Douglas O-46
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| O-46 | |
|---|---|
 Douglas O-46A at National Museum of the United States Air Force |
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| Type | Observation |
| Manufacturer | Douglas Aircraft Company |
| Maiden flight | 1935 |
| Introduced | 1937? |
| Primary user | United States Army Air Corps |
| Produced | 1936-1937 |
| Number built | 90 |
| Unit cost | US $28,000 |
The United States Douglas O-46 was an observation airplane used by the United States Army Air Corps and the Philippine Army Air Corps.[1]
The O-46A, the last of a long line of Douglas observation planes, was a victim of progress. It was designed to operate from established airfields behind fairly static battle lines as in WW I. However, in 1939, a report was issued on the O-46A which stated that it was too slow and heavy to outrun and outmaneuver enemy pursuit planes, too heavy to operate from small, wet, unprepared fields, and too large to conceal beneath trees. This report was a forecast of the future, for World War II with its rapidly changing battle lines proved the need for light, maneuverable observation aircraft which could operate from unimproved airstrips. Consequently, in 1942, the "O" (observation) designation was changed to "L" (liaison).
The O-46 was a development of the earlier Douglas O-43. The 24th airframe of the O-43A contract was completed as the XO-46 prototype, with a revised wing and an engine switch, from the O-43's inline engine to a radial engine, the Pratt & Whitney R-1535-7. The Air Corps ordered 90 O-46As in 1935. They were built between May 1936 and April 1937. At least 11 saw overseas duty; two were destroyed in the Japanese raid on Clark Field in the Philippines on December 8, 1941. The remainder were declared obsolete in late 1942 and after that were used primarily in training and utility roles.
A proposed variant with a Wright R-1670-3 engine received the designation O-48 but was not built.
[edit] Museum displays
[edit] Specifications (O-46)
General characteristics
- Length: 34 ft 9½ in (10.6 m)
- Wingspan: 45 ft 9 in (13.9 m)
- Height: 10 ft 4 in (3.18 m)
- Wing area: 332 ft² (30.84 m²)
- Empty weight: 4,775 lb (2166 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 6,100 lb (2800 kg[2])
- Powerplant: 1× Pratt & Whitney R-1535-7 14-cylinder radial engine, 725 hp (540 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 200 mph (322 km/h)
- Cruise speed: 171 mph (275 km/h)
- Range: 635 miles (1022 km)
- Service ceiling 24,150 ft (7,360 m)
Armament
- 2 × .30 cal (7.62 mm) Browning machine guns (one wing mounted and one flexible)
This aircraft article is missing some (or all) of its specifications. If you have a source, you can help Wikipedia by adding them.[edit] References
- ^ U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission. Douglas Aircraft Builds the DC-1 and DC-2 (English). U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission. Retrieved on September 28, 2007.
- ^ According to [1], normal takeoff weight 3011 kg (6589 lb)
- Douglas O-46 at Ugolok Neba (in Russian, with drawings and photos)
Related development
Comparable aircraft
Related lists
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