Burnelli UB-14
| UB-14 | |
|---|---|
| |
| Role | Civil transport |
| Manufacturer | Burnelli |
| Designer | Vincent Burnelli |
| First flight | 1934 |
| Number built | 3 |
| Developed into | Burnelli CBY-3 |
The Burnelli UB-14 and a developed variant named OA-1 Clyde Clipper were 1930s American prototype lifting-fuselage airliners designed by Vincent Burnelli, who was responsible for constructing the first two examples.
Design and development[edit]
Following on from his earlier designs Vincent Burnelli designed a commercial transport version using the lifting-fuselage concept. Burnelli's designs were based on the idea that an airfoil-section fuselage could contribute to the lift generated. The Burnelli UB-14 first flew in 1934, and had an airfoil-section fuselage that formed the centre-section of the wing. The aircraft had twin tailbooms and a widespan tailplane and elevator fitted with twin fins and rudders. The UB-14 had retractable landing gear and was powered by two Pratt & Whitney radial engines. An enclosed cockpit for the crew of two was located on the centre wing's upper surface. The cabin could hold 14 to 18 passengers.
Operational history[edit]
The first prototype, UB-14, was destroyed in a 1935 accident attributed to faulty maintenance on the aileron control system.[1] Burnelli then designed and built an improved version, the UB-14B. An extensively modified version of the UB-14B design was built under licence in the United Kingdom by Cunliffe-Owen Aircraft, powered by two Bristol Perseus XIVC radials as the Cunliffe-Owen OA-1 Clyde Clipper.[2] The UB-14B was to have been built by Scottish Aviation, but with more streamlined inline engines.
Burnelli applied to the CAA for approval to fly a transatlantic flight with Clyde Edward Pangborn as the pilot in September 1936,[3] however it failed its airworthiness certification due to an excessively long takeoff run and poor quality control. Its performance was later tested at A&AEE Boscombe Down in 1939.[4]
After appropriate work, in June 1941 Jim Mollison and an Air Transport Auxiliary crew delivered the Cunliffe-Owen OA-1, now registered as G-AFMB to Fort Lamy, Chad. It was then fitted out as a personal transport for General De Gaulle. At one time it landed in Vichy France while en route to Fort Lamy.[5] It was later abandoned at RAF Kabrit in Egypt, and burned during VJ-Day celebrations.[6]
Variants[edit]
- UB-14
- Prototype, powered by Pratt & Whitney engines, registered as NX14740. Built by Burnelli Company. Destroyed 13 January 1935, without injury.
- UB-14B
- Second prototype with modifications, registered as NC15320. Built by Burnelli Company. Exported to Nicaragua in 1943 as AN-ABH.
- OA-1
- Third prototype, registered as G-AFMB, built by Cunliffe-Owen Aircraft under licence with further modifications, in the United Kingdom.
Specifications (UB-14B)[edit]
General characteristics
- Crew: two
- Capacity: 14–18 passengers
- Length: 44 ft 0 in (13.41 m)
- Wingspan: 71 ft 0 in (21.64 m)
- Height: 10 ft 0 in (3.05 m)
- Wing area: 686 sq ft (63.7 m2)
- Airfoil:
- Empty weight: 9,200 lb (4,173 kg)
- Gross weight: 17,500 lb (7,938 kg)
- Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney Hornet radial piston engines , 750 hp (560 kW) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 210 mph (340 km/h, 180 kn)
- Cruise speed: 205 mph (330 km/h, 178 kn)
- Range: 1,240 mi (2,000 km, 1,080 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 22,000 ft (6,700 m)
See also[edit]
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
References[edit]
Notes[edit]
- ^ "About". Burnelli successor company. Retrieved: November 28, 2015.
- ^ "Fast Air Liner To Compete In Atlantic Race." Popular Mechanics, May 1937.
- ^ "Ocean hop planned in metal airplane." The Washington Post, September 17, 1936.
- ^ Mason 2010, p. 242.
- ^ Joss, D.A. "Flying Wing" Recollection, Flight International, 13 May 1965, pp. 750–751.
- ^ Aeroplane Monthly June 2006 p.95 with two bw plates
- ^ a b c Flight magazine, 1936 / pg. 1591
Bibliography[edit]
- The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982–1985). London: Orbis Publishing, 1986.
- Mason, Tim. The Secret Years: Flight Testing at Boscombe Down, 1939–1945. Crowborough, UK: Hikoki Publications, 2010. ISBN 978-1-9021-0914-5.
External links[edit]
- Photographs of the Burnelli UB-14 Archived 2012-02-18 at the Wayback Machine