Bellanca 28-90

Infobox Aircraft
name=28-90 Flash


caption=Bellanca 28-90 in Chinese markings c. 1937
type=Military utility aircraft
manufacturer=Bellanca
designer=Albert W. Mooney
first flight=1937
introduced=
retired=
status=
primary user=Chinese Nationalist Air Force, Mexican Air Force
more users=Spanish Republican Air Force
produced=
number built= 43
developed from=Bellanca 28-70
variants with their own articles=The Bellanca 28-90 Flash was an American military aircraft derived from an earlier air racer developed in the 1930s for export to Spain to take part in the Spanish Civil War. Although it never reached Spain, the order was diverted to China where the aircraft briefly saw service. Later, a new batch destined for Spain ended up in Mexico.

Design and development

The Bellanca 28-70 air racer built by Giuseppe Mario Bellanca for the 1934 MacRobertson Race was shipped to Great Britain but was unable to participate in the race due to a lack of time to adequately prepare the aircraft. It went back to the USA to finish its tests, but was badly damaged in a landing accident. In 1936 the aircraft was rebuilt with a 900 hp P&W "Twin Wasp" and redesignated the 28-90. After being purchased by British long-distance air racer James Mollison, he renamed the aircraft "Dorothy" after actress friend Dorothy Ward. Mollison used the Bellanca 28-90 for a new transatlantic speed record on 29-30 October 1936 and later in the year made an attempt to set a long-distance London-Cape Town that was aborted. In 1937 Mollison flew to Madrid and sold the aircraft to the Republican government in Spain Underwood 1975, p. 62. ] .

Operational history

The Spanish Republican government in desperate need of modern military aircraft placed an order for 20 aircraft in 1936 through a "arms length" deal with Air France Underwood 1975, p. 62. ] . In order to circumvent US government export restrictions in the Neutrality Acts aimed at stopping exports to combatants in Europe, the Bellanca 28-90s were marked with spurious Air France livery and declared by Bellanca to be mailplanes Underwood 1975, p. 62. ] . The truth was discovered, however, and export permission was denied. Nevertheless, the Chinese government managed to secure permission to buy the aircraft and they were shipped there instead. Fitted with bomb racks and machine guns mounted in the fuselage at Hangkow, this first batch of machines saw brief service, although seven of them were destroyed on the ground in Japanese raids without having seen combat Underwood 1975, p. 62-63. ] . The remainder were destroyed in testing.

Undaunted, the Spanish government tried again, ordering 22 examples as "trainers" with full payment in advance, with the aircraft this time being exported to a Greek civil reservist flying school Underwood 1975, p. 67. ] . Once again, however, the truth was found out and export permission denied. They were eventually successfully purchased for export to Mexico, but with their true destination again Spain. However, before the aircraft could be supplied, the Spanish Civil War was over. After languishing for over a year in a warehouse in Veracruz, they were indeed purchased by the Mexican Air Force, with which they served from 1939 to 1940 until grounded due to safety concerns.

In 1946, the surviving 19 airframes were acquired by the Charles E. Babb Company and shipped to Glendale, California Underwood 1975, p. 67. ] . A final sale of the Bellancas still in packing crates was made to the US Navy where the aircraft were distributed to US Navy Technical Centers as training aids Underwood 1975, p. 67. ] .

pecifications

aerospecs
met or eng?= eng

crew=two, pilot and observer
capacity=
length ft=26
length in=6
length m=8.08
span ft=46
span in=2
span m=14.08
dia m=
dia ft=
dia in=
height m=
height ft=
height in=
wing area sqft=279
wing area sqm=25.9
rot area sqm=
rot area sqft=
aspect ratio=
empty weight kg=
empty weight lb=
gross weight lb=7,849
gross weight kg=3,560
eng1 number=1
eng1 type=Pratt & Whitney R-1830
eng1 kw= 716
eng1 hp= 960
eng1 kn=
eng1 lbf=
eng1 kn-ab=
eng1 lbf-ab=
eng2 number=
eng2 type=
eng2 kw=
eng2 hp=
eng2 kn=
eng2 lbf=
eng2 kn-ab=
eng2 lbf-ab=

max speed mph=280
max speed kmh=450
max speed mach=
cruise speed kmh=
cruise speed mph=
range miles=800
range km=1,290
endurance h=
endurance min=
ceiling ft=30,500
ceiling m=9,300
glide ratio=
climb rate ftmin=2,800
climb rate ms=14.2
sink rate ms=
sink rate ftmin=
armament1=
armament2=
armament3=
armament4=
armament5=
armament6=

References

* Taylor, Michael J.H. "Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation". London: Studio Editions, 1989
* Underwood, John. "A Racer for Ireland, Bombers for Spain." "Air Classics" Vol. 11, no. 10, October 1975.

External links

* [http://www.aerofiles.com/_bella.html aerofiles.com]
* [http://www.laahs.com/artman/publish/article_137.shtml Latin American Aviation Historical Society]

ee also

aircontent