Ford Trimotor (early variants)

E81495

The Ford Trimotor (early variants) was a pioneering all-metal, three-engined American airliner of the late 1920s that helped establish reliable commercial passenger and mail air service.


Statements (48)
Predicate Object
instanceOf airliner
all‑metal aircraft
three-engined aircraft
aircraftConfiguration high‑wing monoplane
airframeFeature corrugated metal skin similar to Junkers designs
cabinFeature enclosed passenger cabin
cockpitFeature enclosed cockpit
constructionMaterial corrugated metal
countryOfOrigin United States
crew 2
designer Stout Metal Airplane Division of Ford
developedFrom earlier Stout Metal Airplane designs
engineArrangement one nose engine and two wing‑mounted engines
engineType piston engine
era interwar period
firstFlight 1926
fuselageMaterial duralumin
helpedEstablish reliable air mail service in the United States
reliable commercial passenger air service in the United States
historicalSignificance important step in transition from wood‑and‑fabric to metal airliners
pioneering all‑metal airliner in the United States
introduced late 1920s
landingGearType fixed tailwheel landing gear
manufacturer Ford Motor Company
marketedAs safe and rugged airliner
nicknamed Tin Goose
notableOperator American Airways NERFINISHED
Eastern Air Transport
Pan American Airways
Transcontinental Air Transport
numberOfEngines 3
passengerCapacity about 8 to 12 passengers
powerplantManufacturer Pratt & Whitney
Wright Aeronautical
primaryRole commercial passenger transport
productionPeriod late 1920s
safetyReputation rugged and reliable
secondaryRole air mail transport
tailConfiguration conventional tail
typicalCruisingSpeed approximately 90 mph
typicalRange approximately 500 miles
usedFor charter flights
exploration flights
military transport (limited use)
scheduled airline service
usedIn early transcontinental air‑rail services in the United States
wingMaterial duralumin
wingType braced high wing

Referenced by (1)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
Wright J-5C Whirlwind
usedInAircraft

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