Keystone Pronto

Last updated
K-55 Pronto
Keystone Pronto Aero Digest April 1928.jpg
General information
Type Mail plane
National originUnited States
Manufacturer Keystone Aircraft
Primary user Peruvian Navy
History
First flight1927

The Keystone K-55 Pronto was a mail plane developed in the United States in the late 1920s.

Contents

Design and development

The Pronto was a conventional single-bay, unequal-span biplane design with slightly staggered wings. The pilot sat in an open cockpit, in tandem with a second cockpit that could carry two passengers side-by-side. The fixed, tailskid undercarriage had divided main units.

A number of these aircraft were purchased by the government of Peru. Operated by the aviation arm of the Peruvian Navy, these aircraft initiated the first airmail service into the Peruvian Amazon. The first flight of this service was made by two Prontos, piloted by Leonardo Alvariño Herr and Harold B. Grow from Lima to San Ramón on 26 October 1927.

At least one Peruvian Pronto was fitted with pontoons and used to survey the Amazon River for locations suitable for seaplane operations.

In the Colombia-Peru War one Peruvian K-55 flown by Lieutenant Suero was captured by the Colombian Army.

Operators

Flag of Peru.svg Peru

Specifications

Keystone K-55 Pronto 3-view drawing from Le Document aeronautique April,1928 Keystone K-55 Pronto 3-view Le Document aeronautique April,1928.png
Keystone K-55 Pronto 3-view drawing from Le Document aéronautique April,1928

Data from Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1928 [1]

General characteristics

Performance

References

  1. ↑ Grey, C.G., ed. (1928). Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1928. London: Sampson Low, Marston & company, ltd. p. 232c.

Further reading

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