The 1923 Thomas-Morse S-9 Army trainer was a widened side-by-side cockpit in an all-metal corrugated fuselage, with wings from S-6 and tail from S-4C.
Only one was built but during Army flight tests at Kelly Field TX, it showed structural problems and the pilot bailed out; however, the plane reportedly glided to an “almost-successful landing” except for losing its wings when it went between two trees. It was sent back to Thomas-Morse, but never repaired.
The sole 1919 Thomas-Morse S-7 was designed by W T Thomas, Agnew Larsen, and Raymond Dowd as a side-by-side cockpit two seater, advertised as “The Sociable Seater.”
The Thomas-Morse S-6 of 1919 was Thomas-Morse’s only production with tandem cockpits and dual controls. The one built, NC98, was used in racing competitions, placed second in the 1919 Nationals.
The 1926 Thomas-Morse O-6 is a metal-frame versions of Douglas O-2 built by Thomas-Morse under government contract. One went to McCook Field for testing as P-439 (25-435), and with a 435hp Liberty V-1650-1 was re-designated as O-6 (25-436).
Three production O-6 were built (25-437/439) with Liberty 12 engines.
The XO-6B of 1925 was a re-design of the O-6 with a 450hp P&W R-1340, revised wing covering and bracing, corrugated metal fuselage skin. One (25-440) was built as the prototype for O-19, McCook tested it as P-503.
The Thomas-Morse MB-4 mail carrier of 1920 had a centerline tractor/pusher engine nacelle pod in the middle, and twin fuselages from surplus MB-3s on either side. The bad characteristics included one fuselage tended to take off before the other, no communication between cockpits, and excessive motor vibration.
One went to the USPO but was never used in service and scrapped in 1921. Three went to the US Army (AS64306, AS64373 and AS64374); the first one to McCook Field as P-172.
Engine: 2 x Wright-Hisso H, 300hp Wingspan: 45’6″ Length: 25’5″ Useful load: 2010 lb Max speed: 140 mph Cruise: 122 mph Single-engine cruise: 100 mph Range: 600 mi Seats: 2
The sole Thomas-Morse MB-2 AS25806 of 1918 was powered with a 400hp Liberty 12-C but refitted with 450hp Liberty and four-bladed prop. It still lacked performance and it is not recorded if it ever completed flight tests.
The Thomas-Morse MB-1 of 1918 featured faired lifting struts and parasol wing. Only one was built, and flown only once, as the landing gear proved to be too frail for its weight. It collapsed while taxiing out for another trial flight.
Engine: Liberty 12, 400hp Wingspan: 37’0″ Length: 22’0″ Seats: 1
The XP-13 Viper prototype was one of several B. Douglas Thomas designs built in hopes of a production contract from the Army, following the successful Thomas-Morse MB-3 of 1919. Financed by the company, and named the “Viper”, it was officially purchased by the Army in June 1929 and designated “XP-13”.
The Viper was delivered to the USAAC for evaluation in early 1929. The aircraft was tested at Wright Field in June 1929 as P-559, then purchased by the Army and designated XP-13. The serial number was 29-453. Performance was satisfactory, but the Chieftain suffered with insurmountable cooling problems. Similar problems had been encountered with Curtiss-built fighters powered by this engine.
Thomas-Morse XP-13A 29-453
The XP-13 fuselage had a corrugated aluminum skin built over a metal frame. The wing was of wooden construction with fabric covering, but the ailerons were made of corrugated metal sheet. Tail surfaces were of metal and fabric, but the control surfaces were covered with corrugated sheet metal. Designed to use the 600 hp Curtiss H-1640-1 Chieftain engine, (a 12-cylinder two-row air-cooled radial with the rear cylinders directly behind the front cylinders rather than staggered as normal in a two-row radial) incorporating a system of baffles to direct cooling air over the engine, the engine would not stay cool enough. In September 1930 it was replaced with a Pratt & Whitney SR1340C Wasp of 450 hp in a NACA cowling, along with a revised fin and rudder. The designation was changed to XP-13A. The lower-power engine actually resulted in a speed increase of 15 mph, at least partly because of the weight savings.
Thomas-Morse XP-13 29-453
The airplane was delivered to the United States Army and tested at Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio, in June 1929 as P-559. The Army decided against production but the aircraft was purchased by the USAAC. The XP-13 Viper was the last fighter built by the Thomas-Morse Aircraft Corporation of Ithaca, New York. Thomas-Morse was acquired by Consolidated Aircraft, and the prototype was lost to an inflight fire.
