Den Ford Trimotor (även kallad "Tri-Motor", och med smeknamnet "The Tin Goose") är ett amerikanskt tremotorigt transportflygplan. Produktionen startade 1925 av Henry Fords företag och avslutades den 7 juni 1933. Totalt gjordes 199 Ford Trimotors. Det utformades för den civila luftfartsmarknaden, men såg också service med militära enheter.
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Ford 5-AT-B Tri-Motor Walk Around
Fotograf
Vladimir Yakubov
Lokalisering
Hayward, Kalifornien
Bilder
188
Ford 5-AT-B Trimotor
Fotograf
Luc Colin
Lokalisering
Unknow
Bilder
28
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Ford 5-AT-B Trimotor
Fotograf
Vladimir Yakubov
Lokalisering
Evergreen Luft & Rymdmuseum
Bilder
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The Masterpiece of Corrugated Metal
Den Ford Tri-Motor, specifically the larger and more powerful5-ATseries, was the aircraft that made transcontinental air travel a reality in the United States. Inspired by the all-metal designs of Hugo Junkers, Henry Ford applied his mass-production philosophy to aviation. The result was a loud, slow, but incredibly sturdy machine. Its corrugated aluminum skin and three-engine reliability gave the public the confidence to step off trains and into the skies for the first time.
Attribute
Technical Specification (Ford 5-AT-B)
Roll
Commercial Airliner / Cargo Transport
besättning
3 (Pilot, Co-pilot, Flight Attendant)
Capacity
Up to 15 Passengers
First Flight (5-AT)
July 21, 1928
Kraftverk
3 × Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp radial engines
Horsepower
420 hp (313 kW) each
Maximum Speed
150 mph (241 km/h)
Service Ceiling
18,500 feet (5,640 m)
Industrial Strength Engineering
The “Tin Goose” Skin:Like the Junkers F.13, the Ford usedAlclad(corrugated aluminum alloy). This provided exceptional structural strength and corrosion resistance, though it created significant drag that limited the aircraft’s top speed.
Engine Configuration:One engine was mounted in the nose, and two were suspended beneath the wings. This layout ensured that even if one engine failed, the aircraft could safely maintain altitude or even climb.
External Control Cables:In a design that seems primitive today, the control cables for the rudder and elevators ran along theoutsideof the fuselage. This made maintenance and inspection remarkably easy for mechanics in the field.
Cabin Luxury:For the late 1920s, the 5-AT was the height of luxury. It featured wicker seats (to save weight), cabin heaters that utilized engine exhaust, and even primitive bathrooms.
Cultural Icon and Utility
Transcontinental Air Transport (TAT):Working with Charles Lindbergh, Ford helped establish the “The Lindbergh Line,” which used a combination of trains at night and Tri-Motors by day to cross the U.S. in just 48 hours.
The Antarctic Expedition:In 1929, Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd used a 4-AT variant (theFloyd Bennett) to make the first flight over the South Pole, proving the Tri-Motor’s extreme reliability in sub-zero conditions.
Bush Flying Legend:Because of its high lift and rugged landing gear, the Tri-Motor was used for decades after it left airline service to carry heavy machinery into the remote mines of Alaska and South America.
A Living Legend:Remarkably, several Ford Tri-Motors are still airworthy today. The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) and Liberty Aviation Museum regularly tour the country, allowing passengers to experience the roaring engines of the 1920s first-hand.