Keystone B-6
| B-6 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Keystone B-6A of the 1st Bomb Squadron, 9th Bomb Group, Mitchel Field, N.Y. | |
| Role | Light bomber |
| Manufacturer | Keystone Aircraft |
| Primary user | United States Army Air Corps |
| Number built | 5 Y1B-6 + 39 B-6A |
| Developed from | Keystone B-3 |
The Keystone B-6 was a biplane bomber developed for the United States Army Air Corps.
Design and development
In 1931, the United States Army Air Corps received five working models (Y1B-6s) of the B-6 bomber. The Y1B- designation, as opposed to a YB- designation, indicates funding outside normal fiscal year procurement. Two of these were redesignations of LB-13s; three were re-engined B-3As. The Air Corps placed an order for 39 production models on 28 April 1931, with deliveries between August 1931 and January 1932.[1]
At the same time, an order was placed for 25 B-4As, the same aircraft but mounting Pratt & Whitney engines instead of Wright Cyclones. Despite their lower sequence number, the B-4As would be delivered last. These were the last canvas-and-wood biplane bombers ordered by the Air Corps.
The performance of the B-6A varied little from the Martin NBS-1 ordered in 1921. Its successor, the monoplane bomber, had a hard time getting accepted. The Douglas Y1B-7 and Fokker XB-8 were originally designed as high-speed reconnaissance aircraft.[1]
Operational history
The B-6A together with B-5A were front line bombers of the United States for the period between 1930 and 1934. Afterwards, they remained in service primarily as observation aircraft until the early 1940s.
B-6 aircraft were used, along with many other Army Air Corps planes, as mail planes in what became the Air Mail scandal of 1934.
On December 27, 1935, six B-6 bombers of the 23rd Bomb Squadron based in Hawaii dropped bombs to divert lava flow from the volcano Mauna Loa away from the port of Hilo.
Variants
- LB-13
- Seven aircraft ordered but delivered as the Y1B-4 and Y1B-6 with different engine installations.
- Y1B-6
- Two pre-production aircraft and three converted B-3As, as the LB-10 but with two 575 hp (429 kW) Wright R-1820-1 engines.
- B-6A
- Production version of the Y1B-6, 39 built.
Operators
Specifications (B-6A)
General characteristics
- Crew: 5
- Length: 48 ft 10 in (14.9 m)
- Wingspan: 74 ft 8 in (22.8 m)
- Height: 15 ft 9 in (4.8 m)
- Wing area: 1,145 ft² (106.4 m²)
- Empty weight: 8,057 lb (3,665 kg)
- Loaded weight: 13,350 lb (6,056 kg)
- Max. takeoff weight: lb (kg)
- Powerplant: 2 × Wright R-1820-1 radial engines, 575 hp (429 kW) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 120 mph (100 kn, 190 km/h)
- Cruise speed: 103 mph (89 kn, 166 km/h)
- Range: 825 mi (717 nmi, 1,330 km)
- Service ceiling: 14,100 ft (6,400 m)
- Wing loading: 11.66 lb/ft² (56.92 kg/m²)
- Power/mass: 0.0861 hp/lb (142 W/kg)
Armament
- Guns: 3 × .30 in (7.62 mm) Browning machine guns
- Bombs: 2,500 lb (1,100 kg); 4,000 lb (1,800 kg) on short runs
See also
- Related development
- Related lists
References
- Notes
- 1 2 Baugher, Joe. "Keystone B-6." American Military Aircraft, 11 July 1999. Retrieved: 29 July 2011.
- Bibliography
- Wagner, Ray. American Combat Planes. New York: Doubleday, 1982. ISBN 0-930083-17-2.
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Keystone B-6. |