Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-19
NEW MAIL PLANE
HAS IMPROVEMENTS
Capacity and Speed Are Both
Afforded in New Craft
Model.

1Ile SSdkCl VI AuleIlCdIl hkEpthtlc U6-
signers and manufacturers for higher
speeds and greater carrying capacity has
resulted in one of the most interesting
new planes, for which the Department
of Commerce aeronautics branch has
issued approved type CERTIFICATES, a
combined passenger and mail plane
which will carry q pay load of 1920
pounds at top speed of 1853 miles per
hour with single engine.
Is Low-Wing Type.
The plane is of all-metal conStruc-
ton, of low-wing type AND has re-
tractable landing gear. It Is regarded
as a radical departure from previous
types of cargo and passenger carrying
aircraft and is said to carry the largest
pay load at the highest cruising speed
credited to any single-engtned plane IN
the world.
known as the Boeing Monomail, the
plane carries eight passengers, their
baggage and $40 pounds Of cargo, or
six passenger, baggage and 72O POUNDS
Of cargo, developing high speed OF 1873
miles per hour and cruising speed OF
40 miles per hour with this load. With
full load the plane gets off the ground
in 10 seconds, lands at a speed OF 81
miles per hour and can climb to an
altitude of more than miles.
Built of Metal.
The unusually large carrying ca
pacity, the plane being certified by the
Department of Commerce for q gross
weight of 5000 pounds, is regarded as
remarkable in view of the fact that the
plane is of all-metal construction, In
Guiding wing and fuselage coverings,
has retractable landing gear, Is fully
equipped for night flying and carries
considerable weight in cabin sound
proof1ng and furnishings.
The plane is more than Al feet long,
the fuselage being OF round, SEMI
monocouue construction, which is said
to be unusually rugged. The fuel tanks
are outside the fuselage and away from
the engine and exhaust in the metal
covered wing slabs.
The mail or cargo pit occupies the
forward part OF the fuselage, pehlno
the engine compartment The paSsen-
ger compartment, behind the cargo pit,
has six passenger seats, three facing
forward and three to the rear. There
are individual reading lamps, four
heaters and an air speed indicator and
altimeter. Behind the passenger COM
partment is additional space which may
be used for two additional passengers,
baggage or cargo.
Have No Wing Flutter.
The pilots cockpit is above and be-
hind the passenger and cargo cockptts
and is unusually large. The seat Is ad-
Unstable in flight; heater defects
stream of warm air into any part Of
the cockpit The flight instruments are
mounted In q removable center panel
and means are provided for rotation Of
these instruments 50 they may be set
for level flight under any set Of condi-
tons.
The wing stubs are built as an inte-
grel part of the fuselage. They house
contain the gas tanks The fuel ca
pacity is 1876 gallons, giving q cruising
range Of 500 miles. The left wing stub
serves as a walkway for loading mail
and holds the storage battery, radio
dynamotor and generator control box.
The wings have a span Of approx
mately so feet and are Of design which
is said to eliminate the dreaded wing
"fiutter." In one Of the flight tests, 1t
Is said, diving speed Of 215 miles per
hour was reached without any apparent
tendency to wing futter.
Wheels RetractabIe.
The wheels are retractable by q hand
crank in the pilots cockpit, an trldi-
Gator showing whether they are up or
down. The wheel brakes are SUFFICIENT to
hold the wheel without blocks when
the engine is turned up to top speed on
the ground. The brakes may be OPP
Grated from 1.-The rudder pedals, either
separately or together. A Siderable tan
wheel Is provided, also being steered
from the rldder pedals.
The engine is q direct-drtve Pratt &
Whitney Hornet, rated at 6T5 horse
power, and drives q three-bladed pro-
peller. The exhaust system includes
collector ring, carburetor heater and
cockpit heater
Complete night flying Is installed and
the plane is bonded and shielded
throughout for installation Of radio.