Aviation | Organizations | Book Store | Special Interest | Weather | Golden AgeHistory | Historical Records | Engines | Hangar | Written & Edited by Darrell Graves |
Get your own Free Home Page