Subject: Bomber Series--Douglas YB-11

From: [email-masked]
Date: 29 Jun 94 16:28:17 GMT

>From [email-masked]

The Douglas B-11 was a 1932 project for an amphibian bomber that would 
fly over water along with formations of conventional land-based 
bombers to act as navigation leaders and as rescue aircraft in case 
one of the bombers went down.  

A single YB-11 was ordered on November 18, 1932.  The serial number 
was 33-17.  It was to have been a substantially scaled-up version of 
the Douglas Dolphin amphibian and was to have been powered by two 670 
hp Wright R-1820-13 Cyclone nine-cylinder radials mounted in 
individual nacelles above the cantilever monoplane wing.  The aircraft 
was to have had fixed underwing floats and a two-step hull.  The main 
landing gear was to have retracted into fuselage sides just beneath 
the wing leading edge.  Armament was to have consisted of three 
flexible 0.30-inch machine guns, one firing from each of two gunner's 
hatches situated on the upper fuselage just behind the wings and one 
in an enclosed bow turret.  The turret was to be have been set back 
from the bow to allow room for an open mooring hatch in the extreme 
nose.  

While the aircraft was under construction, the Army decided that the 
use of mixed formations of landplanes and amphibians was not very 
practical, and the YB-11 was redesignated YO-44, an observation 
category.  It was later redesignated YOA-5, an observation amphibian 
category.  

The YOA-5 was flown for the first time in January of 1935.  An open 
bow gunner position was fitted rather than the originally-intended 
turret.  The YOA-5 was transferred out to Wright Field in Ohio for 
test and evaluation.  

Although the performance of the YOA-5 was acceptable, the Army decided 
that it did not need observation amphibians and no further examples of 
the YOA-5 were ordered.  YOA-5 33-17 remained a "one-off" aircraft.  
Following the completion of the tests at Wright Field, the YOA-5 was 
assigned in October of 1935 to the 1st Air Base Squadron at Langley 
Field in Virginia.  In June of 1941, the YOA-5 was transferred to 
Elmendorf Field in Alaska.  It was scrapped there in late 1943.  

Specification of the Douglas YOA-5: 

Two 750 hp Wright R-1820-25 air-cooled radial engines.  Maximum speed 
161 mph at sea level, 170 mph at 2800 feet.  Cruising speed 152 mph.  
Landing speed 75 mph.  Service ceiling 18,900 feet.  An altitude of 
10,000 feet could be reached in 13 minutes.  Dimensions: wingspan 89 
feet 9 inches, length 69 feet 6 inches, height 22 feet, wing area 1101 
square feet.  Weights: 14,038 pounds empty, 20,000 pounds gross.  
Armed with three flexible 0.30-inch machine guns, one firing from each 
of two gunner's hatches situated just behind the wings and one in an 
open nose position.  

Sources: 

  McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Since 1920, Volume I, Rene J.  Francillon, 
  Naval Institute Press, 1988.  

  American Combat Planes, Ray Wagner, Third Edition, Doubleday, 1982.

  American Warplanes, Bill Gunston

  U.S. Army Aircraft, 1908-1946, James C. Fahey

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