MB-3A
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The Thomas-Morse MB-3A was an open-cockpit bi-plane fighter primarily manufactured by the Boeing Company for the U.S. Army Air Service in 1922.
Developed in 1919 by the Thomas-Morse Aircraft Corporation of Ithaca, New York, the MB-3 fighter was based on the French Spad-7, with rights on the design held by the Air Service. Thomas-Morse produced fifty MB-3's for the Air Service and ten for the U.S. Marine Corps but were underbid by Boeing for contracts to deliver 200 additional planes, which Boeing designated the MB-3A. Boeing's mass production methods allowed it to profit while still charging a lower price (in the case of the MB-3A, $7,240 per copy), but was the beginning of the decline of Thomas-Morse. Boeing credits this contract with rescuing the company from financial difficulties following the cancellation of orders after World War I, and with being the impetus for its rise as a premier manufacturer of military aircraft.
The MB-3A was delivered to the Air Service beginning in 1922 and was its primary pursuit aircraft. The MB-3A was considered obsolete in 1925 and with the re-organization of the Air Service into the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1926, was replaced by the PW-8 and PW-9 fighters.
[edit] Specifications (MB-3A)
This aircraft article is missing some (or all) of its specifications. If you have a source, you can help Wikipedia by adding them.General characteristics
- Crew: One
- Length: 20 ft 0 in (6.10 m)
- Wingspan: 26 ft 0 in (7.92 m)
- Height: 8 ft 7 in (2.59 m)
- Empty weight: 1,716 lb (778 kg)
- Loaded weight: 2,539 lb (1,151 kg)
- Powerplant: 1× Wright H3 Hispano-Suiza 8 , 300 hp (217 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 141 mph (228 km/h)
- Range: 280 mi (455 km)
- Service ceiling: 14,925 ft (4,523 m)
- Rate of climb: 1,235 ft/mn (374 m/mn)
Armament
- 2x 7.92 mm
[edit] References
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