1 engine

Vought TBU / Consolidated TBY Seawolf

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First flying on 22 December 1941 as the Vultee XTBU-1 2542 as a competitor and contemporary to the very similar TBF Avenger, the Sea Wolf was subject to substantial delays.

Vought XTBU-1 2542

A United States Navy torpedo bomber, because of more vital Vought F4U contracts, production of 180 units was assigned by the government to Vultee (Consolidated) in Sep 1943 as the TBY-2.

The type never saw combat; only 180 of the type were built before cancellation.

TBY-2
Engine: 1 x P&W XR-2800-20, 1850hp
Wingspan: 17.36 m / 56 ft 11 in
Length: 11.96 m / 39 ft 3 in
Height: 4.73 m / 15 ft 6 in
Useful load: 5743 lb
Max. Speed: 492 km/h / 306 mph
Cruise: 165 mph
Stall: 77 mph
Ceiling: 8296 m / 27200 ft
Range: 2422 km / 1505 miles
Armament: 4 x 12.7mm + 1 x 12.7mm machine-guns, 907kg of bombs
Seats: 3

Consolidated P-30 / PB-2 / A-11

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By May 1932 the service had decided to explore the basic Y1P design further. The Y1P-27 and Y1P-28 variants, to be powered by Pratt & Whitney Wasp engines of different marks, were seriously contemplated but never built. Four 503kW supercharged Curtiss V-1710-57 Conqueror-powered service-test machines were completed as P-30s and later machines were redesignated PB-2 (for pursuit, biplace). The basic design, after being allocated several designations, became the principal USAAC two-seat fighter between world wars.

By 1934, flight tests of the P-30 were under way, the aeroplane carrying an officer/pilot and enlisted man/gunner. Gunners found their semi-open perch aboard the P-30 uncomfortable and, at high altitude, very cold. Heavy clothing, required to keep the gunner from freezing, seriously impaired his effectiveness. For this and other reasons, the P-30 was never effective at high altitude, the very regime where USAAC doctrine called for it to fly and fight. Development of the parallel A-11 attack aircraft was suspended after delivery of four airframes and some airmen argued that the P-30, too, had reached the limit of its usefulness. But on 6 December 1934, the Army placed a firm contract for a production batch of 50 P-30As and made plans for the 1st Pursuit Group at Selfridge Field, Michigan, to operate the type. The operational machines received the 522kW Curtiss V-1570-61 powerplant. They became a familiar sight in war games at USAAC aerodromes during the 1930s.
A single P-30A was built as a single-seater and competed without success in the 1936 fighter competition which produced the Curtiss P-36 Mohawk. Shortly after the P-30A entered service, the ‘pursuit bi-place’ category was closed, surviving P-30 airframes becoming PB-2s and the single-seat P-30A becoming the PB-2A. This heavy and heavily-armed fighter was to take in one further designation in an unbuilt variant, XP-33, before passing into history. A few PB-2As (former P-30As) are thought to have remained in service as late as the eve of Pearl Harbour.

P-30A
Engine: 522kW Curtiss V-1570-61
Take-off weight: 2560 kg / 5644 lb
Empty weight: 1953 kg / 4306 lb
Wingspan: 13.39 m / 43 ft 11 in
Length: 9.14 m / 29 ft 12 in
Height: 2.51 m / 8 ft 3 in
Wing area: 27.59 sq.m / 296.98 sq ft
Max. speed: 442 km/h / 275 mph
Cruise speed: 346 km/h / 215 mph
Ceiling: 8530 m / 28000 ft
Range: 820 km / 510 miles
Armament: 2 x 7.62mm fixed machine-guns + 1 x 7.62mm machine-gun in the rear

Consolidated Y1P-25 / Y1A-11

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The P-25 was externally almost a replica of the Lockheed P-24 but slightly larger and heavier. One of Robert Wood’s design engineers moved from Lockheed to Consolidated and retained the goal of creating a fast, two-seat tandem fighter to replace the Berliner-Joyce P-16. The US Army Air Corps in 1932 was sufficiently interested to order two Consolidated Y1P-25 airframes, although the second was soon given the attack function and redesignated Y1A-11. A cantilever low-wing monoplane of all-metal construction (unlike its partly wood Lockheed forbear), the Y1P-25 had retractable landing gear, the familiar Curtiss Conqueror engine, and a rearward-facing machine-gunner. The engine was supercharged, making possible a top speed of 398km/h at 4500m.
First flown in 1932, the Y1P-25 crashed on 13 January 1933 and was written off. The Y1A-11 was also lost that same month. But in its short test life the Y1P-25 had shown sufficient promise for the USAAC to seek further development. Indeed, by May 1932 the service had decided to explore the basic design further. The Y1P-27 and Y1P-28 variants, to be powered by Pratt & Whitney Wasp engines of different marks, were seriously contemplated but never built. Four Conqueror-powered service-test machines were completed as P-30s (see separate entry) and later machines were redesignated PB-2 (for pursuit, biplace) (see separate entry). The basic design, after being allocated several designations, became the principal USAAC two-seat fighter between world wars.

