Bellanca 28-92

Last updated
28-92
Bellanca 28-92 on ground.jpg
General information
TypeRacing aircraft
Manufacturer Bellanca
Number built1
History
First flight 1937

The Bellanca 28-92 Trimotor was a racing aircraft built to compete in the Istres-Damascus-Paris Air Race of 1937, and was paid for by popular subscription in Romania. Christened Alba Julia ("White Julia", registration YR-AHA) it was piloted by Captain Alexander Papana of the Romanian Air Force .

Contents

Design and development

The aircraft was a low-wing cantilever monoplane with a similar fuselage to the Bellanca 28-70 and 28-90, but was fitted with three engines, one in the nose, and one in each of two underwing nacelles. The nacelles also housed the main undercarriage units when retracted.

The fuselage was of tubular steel construction and covered by aluminum back to the cockpit. Aft of the cockpit, the fuselage was covered with fabric. The wings and tail were plywood-covered, and the control surfaces were covered by fabric. The main undercarriage partially retracted into the rear of the wing engine nacelles, but the tailwheel did not retract.

Installed in each wing of the aircraft was a 250-HP (186 kW) Menasco C6S4 Super Buccaneer engine. The C6S4 was a direct drive, air-cooled, inverted, straight-six aircraft engine. The C6S4 was supercharged and displaced 544 cu. in. (8.9 L). Each C6S4 engine drove a 6-ft. 6 in (0.15 m) diameter, two-blade, adjustable-pitch propeller.

A 420-HP (313 kW) Ranger SGV-770 engine was in the nose of the 28–92. The SGV-770 was an air-cooled, inverted, V-12 engine. The engine was supercharged, displaced 773 cu. in. (12.7 L), and had gear reduction for the 8-ft. 3 in (0.076 m) diameter, two-blade, adjustable-pitch propeller.

All of the trimotor's engines were hand cranked to start. The 28-92 had a fuel capacity of around 715 gallons (2,707 L). The aircraft had a span of 46-ft. 4 in (0.10 m), a length of 28 ft 4 in (8.64 m), and weighed 4,700 pounds (2,100 kg) empty. The 28-92 had a top speed of 285 mph (459 km/h) and a 3,000 miles (4,800 km) range at 250 mph (400 km/h) or a 4,160 miles (6,690 km) range at 200 mph (320 km/h). Landing speed was 75 mph (121 km/h).

Operational history

In 1938, Bellanca re-registered the aircraft in the United States as NX2433 and entered it in the Bendix Trophy cross-country race. Frank Cordova was the pilot for the race, and the trimotor flew as race number 99. Unfortunately, because of engine trouble, the aircraft did not finish the cross-country race.

The aircraft competed in the 1939 Bendix Trophy race, placing second, piloted by Arthur Bussy. After being sold in South America, the 28-92 ended its days rotting in a small field in Ecuador.

Specifications

Data fromJane's Encyclopedia of Aviation, [1] Aerofiles [2]

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Notes

  1. Taylor, Michael J.H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. New York: Portland House. p. 150. ISBN   0-517-69186-8.
  2. Eckland, K.O. "Bellanca". Aerofiles. Retrieved 16 January 2013.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dornier Do 12</span> Flying boat

The Dornier Do 12 Libelle III was the third of a line of small German flying boats of the 1930s. It started with the Dornier A Libelle I and the Dornier A Libelle II, though the Do 12 was not a continuation, but an entirely new aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Champion Citabria</span>

The Citabria is a light single-engine, two-seat, fixed conventional gear airplane which entered production in the United States in 1964. Designed for flight training, utility and personal use, it is capable of sustaining aerobatic stresses from +5g to -2g. Its name, "airbatic" backwards, reflects this.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Champion Decathlon</span> Two-seat fixed conventional gear aerobatic light airplane

The American Champion 8KCAB Decathlon and Super Decathlon are two-seat fixed conventional gear light airplanes designed for flight training and personal use and capable of sustaining aerobatic stresses between +6g and −5g. The Decathlon entered production in the United States in 1970 as a more powerful and stronger complement to the American Champion Citabria line of aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PZL.38 Wilk</span>

