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Subject: Northrop N-3PB Seaplane
Date: 27 Feb 2017 07:59:07 -0800
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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.
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. Additional armament changes led to a combination of six
machine guns replacing the four machine gun (two fixed forward, two flexible
rear-mounted 7.9 mm)/one cannon (forward facing, fixed 20 mm) arrangement that
was in the initial design. Provision for a rear under-fuselage gun was also
made. Further equipment requirements including fitting a rear fuselage-mounted
camera as well as changes to instrumentation and radio equipment.
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. Owing to
the lack of availability of the originally specified armament,
Norwegian-manufactured Colt heavy machine guns were substituted with four Colt
MG53A .50 cal. machine guns in the wings and two .30 cal. Colt MG40s mounted in
dorsal and ventral positions of the gunner's rear cockpit.
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
Northrop's Chief Test Pilot Vance Breese flew the first N-3PB (c/n 301) on 22
December 1940 from Lake Elsinore, California. The flight test and customer
acceptance trials were successfully completed using the first production
aircraft. Due to the use of the more powerful Cyclone engine, all performance
estimates were exceeded and flight characteristics including maneouverability
were considered "excellent." All 24 aircraft were delivered to the exiled Royal
Norwegian Navy Air Service by the end of March 1941.
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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