Bellanca 28-70

Infobox Aircraft
name=28-70 "Irish Swoop"


caption=Bellanca 28-70 as "Irish Swoop"
type=Air racing aircraft
manufacturer=Bellanca
designer=Albert W. Mooney
first flight=1 September 1934
introduced=
retired=
status=
primary user=Irish Hospitals Trust
more users=
produced=
number built= 1
variants with their own articles=Bellanca 28-90 Flash

The Bellanca 28-70 was a long-range air racer designed for James Fitzmaurice of Ireland, who christened it "Irish Swoop". Although it was built in time for the 1934 MacRobertson Race from England to Australia, it was never destined to be a competitive long-distance racer but it was ultimately reborn as a high-speed bomber.

Design and development

In preparation for the upcoming 1934 MacRobertson Race from England to Australia, Col. James "Fitz" Fitzmaurice, former commanding officer of the Irish Free State Air Force travelled to the United States in spring 1934 to commission a long-distance air racing aircraft Underwood 1975, p. 16. ] . After approaching Lockheed Aircraft and Northrop Aircraft companies, he sought out Giuseppe Mario Bellanca Underwood 1975, p. 17. ] . Although he did not have a product to sell, Bellanca made a proposal to Fitzmaurice to build a "one-off" speciality aircraft for $30,000.00 Underwood 1975, p. 17. ] .

In May 1934, Fitzmaurice signed an agreement for a new aircraft called the Bellanca 28-70. Bellanca turned to a conventional wooden frame with cloth covering but the purposeful profile did not look like any of the previous company designs. Powered by a Pratt & Whitney 700 hp double-row "Wasp Jr.", the long streamlined fuselage merged a tandem cockpit area topped by an extended canopy into a low-wing monoplane configuration with retractable main landing gear. An unusual set of top and bottom wing braces were utilized. Designed for a fuel capacity of 400 gallons, in order to have long "legs," a total of 600 gallons of fuel were aboard, raising the gross weight to 8,350 lbs Underwood 1975, p. 19. ] .

Operational history

After receiving the aircraft, Fitzmaurice and his co-pilot, Eric "Jock" Bonar conducted a rapid series of pre-flight tests in New York before carrying out the first flight on 1 September 1934 Underwood 1975, p. 19. ] . The initial flight showed problems in aileron controls that necessitated a modification. Following a successful second test flight, the aircraft painted as "race 29" was crated and shipped by sea on the liner "Bremen" with a final destination at Bremerhaven, after the aircraft was unable to be offloaded at its first stop in Southampton when the small ship that was to transport the Bellanca broke its tow line.

Christened the "Irish Swoop", Fitzmaurice and Bonar took off in the racer on 9 October, arriving in Great Britain barely in time for the start of the MacRobertson Race Underwood 1975, p. 19. ] . The ferry flight was problematic with a cracked cowling forcing a landing at Amsterdam Underwood 1975, p. 21. ] .

The MacRobertson race rules committee considered the Fitzmaurice and Bonar entry not "race-ready" Underwood 1975, p. 21. ] . A more serious problem involved the Bellanca exceeding its design specifications wherein it had been certified for a 400 gallon fuel capacity and now was carrying much more fuel and weight without being re-certified. Assigned a penalty that limited its fuel to 120 gallons, Fitzmaurice withdrew the "Irish Swoop" hours before the race, unwilling to sacrifice his fuel load.

After being re-certified for its new configuration, Fitzmaurice and Bonar undertook a long-distance record flight on 29 October 1934 intending to set a new London-Baghdad mark Underwood 1975, p. 62. ] . However, over Belgium, problems with a fairing and the cowling caused an end to the attempt. The Bellanca was shipped back to the USA to finish its tests, but was badly damaged in a landing accident on 15 April 1935 when a gust of wind flipped the aircraft on its back during a proving flight undertaken by Bonar and Bellanca mechanic Eddie Griscome Underwood 1975, p. 62. ] . In 1936, the aircraft was rebuilt with a 900hp P&W Twin Wasp and redesignated the 28-90.

Purchased by British long-distance air racer James Mollison for $28,000.00, he renamed the aircraft "Dorothy" and used the Bellanca for a new transatlantic speed record but in 1937 sold the aircraft to the Republican government in Spain Underwood 1975, p. 62. ]

The Bellanca 28-90 Flash was developed into an American bomber 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. A total of 43 aircraft were produced.

pecifications

aerospecs
met or eng?= eng

crew=two, pilot and co-pilot
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=8,350
gross weight kg=3,787
eng1 number=1
eng1 type=Pratt & Whitney R-1535
eng1 kw= 521
eng1 hp= 700
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=275
max speed kmh=442
max speed mach=
cruise speed kmh=
cruise speed mph=
range miles=2,500
range km=4,023
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]

ee also

aircontent