| Commodore | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| XPY-1 Admiral | |
| Role | commercial transport flying-boat |
| Manufacturer | Consolidated Aircraft |
| Introduction | 1930 |
| Number built | 14 |
| Variants | Consolidated P2Y |
The Consolidated Commodore was a flying boat built by Consolidated Aircraft and used for passenger travel in the 1930s, mostly in the Caribbean operated by companies like Pan American Airlines. A pioneer of long haul passenger aircraft industry, the Commodore "Clipper" grew out of a Navy design competition in the 1920s to create an aircraft capable of nonstop flights between the mainland of the United States and Panama, Alaska, and the Hawaiian Islands. In response to these requirements, Consolidated produced the prototype XPY-1 Admiral designed by Isaac M. Laddon [1] in January 1929 but lost the contract to the Martin aircraft company. The aircraft represented a marked change from earlier patrol boat designs such as the Curtiss NC.
In response to losing the Navy contract, Consolidated offered a passenger-carrying version of the XPY-1, which became known as the Commodore. The monoplane all-metal hull could accommodate 32 passengers and a crew of 3. The full complement of passengers, located in three cabins, could only be carried on relatively short-route segments. For a 1000-mile flight, the boat probably could accommodate no more than 14 people including the crew. Wing and tail construction consisted of metal-frame structure covered with fabric except for metal-covered leading edges.
With a first flight in 1931, a total of 14 Commodore boats were built. They were used in airline service from the United States to South America where routes extended as far south as Buenos Aires, a distance of 9000 miles from Miami.[2] They were out of service by 1935, having been superseded by more efficient aircraft such as the Sikorsky S-42, Boeing 314, and Martin 130. The Commodore may be considered as a first step in the United States along a road that was to lead to the highly efficient monoplane-type patrol and transport flying boats later in the 1930s. The XPY-1 and its civil counterpart. the Commodore, may be considered as progenitors in a series of flying-boat developments that led to the famous Consolidated PBY Catalina of World War II fame.
Only known Commodore Model 16 remaining worldwide has been located in a Northern Canadian Lake. There is currently an ongoing project to raise and restore this airframe for display at the San Diego Air & Space Museum.[1]
Operators [edit]
Accidents and incidents [edit]
- On April 16, 1935, a Pan Am Commodore, registration NC660M, was destroyed in a hangar fire at Miami.
- On June 18, 1942, an American Export Airlines Commodore, registration NC664M, caught fire and sank at Takla Lake, Canada, during a refueling stop; the wreckage was located in 1963.
- On September 24, 1943, a Pan Am Commodore, registration NC668M, crashed at Miami while on a test flight, killing one of three on board.
- On December 24, 1948, an ALFA Commodore, registration LV-AAL, was destroyed in a hangar fire at Puerto Nuevo, Argentina.
Specifications [edit]
Data from [5]
General characteristics
- Capacity: 22
- Length: 61 ft 9 in (18.82 m)
- Wingspan: 100 ft in (30.48 m)
- Height: 19 ft 1 in (5.82 m)
- Wing area: 1,514 ft2 (140.65 m2)
- Empty weight: 12,769 lb (5,792 kg)
- Gross weight: 25,266 lb (11,460 kg)
- Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney Hornet radial piston, 575 hp (429 kW) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 139 mph (224 km/h)
- Range: 1,180 miles (1,899 km)
- Service ceiling: 16,100 ft (4,905 m)
See also [edit]
- Related lists
References [edit]
- ^ http://www.vectorsite.net/avmars.html
- ^ "Flying Boats Cuts The Time To South America
- ^ Popular Aviation. September 1930.
- ^ "CNAC Consolidated Commodore". China National Aviation Corporation (CNAC). http://www.cnac.org/index.html. 13. Retrieved 30 october 2011.
- ^ Sharpe, Michael (2000). Biplanes, Triplanes, and Seaplanes. London: Friedman/Fairfax Books. ISBN 1-58663-300-7.
- The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft. London: Aerospace Publishing.
- Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions.
- World Aircraft Information Files. London: Bright Star Publishing.
External links [edit]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Consolidated Aircraft Commodore |
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