Bellanca 31-40

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31-40 Senior Pacemaker
CF-DCH Reynolds-Alberta Museum c. 2006, photo by Ruud Leeuw
Type	Civil utility aircraft
Manufacturer	Bellanca, Northwest Industries (under licence)
Maiden flight	1935
Number built	ca. 20 + 13 under licence

The Bellanca 31-40 Senior Pacemaker and its derivatives were a family of a six- and eight-seat utility aircraft built in the United States in the late 1930s. They were the final revision of the original Wright WB-2 design Bellanca had bought in the late 1920s. The model numbers used by Bellanca in this period reflected the wing area (in this case, 310 square feet) and engine horsepower (400 and up in this series), each divided by ten. Like their predecessors, these were high-wing braced monoplanes with conventional tailwheel undercarriage.

A single Senior Skyrocket was bought by the United States Navy in 1938 for use as a utility transport, designated JE-1. Senior Skyrockets were also built under licence by Northwest Industries in Canada following World War II.

In 2007, a single example remains extant - the first Canadian-built aircraft (registration CF-DCH). It is preserved at the Reynolds-Alberta Museum.

[edit] Variants

• 31-40 Senior Pacemaker - Wright Cyclone engine, 400 hp (298 kW)
• 31-42 Senior Pacemaker
• 31-50 Senior Skyrocket - Pratt & Whitney Hornet engine, 550 hp (410 kW)
• 31-55 Senior Skyrocket
  • JE - Senior Skyrocket version for US Navy with 570 hp (425 kW) engine
  • de Luxe Senior Skyrocket - 31-55 with improved instrumentation and superior interior and exterior finishes

[edit] Specifications (31-55 Senior Skyrocket)

General characteristics

• Crew: one pilot
• Capacity: 7 passengers
• Length: 27 ft 9 in (8.5 m m)
• Wingspan: 50 ft 6 in (15.3 m)
• Height: 8 ft 6 in (2.5 m)
• Wing area: 310 ft² (28.8 m²)
• Empty weight: 3,940 lb (1,787 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney Hornet radial, 550 hp (410 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 180 mph (290 km/h)
• Range: 900 miles (1,450 km)

[edit] References

• Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions, 149-50. 
• aerofiles.com

[edit] See also

v • d • e USN/USMC transport designations 1931-1962 Atlantic Aircraft: RA Buhl: RB Curtiss: RC  • R4C  • R5C Douglas: RD  • R2D  • R3D  • R4D  • R5D  • R6D Bellanca: RE Kinner: RK  • R2K Martin: RM Lockheed: RO  • R2O  • R3O  • R4O  • R5O  • R6O  • R7O Stinson: RQ  • R3Q Fairchild: RQ  • R2Q  • R4Q Ford: RR Sikorsky: RS Northrop: RT Lockheed: R6V  • R7V  • R8V Convair: RY  • R2Y  • R3Y  • R4Y

v • d • e USN/USMC utility aircraft designations 1935-1955 Utility Fokker: JA Noorduyn: JA Beechcraft: JB Curtiss-Wright: JC Douglas: JD Bellanca: JE Grumman: JF  • J2F  • J3F  • J4F Stearmon-Hammond: JH Fairchild: JK  • J2K Columbia: JL Martin: JM Lockheed: JO Fairchild: JQ  • J2Q Ford: JR Waco: JW  • J2W Utility Transport Beechcraft: JRB Cessna: JRC Grumman: JRF • J2RF Martin: JRM Sikorsky: JRS • JR2S

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