The Bellanca Aircruiser and Airbus were high-wing, single-engine aircraft built by Bellanca Aircraft Corporation of New Castle, Delaware. The aircraft was built as a "workhorse" intended for use as a passenger or cargo aircraft. It was available with wheels, floats or skis. The aircraft was powered by either a Wright Cyclone or Pratt and Whitney Hornet engine. The Airbus and Aircruiser served as both commercial and military transports.[1]
The first Bellanca Airbus was built in 1930 as the P-100. An efficient design, it was capable of carrying 12 to 14 passengers depending on the cabin interior configuration, with later versions carrying up to 15. In 1931, test pilot George Haldeman flew the P-100 a distance of 4,400 miles in a time aloft of 35 hours. Although efficient, with a cost per mile figure of eight cents per mile calculated for that flight, the first Airbus did not sell due to its water-cooled engine.
Operational historyedit
The next model, the P-200 Airbus, was powered by a larger, more reliable air-cooled engine. One version (P-200-A) came with floats and operated as a ferry service in New York City, flying between Wall Street and the East River. Other versions included a P-200 Deluxe model, with custom interiors and seating for nine. The P-300 was designed to carry 15 passengers. The final model, the "Aircruiser," was the most efficient aircraft of its day, and would rank high amongst all aircraft designs. With a Wright Cyclone air-cooled supercharged radial engine rated at 715 hp, the Aircruiser could carry a useful load greater than its empty weight. In the mid-1930s, the Aircruiser could carry 4,000 lb payloads at a speed of between 145 and 155 mph, a performance that multi-engine Fokkers and Ford Trimotors could not come close to matching.[1]
In 1934, United States federal regulations prohibited single-engine transports on United States airlines, virtually eliminating future markets for the Aircruiser. Where the workhorse capabilities of the Aircruiser stood out was in Canada. Several of "The Flying Ws", as it was commonly dubbed in Canada, were used in northern mining operations, ferrying ore, supplies and the occasional passenger, into the 1970s.
Bellanca P-100 Airbus photo from Aero Digest September,193014-passenger monoplane powered by a 600 hp (450 kW) Curtiss Conqueror engine, one built, later converted into a P-200.
P-200 Airbus
12-passenger monoplane, nine built and one converted from P-100.
United States Army Air Corps designation for four P-200 Airbuses powered by 550 hp (410 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1860 Hornet B engine. All later converted to C-27C.
C-27A Airbus
Production version of the Y1C-27 powered by a 650 hp (480 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1860 Hornet B engine, ten built. One converted to a C-27B the rest converted to C-27Cs.
C-27B Airbus
One C-27A re-engined with a 675 hp (503 kW) Wright R-1820-17 Cyclone engine.
C-27C Airbus
Four Y1C-27s and nine of the C-27A re-engined with a 750 hp (560 kW) Wright R-1820-25 Cyclone engine.
Aircruiseredit
Aircruiser 66-67
Improved structure modified from a P-200 with a 675 hp (503 kW) Wright SR-1820 Cyclone engine
Aircruiser 66-70
An Aircruiser with a 710 hp (530 kW) Wright SGR-1820 Cyclone engine, five built - exported to Canada.
Aircruiser 66-75
An Aircruiser with a 730 hp (540 kW) Wright Cyclone engine, three built.
Aircruiser 66-76
A cargo-version of the Aircruiser with a 760 hp (570 kW) Wright Cyclone.
Aircruiser 66-80
An Aircruiser with an 850 hp (630 kW) Wright Cyclone engine.
^Grey, C.G., ed. (1928). Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1928. London: Sampson Low, Marston & company, ltd. pp. 18d–19d.
^"BELLANCA AIR CRUISER". Erickson Aircraft Collection. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
^"FAA REGISTRY [N2191K]". Federal Aviation Administration. U.S. Department of Transportation. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
^"Bellanca Aircruiser, CF-AWR". Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada. Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
Bibliographyedit
Green, William and Gerald Pollinger. The Aircraft of the World. London: Macdonald, 1955.
Gurling, Christian, Curator. Tillamook, Oregon: Tillamook Air Museum, 2012.
Marshall, Peter (2023). "The Flying W in Canada: The Bellanca Aircruiser in the Great White North". The Aviation Historian (44): 28–37. ISSN 2051-1930.
Mondey, David. The Complete Illustrated Encyclopedia of the World's Aircraft. Secaucus, New Jersey: Chartwell Books Inc, 1978. ISBN0-89009-771-2.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bellanca Aircruiser.