Thomas-Morse XP-13A 29-453
Variants:
XP-13 Prototype, serial number 29-453 with 600 hp (448 kW) Curtiss H-1640-1 Chieftain hex engine
XP-13A The XP-13 modified with a 525 hp (391 kW) Pratt & Whitney SR-1340-C enclosed in a NACA cowling, along with a revised fin and rudder
XP-14 This designation was used for a proposed Curtiss version of the Viper with the Curtiss H-1640-1 Chieftain hex engine
Thomas-Morse XP-13 29-453
Specifications:
XP-13 Engine: 1 × Curtiss H-1640-1 Chieftain, 600 hp (448 kW) Wingspan: 28 ft 0 in (8.53 m) Wing area: 189 sq.ft (17.6 sq.m) Length: 23 ft 6 in (7.16 m) Height: 8 ft 5 in (2.56 m) Empty weight: 2,262 lb (1,026 kg) Loaded weight: 3,256 lb (1,477 kg) Maximum speed: 150 knots (172 mph, 277 km/h) (at sea level) Maximum speed: 169.9 mph at 5000 ft Cruise speed: 113 knots (130 mph, 209 km/h) Range: 168 NM (193 mi, 312 km) Service ceiling: 20,775 ft (6,300 m) Rate of climb: 1,700 ft/min (8.6 m/s) Climb to 5000 ft: 3 min Crew: 1 Armament: None
XP-13A Engine: Pratt & Whitney SR1340C Wasp, 450 hp Wingspan: 28 ft 0 in (8.53 m) Wing area: 189 sq.ft (17.6 sq.m) Empty weight: 2224 lb Gross weight: 3194 lb Maximum speed: 188.5 mph at 5000 ft Climb to 5000 ft: 3.5 min Service ceiling: 24,150 ft Crew: 1 Armament: None
The first O-19B was converted to the sole Y1O-33 on May 4, 1931, fitted with revised tail surfaces and a 600 hp Curtiss V-1570-11 Conqueror twelve-cylinder Prestone-cooled V-engine replacing the original 450 hp Pratt & Whitney R-1340-7 Wasp nine-cylinder air-cooled radial.
Y1O-33
The last prototype designed by B.D. Thomas with the Thomas-Morse name was a sesquiplane (small lower wing) known as the XO-932 when first flown on May 4, 1931. A geared, Prestone-cooled Conqueror in a neat cowl, N struts, and wheel pants were featured.
Later this aircraft was fitted with new sesqui-wings, while the Conqueror was geared, and the aircraft, tentatively designated Y1O-41, was tested at Wright Field, Ohio, in June 1931 on a Bailment Contract as the XO-932.
That model was rejected by an Army board because the basic structure seemed weak and the board now believed that “a monoplane is the most desirable type for ¬observation purposes because of its superior qualities of vision.” While not sold to the Army, the aircraft received the YlO-41 designation 30-90.
Thomas-Morse had become a division of Consolidated in 1929 and was discontinued in 1934, the year the XO-932 was stripped of its military equipment and rebuilt as the Consolidated 23 on September 21, 1934. Registered NR33Y the aircraft was used as a company transport till it was sold to Colonel Alfredo Lezama Alvarez of Mexico in December 1936, where it was registered as XA-DBX.
The last aircraft produced by Thomas-Morse the fate of the XO-932 sesquiplane of 1932 is unknown.
Y1O-33 Engine: Curtiss V1570-11, 600 hp Wingspan: 39 ft 9 in Wing area: 348 sq,ft Length: 29 ft 2 in Height: 10 ft 2 in Empty weight: 3130 lb Gross weight: 4291 lb Fuel capacity: 77.5 USG Top speed: 165 mph at SL / 158 mph at 10,000 ft Cruise speed: 143 mph Landing speed: 58 mph Service ceiling: 22,600 ft Absolute ceiling: 24,000 ft Rate of climb: 1840 fpm Climb to 10,000ft: 6 min Range: 443 mi
XO-932 Engine: Curtiss V1570-29, 600 hp Wingspan: 40 ft 8 in Wing area: 299 sq,ft Length: 29 ft 3 in Height: 10 ft Empty weight: 3254 lb Gross weight: 4394 lb Fuel capacity: 79 USG Top speed: 188 mph at SL / 181 mph at 10,000 ft Service ceiling: 24,250 ft Absolute ceiling: 25,500 ft Rate of climb: 1840 fpm Climb to 10,000ft: 6.9 min
All Aero 