The Northrop C-19 Alpha was a series of three aircraft purchased from Northrop by the US Army Air Corps in 1931. They were slightly modified versions of the civil Northrop Alpha Type 2.[1]

YC-19 Alpha
Northrop Y1C-19
General information
TypeTransport
ManufacturerNorthrop
Designer
John K. Northrop
Primary userUS Army Air Corps
Number built3[1]
History
Introduction date1931
First flight1930 (Northrop Alpha)
Developed fromNorthrop Alpha

Design and development

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The YC-19 aircraft were Northrop Alpha 4s supplied for evaluation to the USAAC. No production orders were given.[1] The major difference between the C-19s and the Alphas was that the civilian version carried a pilot and six passengers while the Army version carried a pilot and four passengers.

Operational history

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One aircraft, the last of the three purchased, crashed between Richmond and Petersburg, Virginia on Sunday, March 19, 1933, killing its pilot and two passengers.[citation needed] The other aircraft were used for several more years until being sent to training schools as subjects for maintenance and repair classes.

Variants

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YC-19
one aircraft, previously an Alpha 4, serial number 31-516[2]
Y1C-19
two aircraft, serial numbers 31–517 to 31-518,[2] Pratt & Whitney R-1340-11 engine[3]

Operators

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Specifications (Alpha landplane)

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Data from Janes all the Worlds Aircraft 1931[4]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Capacity: 6 passengers
  • Length: 28 ft 4.5 in (8.649 m)
  • Wingspan: 41 ft 10 in (12.75 m)
  • Height: 9 ft 0 in (2.74 m)
  • Wing area: 295 sq ft (27.4 m2)
  • Airfoil: Clark Y[5]
  • Empty weight: 2,660 lb (1,207 kg)
2,900 lb (1,315 kg) Seaplane
  • Gross weight: 4,500 lb (2,041 kg)
4,700 lb (2,132 kg) Seaplane
  • Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp 9-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 420 hp (310 kW)
  • Propellers: 2-bladed fixed-pitch propeller

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 170 mph (270 km/h, 150 kn)
165 mph (143 kn; 266 km/h) Seaplane
  • Cruise speed: 145 mph (233 km/h, 126 kn)
140 mph (122 kn; 225 km/h) Seaplane
  • Stall speed: 60 mph (97 km/h, 52 kn)
  • Range: 650 mi (1,050 km, 560 nmi)
  • Service ceiling: 19,300 ft (5,900 m)
18,000 ft (5,486 m) Seaplane
  • Absolute ceiling: 21,100 ft (6,431 m)
20,000 ft (6,096 m) Seaplane
  • Rate of climb: 1,400 ft/min (7.1 m/s) at sea level
650 ft/min (198 m/min) at 10,000 ft (3,048 m)
1,250 mph (1,086 kn; 2,012 km/h) Seaplane at sea level
550 ft/min (168 m/min) Seaplane at 10,000 ft (3,048 m)
  • Wing loading: 15.25 lb/sq ft (74.5 kg/m2)
15.9 lb/sq ft (78 kg/m2) Seaplane
0.0893 hp/lb (0.1468 kW/kg) Seaplane

See also

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Related development

Related lists

References

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  1. ^ a b c "The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft" Editors: Paul Eden & Soph Moeng, (Amber Books Ltd. Bradley's Close, 74-77 White Lion Street, London, NI 9PF, 2002, ISBN 0-7607-3432-1), 1152 pp.
  2. ^ a b "United States Military Aircraft Since 1909" by F. G. Swanborough & Peter M. Bowers (Putnam New York, ISBN 0-85177-816-X) 1964, 596 pp.
  3. ^ "U.S. Army Aircraft 1908-1946" by James C. Fahey, 1946, 64pp.
  4. ^ Grey, C.G., ed. (1931). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1931. London: Sampson Low, Marston & company, ltd. p. 303c.
  5. ^ Lednicer, David. "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". m-selig.ae.illinois.edu. Retrieved 16 April 2019.