May 08, 2024
bellanca, aircruiser, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, march. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Bellanca Aircruiser news newspapers books scholar JSTOR March 2009 Learn how and when to remove this message The Bellanca Aircruiser and Airbus were high wing single engine aircraft built by Bellanca Aircraft Corporation of New Castle Delaware The aircraft was built as a workhorse intended for use as a passenger or cargo aircraft It was available with wheels floats or skis The aircraft was powered by either a Wright Cyclone or Pratt and Whitney Hornet engine The Airbus and Aircruiser served as both commercial and military transports 1 Airbus Aircruiser Bellanca C 27C Airbus Role Passenger cargo aircraft Manufacturer Bellanca Aircraft Corporation Designer Giuseppe Mario Bellanca First flight 1930 Primary user Private operators Number built 23 Contents 1 Design and development 2 Operational history 3 Variants 3 1 Airbus 3 2 Aircruiser 4 Operators 5 Surviving aircraft 6 Specifications 66 70 Aircruiser 7 See also 8 References 8 1 Notes 8 2 Bibliography 9 External linksDesign and development editThe first Bellanca Airbus was built in 1930 as the P 100 An efficient design it was capable of carrying 12 to 14 passengers depending on the cabin interior configuration with later versions carrying up to 15 In 1931 test pilot George Haldeman flew the P 100 a distance of 4 400 miles in a time aloft of 35 hours Although efficient with a cost per mile figure of eight cents per mile calculated for that flight the first Airbus did not sell due to its water cooled engine Operational history editThe next model the P 200 Airbus was powered by a larger more reliable air cooled engine One version P 200 A came with floats and operated as a ferry service in New York City flying between Wall Street and the East River Other versions included a P 200 Deluxe model with custom interiors and seating for nine The P 300 was designed to carry 15 passengers The final model the Aircruiser was the most efficient aircraft of its day and would rank high amongst all aircraft designs With a Wright Cyclone air cooled supercharged radial engine rated at 715 hp the Aircruiser could carry a useful load greater than its empty weight In the mid 1930s the Aircruiser could carry 4 000 lb payloads at a speed of between 145 and 155 mph a performance that multi engine Fokkers and Ford Trimotors could not come close to matching 1 In 1934 United States federal regulations prohibited single engine transports on United States airlines virtually eliminating future markets for the Aircruiser Where the workhorse capabilities of the Aircruiser stood out was in Canada Several of The Flying Ws as it was commonly dubbed in Canada were used in northern mining operations ferrying ore supplies and the occasional passenger into the 1970s Variants editAirbus edit Bellanca P Commercial version of Bellanca K powered by a 500 hp 370 kW Pratt amp Whitney R 1860 Hornet 2 P 100 Airbus nbsp Bellanca P 100 Airbus photo from Aero Digest September 193014 passenger monoplane powered by a 600 hp 450 kW Curtiss Conqueror engine one built later converted into a P 200 P 200 Airbus 12 passenger monoplane nine built and one converted from P 100 P 300 Airbus 15 seater monoplane powered by a Wright R 1820 Cyclone engine Y1C 27 United States Army Air Corps designation for four P 200 Airbuses powered by 550 hp 410 kW Pratt amp Whitney R 1860 Hornet B engine All later converted to C 27C C 27A Airbus Production version of the Y1C 27 powered by a 650 hp 480 kW Pratt amp Whitney R 1860 Hornet B engine ten built One converted to a C 27B the rest converted to C 27Cs C 27B Airbus One C 27A re engined with a 675 hp 503 kW Wright R 1820 17 Cyclone engine C 27C Airbus Four Y1C 27s and nine of the C 27A re engined with a 750 hp 560 kW Wright R 1820 25 Cyclone engine Aircruiser edit Aircruiser 66 67 Improved structure modified from a P 200 with a 675 hp 503 kW Wright SR 1820 Cyclone engine Aircruiser 66 70 An Aircruiser with a 710 hp 530 kW Wright SGR 1820 Cyclone engine five built exported to Canada Aircruiser 66 75 An Aircruiser with a 730 hp 540 kW Wright Cyclone engine three built Aircruiser 66 76 A cargo version of the Aircruiser with a 760 hp 570 kW Wright Cyclone Aircruiser 66 80 An Aircruiser with an 850 hp 630 kW Wright Cyclone engine Operators edit nbsp Canada Canadian Pacific Airlines Aircruiser Central Northern Airways Aircruiser Mackenzie Air Service Aircruiser nbsp United States New York and Suburban Airlines Airbus United States Army Air Corps Airbus nbsp Mexico nbsp PhilippinesSurviving aircraft edit nbsp Bellanca Aircruiser under restoration at the Western Canada Aviation Museum Winnipeg 2006 The last flying Aircruiser CF BTW a 1938 model after serving in Manitoba is now on display at the Erickson Aircraft Collection in Madras Oregon 3 4 Another Bellanca Aircruiser CF AWR named the Eldorado Radium Silver Express built in 1935 is under restoration at the Western Canada Aviation Museum in Winnipeg Manitoba 5 Specifications 66 70 Aircruiser editGeneral characteristics Crew one pilot Capacity 16 passengers Length 43 ft 4 in 13 21 m Wingspan 65 ft 0 in 19 82 m Height 11 ft 6 in 3 51 m Wing area 520 sq ft 48 3 m2 Empty weight 6 072 lb 2 754 kg Gross weight 10 000 lb 4 536 kg Powerplant 1 Wright R 1820 Cyclone 9 9 cylinder supercharged air cooled radial engine 710 hp 530 kW Performance Maximum speed 144 kn 165 mph 266 km h Range 608 nmi 700 mi 1 130 km Service ceiling 22 000 ft 6 700 m See also editGiuseppe Mario Bellanca Related lists List of civil aircraft List of military aircraft of the United StatesReferences editNotes edit a b Mondey 1978 p 96 Grey C G ed 1928 Jane s all the World s Aircraft 1928 London Sampson Low Marston amp company ltd pp 18d 19d BELLANCA AIR CRUISER Erickson Aircraft Collection Retrieved 7 November 2017 FAA REGISTRY N2191K Federal Aviation Administration U S Department of Transportation Retrieved 7 November 2017 Bellanca Aircruiser CF AWR Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada Retrieved 7 November 2017 Bibliography edit Green William and Gerald Pollinger The Aircraft of the World London Macdonald 1955 Gurling Christian Curator Bellanca Aircruiser Tillamook Oregon Tillamook Air Museum 2012 Marshall Peter 2023 The Flying W in Canada The Bellanca Aircruiser in the Great White North The Aviation Historian 44 28 37 ISSN 2051 1930 Mondey David The Complete Illustrated Encyclopedia of the World s Aircraft Secaucus New Jersey Chartwell Books Inc 1978 ISBN 0 89009 771 2 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bellanca Aircruiser Bellanca s Big Birds Wings Over Canada Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bellanca Aircruiser amp oldid 1182546720, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
