Thomas-Morse O-19

Thomas-Morse O-19
	An O-19 aircraft of the 2d Observation Squadron at Nichols Field, Luzon, Philippines, c. 1932
Role	Observation biplane
Manufacturer	Thomas-Morse
Introduction	1929
Primary users	United States Army Air Corps ; Philippine Army Air Corps
Number built	176

Last updated April 25, 2025

The Thomas-Morse O-19 was an American observation biplane built by the Thomas-Morse Aircraft Company for the United States Army Air Corps.

Development

The O-19 was based on the earlier Thomas-Morse O-6 biplane. It was a conventional two-seat biplane of metal construction with fabric-covered wings and tail surfaces. The design was evaluated with a number of different engine installations and the type was ordered into production as the O-19B with a Pratt & Whitney R-1340-7 Wasp radial engine.

Variants

XO-19: Improved version of the XO-6 with a 450 hp (340 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1340-3 engine, one built.
YO-20: Similar to the XO-19 with a 525 hp (391 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1690-1 engine, one built.
XO-21: Similar to the XO-19 with a 600 hp (450 kW) Curtiss H-1640-1 engine, one built, later re-engined as the XO-21A.
XO-21A: The XO-21 fitted with a 525 hp (391 kW) Wright R-1750-1 engine.
O-19: Service evaluation aircraft with a 500 hp (370 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1340-9, two built.
O-19A: O-19 without the 88 US Gallon main fuel tank, one built.
O-19B: Production version with a 450 hp (340 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1340-7 engine, two machine-guns and modified cockpit, 70 built.
O-19C: O-19B with tailwheel, ring cowl and minor changes, 71 built.
O-19D: One O-19C converted as a VIP staff transport with dual controls.
O-19E: O-19C with extended upper-span wing and a 575 hp (429 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1340-15 engine, 30 built.
O-21: O-19 with 600 hp (450 kW) Curtiss H-1640 Chieftain engine, one built, one converted.
YO-23: XO-19 with a 600 hp (450 kW) Curtiss V-1570-1 Conqueror engine, one built.
Y1O-33: One O-19B re-engined with a 600 hp (450 kW) Curtiss V-1570-11 engine and revised tail surfaces, one converted.
Y1O-41: A sesqui-plane conversion of the Y1O-33 with a 600 hp (450 kW) Curtiss V-1570-79 engine, one converted. Later modified by Consolidated Aircraft as their Model 23 and exported to Mexico.
Y1O-42: High-wing monoplane version of the Y1O-41, static test airframe only.^[1]

Operators

Philippines

Philippine Army Air Corps

United States

United States Army Air Corps

Specifications (O-19B)

Data from The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985), 1985, Orbis Publishing, Page 3000

General characteristics

Crew: two
Length: 28 ft 4 in (8.64 m)
Wingspan: 39 ft 9 in (12.12 m)
Height: 10 ft 6 in (3.20 m)
Wing area: 348 sq ft (32.33 m²)
Empty weight: 2,722 lb (1,235 kg)
Gross weight: 3,800 lb (1,724 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-1340-7 Wasp radial piston engine , 450 hp (336 kW)

Performance

Maximum speed: 137 mph (220 km/h, 119 kn)
Service ceiling: 20,500 ft (6,250 m)

Armament

2 x 0.3in (7.62mm) machine-guns (one fixed forward-firing, one movable in rear cockpit)

References

Notes

↑ Designation systems

Bibliography

John Andrade, U.S.Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909, Midland Counties Publications, 1979, ISBN 0-904597-22-9 (Page 137 and 138)
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985), 1985, Orbis Publishing, Page 3000

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[DS-1] Designation systems

[1]

v t e Thomas-Morse aircraft
Thomas Brothers	D-5 T-2 S-4 SH-4
Thomas-Morse	MB-1 MB-2 MB-3 MB-4 MB-6 MB-7 MB-9 MB-10 R5 TM-23 TM-24 O-19 Y1O-41 Y1O-42 XP-13 Viper