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Ford Trimotor

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The Ford Trimotor, nicknamed The Tin Goose, was a three engine civil transport aircraft first produced in 1925 by Henry Ford and continued until June 7, 1933. Throughout its lifespan a total of about 200 aircraft were produced. It was popular with the military and was sold all over the world. Unlike for his famous cars, trucks and farm tractors, Ford did not make the engines for these airplanes.

Development

In the early 1920s Henry Ford, along with a list of 19 other investors including his son Edsel, invested in the Stout Metal Airplane Company. In 1925 Ford bought Stout and its Hugo Junkers-influenced aircraft designs. Ford adapted the traditionally single engined Stout craft with three Wright air-cooled radial engines. After a series of test aircraft and a suspicious fire causing the complete destruction of all previous designs, the 4-AT and 5-AT emerged. The Ford Trimotors used an all-metal construction—not a revolutionary concept, but certainly beyond the standard in the 1920s. The aircraft resembled the Fokker F.VII but it was all metal; its wings were made of aluminum and corrugated for added strength. This has become something of a signature for the Trimotor. Transcontinental Air Transport, which later became part of Trans World Airlines, used the craft to begin its transcontinental air service from San Diego to New York in 1929.

One 4-AT with Wright J-4 200 hp engines was built for the Army Air Corps as type C-3, and seven with Wright R-790-3 (235 hp) as type C-3A. The latter were upgraded to Wright R-975-1 (J6-9) radials at 300 hp and redesignated C-9. Five 5-ATs were built as C-4 or C-4A.

The original (commercial production) 4-AT had three air cooled Wright radial engines. It carried a crew of three—pilot, co-pilot and stewardess—and eight or nine passengers. The later 5-AT had more powerful Pratt & Whitney engines. All models had aluminum corrugated sheet metal body and wings. However, like many aircraft of this era, extending through World War II and later, the aircraft control surfaces were fabric covered. As was common for the time, the rudder and elevator were controlled by wires that were strung along the external surface of the aircraft. Similarly, engine gauges were mounted externally, on the engines, to be read by the pilot looking through the windscreen.

Like his cars and tractors, these Ford aircraft were well designed, relatively inexpensive, and reliable (for the era). The rapid development of aircraft at this time (the vastly superior Douglas DC-2 was first conceived in 1932), helped Henry Ford to lose interest in aircraft production. While Ford did not make a profit on its aviation business, Ford's reputation leant credibility to the infant aviation industry, and Ford helped introduce many aspects of the modern aviation infrastructure, including paved runways, passenger terminals, hangars, airmail, and radio navigation.[1]

The Trimotor was not to be Ford's last venture in aircraft production. During World War II, he built the largest aircraft manufacturing plant in the world and assembled thousands of B-24 Liberator bombers under license to Consolidated Aircraft.

Operational history

A total of 199 Ford Tri-motors were built between 1926 and 1933, including 79 of the 4-AT variant, and 117 of the 5-AT variant, plus some experimental craft. Well over 100 airlines of the world flew the Ford Tri-motor.[1]

4-AT serial number 10 was built in 1927. It flew in the United States and Mexico under registration number C-1077, and for several years in Canada under registration number G-CARC. It had many notable accomplishments. It was flown by Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart among many others. It made the first commercial flight from the United States to Mexico City, and the first commercial flight over the Canadian Rockies. After damage on landing, it was grounded 1936 and remained for decades at Carcross, Yukon. In 1956 the wreck was salvaged and preserved, and in the mid 1980's Greg Herrick took over C-1077 and began restoring it. As of 2006, C-1077 is in flying condition again, restored to its December 1927 appearance.[1] [2]

Between 27 November and 28 November 1929, Richard Evelyn Byrd and crew made the first flight over the South Pole in a Ford Trimotor.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt flew on a Ford TriMotor in 1932 during his presidential campaign[3].

Preserved aircraft

As of 2006, there are 18 Ford Tri-motors in existence. A few of these are in flyable condition. One such aircraft resides at the Air Zoo in Kalamazoo, Michigan.[4] A second is located at the EAA Aviation Center in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.[5] A third is at the San Diego Air and Space Museum.[6]

Commercial operators

Military operators

Specifications (Ford Trimotor)

General characteristics

  • Crew: Two plus
  • Capacity: Eight passengers
  • Cost: US$42,000 in 1933 Performance

    Culture

    The plane is referenced in the Clive Cussler book Iceberg and used by character Dirk Pitt for a rescue operation. The plane is also referred to in Cussler's book Valhalla Rising when Pitt uses it to escape an attack from a Fokker Dr.I, the type of plane used by Manfred von Richthofen, also known as The Red Baron. The movie Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom depicts a flight and crash of an aircraft much like a Ford Trimotor.

    Director Howard Hawks' 1939 film Only Angels Have Wings features a Trimotor that catches fire after a freak accident with a condor eventually performing an emergency landing on an airfield. A real Trimotor and models are used for the sequence.

    See also

    References

    1. ^ a b c Herrick, Greg A. (2004). The Amazing Story of America's Oldest Flying Airliner (PDF). Jackson, Wyoming, USA: Yellowstone Aviation, Inc. Retrieved 2006-10-01. This 28-page booklet describes the history of the Ford Trimotor 4-AT-10, C-1077, a.k.a G-CARC "Niagara". It also describes the restoration process and some general history of Ford's aviation and the Trimotor.
    2. ^ Herrick, Greg (2004). "Ford Tri-motor 4-AT-10, C-1077, a.k.a G-CARC "Niagara"". Yellowstone Aviation, Inc. Retrieved 2006-10-01.
    3. ^ Larkins, William T. (1992). The Ford Tri-Motor, 1926-1992. Schiffer Publishing. pp. 288 pp. ISBN 0887404162. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help) Page 170.
    4. ^ Wiggins, Arthur B. (2006). "Ford Tri-Motor List". Retrieved 2006-10-01. An enthusiast's register of existing Ford Tri-motors, Bushmasters, and Stinson Tri-motors.
    5. ^ http://www.airventuremuseum.org/fordtrimotor/
    6. ^ http://www.aerospacemuseum.org/exhibits/aircraft_feb.html
    • Lowe, Scott A. "Ford Trimotor.org". Scott A. Lowe. Retrieved 2006-10-01. This web site is "a tribute to the Ford Tri-Motor", and contains facts, pictures, bibliography and more.
    • [1] Detail photos—1929 Ford 4-AT-E Tri-Motor

    Related content

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    Related lists

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