Northrop A-17

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_A-17

The Northrop A-17, a development of the Northrop Gamma 2F was a two-seat,
single-engine, monoplane, attack bomber built in 1935 by the Northrop
Corporation for the U.S. Army Air Corps. A-17s used by air forces of the British
Commonwealth designated the aircraft as the "Nomad."

The Northrop Gamma 2F was an attack bomber derivative of the Northrop Gamma
transport aircraft, developed in parallel with the Northrop Gamma 2C, (of which
one was built), designated the YA-13 and XA-16. The Gamma 2F had a revised tail,
cockpit canopy and wing flaps compared with the Gamma 2C, and was fitted with
new semi-retractable landing gear. It was delivered to the United States Army
Air Corps for tests on 6 October 1934, and after modifications which included
fitting with a conventional fixed landing gear, was accepted by the Air
Corps.[1] A total of 110 aircraft were ordered as the A-17 in 1935.

The resulting A-17 was equipped with perforated flaps, and had fixed landing
gear with partial fairings. It was fitted with an internal fuselage bomb bay
that carried fragmentation bombs and well as external bomb racks.

Northrop developed a new landing gear, this time completely retractable,
producing the A-17A variant. This version was again purchased by the Army Air
Corps, who placed orders for 129 aircraft. By the time these were delivered, the
Northrop Corporation had been taken over by Douglas Aircraft Company, export
models being known as the Douglas Model 8.

Role
Ground attack

Manufacturer
Northrop

Designer
Jack Northrop

Introduction
1935

Primary users
United States Army Air Corps
Swedish Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
South African Air Force

Number built
411

Developed from
Northrop Gamma

Variants
Douglas A-33

The A-17 entered service in February 1936, and proved a reliable and popular
aircraft. However, in 1938, the Air Corps decided that attack aircraft should be
multi-engined, rendering the A-17 surplus to requirements.

From 14 December 1941, A-17s were used for coastal patrols by the 59th
Bombardment Squadron (Light) on the Pacific side of the Panama Canal.

The last remaining A-17s, used as utility aircraft, were retired from USAAF
service in 1944

Specifications (A-17)

General characteristics
Crew: two (pilot and gunner)
Length: 31 ft 8? in (9.67 m)
Wingspan: 47 ft 8½ in (14.54 m)
Height: 11 ft 10½ in (3.62 m)
Wing area: 363 sq ft (33.7m²)
Empty weight: 4,874 lb (2,211 kg)
Loaded weight: 7,337 lb (3,328 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-1535-11 Twin Wasp Jr two-row air-cooled radial
engine, 750 hp (560 kW)

Performance
Maximum speed: 206 mph (179 knots, 332 km/h)
Cruise speed: 170 mph (149 knots, 274 km/h)
Range: 650 mi (565 nmi, 1,046 km)
Service ceiling: 19,400 ft (5,915 m)
Rate of climb: 1,350 ft/min (6.9 m/s)

Armament

4 × 0.3 in (7.62 mm) fixed forward M1919 Browning machine guns
1 × 0.3 in (7.62 mm) trainable rear machine gun
Internal bay for bombs
External wing bomb racks (total bomb load 1,200 lb/544 kg)



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