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Subject: Northrop N-3PB floatplane
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_N-3PB
The Northrop N-3PB Nomad was a single-engined American floatplane of the 1940s.
Northrop developed the N-3PB as an export model based on the earlier Northrop
A-17 design. A total of 24 were purchased by Norway, but were not delivered
until after the Fall of Norway during the Second World War. Exiled Norwegian
forces used them from 1941, operating from Iceland, for convoy escort,
anti-submarine patrols, and training purposes from "Little Norway" in Canada.
Within two years of delivery, the design was effectively obsolete in its combat
role, and the remaining N-3PBs were replaced by larger aircraft in 1943.
Following increased international tension surrounding the German annexation of
the Sudetenland in 1938, the Norwegian parliament granted extraordinary
appropriations to modernize the Norwegian Armed Forces.
The Model 8-A, the export model of the Northrop Attack Bomber series was never
intended to serve as the basis of a floatplane and had to be redesigned to meet
the requirements of the Norwegian order. The new N-3PB was the first product of
Northrop Aircraft, which had reformed in 1939, and was a low-winged cantilever
monoplane fitted with twin floats. First intended for a lower powered engine,
the N-3PB was ultimately powered by a Wright Cyclone radial engine.
With the Norwegian operation requirements drawn up for a coastal reconnaissance
floatplane, a series of modifications were requested to the original design. The
changes included a redesign of the float structure to accommodate either a
torpedo or bomb load carried under the center fuselage to supplement five
underwing bomb racks.
Before Northrop could complete any aircraft, Norway was invaded by Germany. The
invasion and occupation of Norway necessitated that the armament of the N-3PB,
originally to be installed in Norway, had to be changed. Initial specifications
listed one Oerlikon 20 mm cannon in each wing, as well as two 7.9 mm Fabrique
Nationale machine guns each in both fuselage and rear gunner stations.
Role
Patrol bomber/torpedo bomber floatplane
Manufacturer
Northrop Aircraft Inc.
First flight
22 December 1940
Introduction
1941
Primary user
Royal Norwegian Navy Air Service
Number built
24
All 24 aircraft were delivered to the exiled Royal Norwegian Navy Air Service by
the end of March 1941.
In late February 1941, six production N-3PBs were flown to RCAF Station Patricia
Bay, Vancouver Island in Canada, one of the Canadian winter bases of the
Norway".
The remaining 18 N-3PBs were used to equip No. 330 (Norwegian) Squadron RAF in
Atlantic in crates on board the Norwegian steamer Fjordheim, the voyage from New
York to Reykjavik taking 13 days to complete. Part of the reason for deploying
the N-3PBs to Iceland were to avoid having the unusual aircraft operating over
the United Kingdom, with the involved risk of friendly fire incidents.
N-3PBs carried out 1,1011 operational sorties, totalling 3,512 hours flying
time. Although the eight attacks they carried out on U-boats proved
inconclusive, N-3PB escort patrols and antisubmarine sweeps were an important
part of the Allied effort in keeping the North Atlantic sea lanes open. After
the end of the type's combat service on Iceland, the Norwegian naval authorities
considered basing two N-3PBs on Svalbard, an Arctic archipelago previously known
as Spitzbergen. A German naval raid on 8 September 1943 resulted in the
deployment being cancelled.
Specifications (N-3PB)
General characteristics
Crew: Three (pilot, navigator/bombardier and wireless operator/rear gunner)
Length: 36 ft 0 in (10.98 m)
Wingspan: 48 ft 11 in (14.91 m)
Height: 12 ft 0 in (3.66 m)
Empty weight: 6,190 lb (2,814 kg)
Loaded weight: 8,500 lb (3,864 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 10,600 lb (4,818 kg)
hp (825 kW)
Performance
Maximum speed: 223 knots (257 mph, 414 km/h) at sea level
Cruise speed: 160 knots (184 mph, 296 km/h)
Range: 870 nm (1,000 mi, 1,610 km)
Service ceiling: 24,000 ft (7,320 m)
Climb to 15,000 ft (4,570 m): 14.4 min
Armament
Guns:
*
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