Take-off weight: 2318 kg / 5110 lb
Empty weight: 1763 kg / 3887 lb
Wingspan: 13.36 m / 43 ft 10 in
Length: 8.94 m / 29 ft 4 in
Height: 2.62 m / 8 ft 7 in
Wing area: 27.87 sq.m / 299.99 sq ft
Max. speed: 398 km/h / 247 mph
Cruise speed: 290 km/h / 180 mph
Ceiling: 8230 m / 27000 ft
Range: 933 km / 580 miles
Armament: 2 x 7.62mm fixed machine-guns + 1 x 7.62mm in the rear

Consolidated TW-8 / PT-1 Trusty

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Improvements to the Dayton-Wright Company TW-3 design continued and included the removal of the engine cowling (for improved forward cockpit visibility) and a redesigned fuselage in a slimmer form with tandem instructor/student seating (this model being known as the “Camel” for the visible bump appearing between the two seating areas). The Camel was evaluated under the (unofficial) designation TW-8 and accepted into service as the PT-1 with 221 being delivered beginning 1924 and replacing the TW-3’s in service. The PT-1 represented the first aircraft purchase of the Army Air Service since the closing shots of World War One.

The PT-1 was a biplane aircraft with a simple two-wheel undercarriage, an engine mounted at the front of the design, a traditional tail section and twin side-by-side seating for instructor and student. The aircraft featured a choice of a Clerget or Le Rhone engines. The PT 1 basic trainer included innovations like a fuselage framework from welded chrome molybdenum steel. Because of it was so sturdy and dependable, it was nicknamed “Trusty”.

The PT-1 would eventually be replaced itself by the Consolidated PT-3 from 1928 onwards.

Hollywood’s Paul Mantz owned PT-1E A.C.26-233 two-seater which appeared in the film ‘One Man Mutiny’.

PT-1E A.C.26-233

Consolidated PT-1 Trusty
Engine: 1 x Wright-Hispano E 8-cylinder water-cooled Vee, 180hp.
Length: 27.76ft (8.46m)
Width: 34.45ft (10.50m)
Height: 9.84ft (3.00m)
Empty Weight: 1,806lbs (819kg)
Maximum Take-Off Weight: 2,577lbs (1,169kg)
Maximum Speed: 92mph (148kmh; 80kts)
Cruising speed: 68 kt / 126 km/h
Maximum Range: 350miles (563km)
Rate-of-Climb: 690ft/min (210m/min)
Service Ceiling: 13,448ft (4,099m; 2.5miles)
Accommodation: 2

PT-1E
Engine: Wright V-720, 180 hp

Consolidated TW-3

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The Dayton-Wright Company TA-3 (designated with an “A” for its air-cooled engine operation) was delivered by request with an uprated Le Rhone engine of 110 horsepower. Still further evaluation models were ordered, this time with the requested Wright-Hispano I V-8, 150 horsepower engine of increased power (designated TW-3 with the “W” standing for its water-cooled engine process) finally culminating in an official order by the USAAS.
Production rights for the trainer were secured by the newly-created Consolidated Aircraft Company (established by Reuben Fleet of the Gallaudet firm) as General Motors was reviewing their commitment to aircraft production in a post-war world and would eventually shut down operations at Dayton-Wright altogether. The TW-3 was delivered by 1923 and became the first notable variant of the “Trusty” production line.

Condor Flugzeugwerft 1912 biplane

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This 1912 design is claimed as the third design of Kommissar Hans von Klösterlein from Cologne (Cöln).

The design was built by the Condor Flugzeugwerft and according to Flugsport a 60 PS Basse & Salve engine was fitted. This is a single engine machine, where the engine drive two propeller – set on a rod fore and aft – via a chain.

The machine hopped or flew a little on the military exercise field on the Merheimer Heide in Köln-Merheim.