The PZL.38 Wilk (wolf) (PZL-38) was a Polish heavy fighter developed and manufactured by PZL state factory in 1937. Intended for use primarily as a fighter-bomber, the Polish Air Force also envisioned it replacing light fighters in long-range operations, along with being able to serve as a light bomber. Only two examples were built before the project was cancelled in favor of a planned improved variant, the PZL.48 Lampart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bellanca YO-50</span>

The Bellanca YO-50 was a United States prototype observation aircraft, built for the United States Army in 1940. Typical for aircraft of its type, it was a high-wing braced monoplane with fixed tailwheel undercarriage and extensive cabin glazing. Its inverted "V" engine made it resemble its German equivalent, the Fieseler Storch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wright-Bellanca WB-1</span> Type of aircraft

The Wright-Bellanca WB-1 was designed by Giuseppe Mario Bellanca for the Wright Aeronautical corporation for use in record-breaking flights.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas-Morse MB-4</span> 1920s American mailplane

The Thomas-Morse MB-4 was a prototype American mailplane of the 1920s. It was of unusual design, being a biplane with twin fuselages housing the crew of two and a central nacelle which carried the aircraft's twin engines in a push-pull configuration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Davis D-1</span> Two seat American parasol-winged monoplane

The Davis D-1 is an American light two-seat parasol-winged monoplane of the late 1920s.

The Ikarus 215 twin-engine plane, was a Yugoslav light bomber and a training aircraft of mixed construction, the prototype flew in 1949. It did not go into production. The prototype was used for training and as a liaison. It was designed and built at the Ikarus factory in Zemun-Belgrade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PZL.27</span> Type of aircraft

The P.Z.L. 27 was a prototype airliner/mail plane designed by Zbysław Ciołkosz and constructed at P.Z.L. in 1933.

The Timm Aircoach, also called the Timm Coach and the Golden Shell Special, was a custom-built, high-capacity, high altitude aircraft for charter flights.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aeronca Chief family</span> Family of American light aircraft

The Aeronca K series, Aeronca Chief, Aeronca Super Chief, Aeronca Tandem, Aeronca Scout, Aeronca Sea Scout, Aeronca Champion and Aeronca Defender were a family of American high-winged light touring aircraft, designed and built starting in the late 1930s by Aeronca Aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bach Super Transport</span> Type of aircraft

The Bach "Super Transport" was a design for a four-engined transport aircraft that was never built.

The Lambert Twin Monocoach was a light, twin-engined U.S. aircraft, designed to carry three or four passengers. Initially it was fitted with economical, low-powered engines but even given a large increase of power it failed to attract customers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aeroneer 1-B</span> Type of aircraft

The Aeroneer 1-B is an all-metal light aircraft built in the United States in 1936. It did not reach production, despite an attempt to interest the USAAC in it as a trainer, but it appeared in three Hollywood films.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">L-W-F Model H Owl</span> 1920s American biplane

The L-W-F Model H Owl was a large American twin-boom trimotor biplane designed and built by LWF Engineering as a mail plane in 1920, but after being rejected for that role, the single prototype was sold to the United States Army Air Service for evaluation as a bomber but failed to secure any orders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ogden Osprey</span> Type of aircraft

The Ogden Osprey was a three engine, high wing monoplane airliner which seated six. Designed in the United States and first flown in the spring of 1930 or earlier, six were built and some used commercially before Ogden Aeronautical ceased trading in the Great Depression.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alcor Duo</span> Type of aircraft

The Alcor Duo-4 was a high wing cabin aircraft, unusually powered by a pair of four cylinder straight engines mounted horizontally either side of the nose. After an accident it was rebuilt with six cylinder engines, becoming the Alcor Duo-6. The name Alcor derived from Allan Lockheed Corporation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Argonaut Pirate</span> Type of aircraft

The Argonaut Pirate was a 1930s, U.S., three place, single-engined pusher configuration amphibious aircraft. Only two were built.

The Jones S-125 was a U.S. two-seat sport aircraft intended for large-scale production, though only one was completed.

References