Fokker F.IV

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fokker_F.IV

The Fokker F.IV was an airliner designed in the Netherlands in the early 1920s,
with only two ever made, both for the United States Army Air Service (designated
T-2).

Design and development

The Fokker F.IV was constructed in typical Fokker style (the largest design they
had yet built), as a high-wing cantilever monoplane with fixed tailskid
undercarriage. The pilot sat in an open cockpit alongside the engine in the
manner of the Fokker F.III, while a cabin inside the fuselage could seat 12
passengers. Before the aircraft had even been built, the United States Army Air
Service had bought two examples during a promotional visit to the country by
Anthony Fokker. Built at Fokker's factory at Veere and flight-tested by Anthony
Fokker himself, the two aircraft were crated and shipped to the United States
where they were assembled at McCook Field and given the designation T-2. Despite
Fokker's hopes that increasing airline passenger numbers would create interest
in aircraft of larger seating capacity, the F.IV was too large for the needs of
contemporary airlines, and no further aircraft were sold.


Role
Airliner

Manufacturer
Fokker

Designer
Reinhold Platz

First flight
1921

Primary user
USAAS

Number built
2

Operational history

One of the T-2s was used for a number of long-distance flights over the next few
years, culminating in the first nonstop transcontinental flight across the
United States, an idea that originated with Lt Oakley G. Kelly, one of the T-2's
test pilots. The Army agreed to let Kelly have the aircraft specially modified
to carry more fuel, and to install a connecting doorway between the cabin and
cockpit so that he and fellow test-pilot Lieutenant John A. Macready could take
turns flying and resting. An extra set of controls was also installed to
facilitate the handover from one pilot to the other. As modified, the T-2 would
take off with 2,350 L (620 US gal) of fuel on board, making it 1,110 kg (2,450
lb) over its prescribed maximum takeoff weight.

In late 1922, Kelly and Macready made two attempts at the transcontinental
flight. The first was made on 5 October 1922, departing San Diego, California
for New York City. After 35 hours 18 minutes in the air, they were forced to
abandon the attempt and land due to fog.[3] This would have been a world
duration record, but without a barograph on board, it could not be officially
recognized by the FAI. Kelly and Macready tried again on 3 November, but this
time engine trouble forced an emergency landing near Indianapolis after 25 hours
30 minutes.

The following year, they made a long-duration flight over a closed circuit over
Dayton, Ohio, remaining aloft for 36 hours, 14 minutes 8 seconds between 16 and
17 April.[4] This established a new world duration record, but also a new
distance record, weight record, and eight various airspeed records. On 2 May,
they set out from New York to attempt the transcontinental flight again, this
time traveling in the opposite direction. 26 hours 50 minutes later, they landed
in San Diego, having covered 4,034 km (2,521 mi).[6] Their aircraft is preserved
in the National Air and Space Museum.

The other T-2 was converted into an air ambulance and given the designation A-2.

Specifications

General characteristics
Crew: One pilot
Capacity: 12 passengers
Length: 15.00 m (49 ft 3 in)
Wingspan: 24.80 m (81 ft 4 in)
Height: 3.34 m (11 ft 0 in)
Wing area: 34.6 m2 (372 ft2)
Empty weight: 2,250 kg (4,960 lb)
Gross weight: 3,460 kg (7,630 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Packard-built Liberty L12 piston engine, 298 kW (400 hp)

Performance
Maximum speed: 150 km/h (93 mph)
Range: 4,100 km (2,550 miles)
Service ceiling: 3,200 m (10,500 ft)

Armament



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