Hamilton H-47

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamilton_H-47

The Hamilton Metalplane Company, which merged with Boeing in 1926, built some of
the earliest all-metal US aircraft. The H-45 and the H-47, which differed
chiefly in having a more powerful engine, were part of that series.

Both types were corrugated-aluminium-skinned in the Junkers style. The high
wings were semi-cantilevers, unsupported apart from pairs of parallel struts
from the fuselage bottom edge to the wing close to the fuselage. The main legs
of the fixed, tailwheel undercarriage were attached at the same wing points as
the struts and joined laterally by inverted V bracing. The fuselage was
flat-sided, with wide windows to the passenger cabin under the wing. This was
accessed via a portside door, aft of which was a smaller door into a baggage
compartment. The two crew members sat in a cabin in front of the wings, accessed
by a rooftop hatch. The tail was conventional, with a braced tailplane.

Both the H-45 and the H-47 were powered by a single, uncowled, Pratt & Whitney
9-cylinder radial: the H-45 had a 450 hp (335 kW) Wasp and the H-47 a 525 hp
(390 kW) Hornet. The Hornet gave a 10 mph (16 km/h) increase in cruising speed
and a slight (3%) increase in useful load to 2300 lb (1043 kg).

Both types first flew in 1928. Both could be mounted on floats. In all, about 25
H-45s and 21 H-47s were built.

Role
Civil passenger and mail carrier

National origin
United States

Manufacturer
Hamilton Metalplane Company

Designer
James McDonnell

First flight
1928

Number built
46

The H-45 and H-47 were used from 1928 to operate passenger and mail services
within the US. Northwest Airways flew at least nine aircraft, introducing them
on their Chicago-Minneapolis/St Paul route CAM 9 from September 1928. Other U.S.
airlines to use the type for both passengers and cargo were Coastal Air Freight
and Condor Air Lines. Wien Alaska Airways used at least one H-45 on a route from
Fairbanks to the western coast and on to Point Barrow.

During 1930, Isthmian Airways used Hamilton floatplanes for their service
linking the Atlantic to the Pacific between respectively Cristóbal, Colón and
Balboa in the Panama Canal Zone. The airline impudently claimed the 30-minute
flight as the "fastest transcontinental service in North America".

One H-47 (originally built as an H-45) was impressed by the United States Army
as a UC-89 in 1942. It was found unsuitable for Army work and was struck off
charge in August 1943.

It was a featured aircraft in Howard Hawk's 1939 "Only Angels Have Wings" flying
mail for "Barranca". The flying scenes were fake; however, the aircraft was used
in ground scenes. The movie prop model (or one of them) survives.

Variants

H-45 Wasp powered, ~25 built.

H-47 Hornet powered, 20 built.

H-47 Special 525 hp (390 kW) Wright Cyclone powered, span extended to 60 ft 5 in
(18.4 m). One built.

UC-89 Single impressed aircraft

Specifications (H-47)

General characteristics
Crew: two
Capacity: six passengers
Length: 34 ft 2 in (10.41 m)
Wingspan: 54 ft 5 in (16.59 m)
Height: 9 ft 4 in (2.84 m)
Wing area: 390 sq ft (36 m2)
Empty weight: 3,699 lb (1,678 kg)
Gross weight: 5,750 lb (2,608 kg)
Fuel capacity: 140 US gal (120 imp gal; 530 L)
Powerplant: 1 × Pratt and Whitney R-1690 Hornet 9-cylinder air cooled radial,
525 hp (391 kW)

Performance
Maximum speed: 145 mph (233 km/h; 126 kn)
Cruise speed: 125 mph (201 km/h; 109 kn)
Stall speed: 55 mph (89 km/h; 48 kn)
Range: 600 mi (521 nmi; 966 km)
Service ceiling: 15,000 ft (4,600 m)
Rate of climb: 900 ft/min (4.6 m/s)




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