Keystone B-3
|
|
The Keystone B-3 was a bomber aircraft developed for the United States Army Air Corps in the late 1920s. It was originally ordered as the LB-10A (a single-tail modification of the Keystone LB-6), but the Army dropped the LB- 'light bomber' designation in 1930.
Though the performance of the B-3 was hardly better than that of the bombers flown at the end of World War I, it had come a long way. In terms of its safety, it was far superior to its oldest predecessors.
The B-3A was the last biplane disbanded by the Army; it remained in service until 1940. A few years after it was first produced, a revolution in airplane design rendered it almost completely obsolete.
Units using the B-3
United States Army Air Corps
- 4th Composite Group
- 6th Composite Group
- 19th Bombardment Group
Specifications (B-3A)
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: 7,705 lb (3,495 kg)
- Loaded: 12,952 lb (5,875 kg)
- Maximum takeoff: lb ( kg)
- Powerplant: 2× Pratt & Whitney R-1690-3 of 525 hp (392 kW) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 114 mph (183 km/h)
- Cruising speed: 98 mph (158 km/h)
- Range: 860 miles (1,400 km)
- Service ceiling: 12,700 ft (3,870 m)
- Rate of climb: 530 ft/min (160 m/min)
- Wing loading: 11.31 lb/ft² (55.42 kg/m²)
- Power/Mass: 0.0811 hp/lb (0.133 kW/kg)
Armament
- Guns: 3× .30-calibre (7.62 mm) Browning machine guns
- Bombs: 2,500 lb (1,100 kg); 4,000 lb (1,800 kg) on short runs
Links
- Encyclopedia of American Aircraft (http://home.att.net/~jbaugher2/b3.html)
- Photograph of B-3 in flight (http://1000aircraftphotos.com/APS/3517L.jpg)
- USAF Museum article on LB-10 (http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/research/bombers/b1-28.htm)
- USAF Museum article on B-3 (http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/research/bombers/b1-43.htm)
Related Content
Related development: Keystone B-4 - Keystone B-5 - Keystone B-6
Comparable aircraft: Keystone B-4 - Keystone B-5 - Keystone B-6
Designation sequence: XB-1 - B-2 - B-3 - B-4 - B-5 - B-6
Related Lists: List of military aircraft of the United States - List of bomber aircraft
|
Lists of Aircraft | Aircraft manufacturers | Aircraft engines | Aircraft engine manufacturers Airports | Airlines | Air forces | Aircraft weapons | Missiles | Timeline of aviation |