- Travel Air 6000
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Travel Air 6000 Travel Air A-6000A preserved in flying condition wearing the 1928 markings of National Air Transport Inc Role Civil utility aircraft Manufacturer Travel Air, Curtiss-Wright Designer Herbert Rawdon First flight April 15, 1928 Number built ca. 150 The Travel Air 6000 (later known as the Curtiss-Wright 6B when Travel Air was purchased by Curtiss-Wright) was a six-seat utility aircraft manufactured in the United States in the late 1920s.
Contents
Design and development
It was developed as a luxury version of the Travel Air 5000 marketed principally as an executive aircraft, although its size proved popular with regional airlines, which purchased most of the roughly 150 machines built.
The 6000 was a high-wing braced monoplane with a fuselage constructed of steel tube and covered in fabric. In keeping with its intended luxury market, the fully enclosed cabin was insulated and soundproofed, and included wind-down windows. The basic model was priced at $12,000, but numerous options were offered that could nearly double that price; actor Wallace Beery's aircraft cost him $20,000 and was the most expensive Model 6000 built.
Operational history
Airline operation
6000s were operated in 1928 by National Air Transport on their US mail and passenger routes from Chicago to New York, Chicago to Dallas and Chicago to Kansas City.[1]
Foreign service
Two Travel Air 6000 were purchased by the Paraguayan government during the Chaco War (1932-1935) for the Transport Squadron of its Air Arm. These aircraft belonged to TAT with the registrations NC624K (c/n 6B-2011) and NC9815 (c/n 6B-1029); They received the military serials T-2 and T-5 (later re-serialled as T-9). The aircraft were intensively used during the conflict as air ambulances. They both survived the war and continued flying in the Air Arm. In 1945, they were transferred to the first Paraguayan Airline, Líneas Aéreas de Transporte Nacional (LATN) and received the civil registrations ZP-SEC and ZP-SED. They were withdrawn from use in 1947.
Survivors
In 2006, eight examples remained on the US civil register, with perhaps half of them actually flying.
Variants
- Model 6000 - six seat version, powered by a 220 hp (164 kW) Wright J-5 engine
- Model 6000A (or A-6000) - version powered by 450 hp (336 kW) Pratt & Whitney Wasp engine
- SA-6000A - floatplane version of the Model 6000A
- Model 6000B (or B-6000, later 6B) - version powered by 300 hp (224 kW)Wright J-6-9 radial engine.
- S-6000-B - floatplane version of the Model 6000B
Operators
- Paraguayan Air Force
- LAIN
Specifications (6000B)
General characteristics
- Crew: One pilot
- Capacity: 5 passengers
- Length: 30 ft 10 in (9.40 m)
- Wingspan: 48 ft 7 in (14.81 m)
- Wing area: 282 ft2 (26.2 m2)
- Empty weight: 2,608 lb (1,183 kg)
- Gross weight: 4,230 lb (1,919 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Wright J-6-9, 300 hp (224 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 130 mph (209 km/h)
- Range: 550 miles (885 km)
- Service ceiling: 16,000 ft (4,880 m)
- Rate of climb: 800 ft/min (4.1 m/s)
References
- Notes
- ^ Davies 1998, pp. 73-74.
- ^ http://www.deltamuseum.org/M_Education_DeltaHistory_Aircraft_TravelAir_S-6000-B.htm
- Bibliography
- Auliard, Gilles. "Time Machine." Air Classics, April 2006.
- Davies, R.E.G. Airlines of the United States since 1914. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1998. ISBN 1-888962-08-9.
- Hagedorn, Dan and Antonio Luis Sapienza. Aircraft of the Chaco War, 1928-1935. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing Co., 1996.
- Taylor, Michael J. H. Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions, 1989.
External links
Aircraft produced by Curtiss and Curtiss-Wright Manufacturer
designationsModel letters: C • D • E • F • G • GS • H • J • K • L • M • N • PN • JN • R • S
Model numbers: 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 23 • 24 • 26 • 28 • 31 • 32 • 33 • 34 • 35 • 36 • 37 • 38 • 39 • 40 • 41 • 42 • 43 • 44 • 47 • 48 • 49 • 50 • 51 • 52 • 53 • 54 • 55 • 56 • 57 • 58 • 59A/59B • 60 • 61 • 62 • 63 • 64 • 66 • 67 • 68 • 69 • 70 • 71 • 72 • 73 • 75 • 76 • 77 • 79 • 81 • 82 • 84 • 85 • 86 • 87 • 88 • 90 • 91 • 94 • 95 • 96 • 97 • 98 •
"CW" models: CW-1 • CW-2 • CW-3 • CW-4 • CW-5 • CW-6 • CW-7 • CW-8 • CW-9 • CW-10 • CW-11 • CW-12 • CW-14 • CW-15 • CW-16 • CW-17 • CW-18 • CW-19 • CW-20 • CW-21 • CW-22 • CW-23 • CW-24 • CW-25 • CW-27 • CW-29 • CW-32
By role Experimental: No. 1 • Model C • Tanager
Racing: No. 2 • CR • R2C • R3C
General utility: Model D • Model E • Model F • Robin • Thrush
Maritime patrol: Model H • HS-1L and -2L
Training: Model L • Model JN • Fledgling • AT-4 Hawk • AT-5 Hawk
Fighters: 18 • PW-8 • P-1 • P-2 • P-3 • P-4 • P-5 • P-6 • XP-31 • P-36 • P-40 • XP-46 • XP-53 • YP-60 • XP-62 • XP-71 • XP-87
Naval Fighters: HA • FC • F2C • F3C • F4C • F6C • F7C • F8C • F9C • F10C • F11C • XF12C • F13C • XF14C • XF15C
Airliners: Eagle • Condor II • Kingbird
Naval Scouts/Dive Bombers: CS • GS • S2C • XS3C • S4C • SC • SBC • SB2C • XSB3C • SOC • SO2C • SO3C
Observation: O-1 • O-12 • O-13 • O-16 • O-18 • O-26 • O-39 • O-40 • O-52
Naval Observation: OC • O2C • O3C
Naval Bombers: 24 • BFC • BF2C • XBTC • XBT2C
Ground Attack: A-3 • A-4 • A-5 • A-6 • A-8 • YA-10 • A-12 • YA-14 • A-25 • A-40 • XA-43
Licensed production: NBS-1
Lists relating to aviation General Aircraft (manufacturers) · Aircraft engines (manufacturers) · Airlines (defunct) · Airports · Civil authorities · Museums · Registration prefixes · Rotorcraft (manufacturers) · TimelineMilitary Accidents/incidents Records Categories:- United States civil utility aircraft 1920–1929
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