Northrop C-19 Alpha

YC-19 Alpha
YC-19 Alpha
	Northrop Y1C-19
General information
Type	Transport
Manufacturer	Northrop
Designer	John K. Northrop
Primary user	US Army Air Corps
Number built	3
History
Introduction date	1931
First flight	1930 (Northrop Alpha)
Developed from	Northrop Alpha

The Northrop C-19 Alpha was a series of three aircraft purchased from Northrop by the US Army Air Corps in 1931. They were slightly modified versions of the civil Northrop Alpha Type 2.^[1]

Design and development

The YC-19 aircraft were Northrop Alpha 4s supplied for evaluation to the USAAC. No production orders were given.^[1] The major difference between the C-19s and the Alphas was that the civilian version carried a pilot and six passengers while the Army version carried a pilot and four passengers.

Operational history

One aircraft, the last of the three purchased, crashed between Richmond and Petersburg, Virginia on Sunday, March 19, 1933, killing its pilot and two passengers.^{[citation needed]} The other aircraft were used for several more years until being sent to training schools as subjects for maintenance and repair classes.

Variants

YC-19: one aircraft, previously an Alpha 4, serial number 31-516^[2]
Y1C-19: two aircraft, serial numbers 31–517 to 31-518,^[2] Pratt & Whitney R-1340-11 engine^[3]

Operators

United States: US Army Air Corps

Specifications (Alpha landplane)

Data from Janes all the Worlds Aircraft 1931^[4]

General characteristics

Crew: 1
Capacity: 6 passengers
Length: 28 ft 4.5 in (8.649 m)
Wingspan: 41 ft 10 in (12.75 m)
Height: 9 ft 0 in (2.74 m)
Wing area: 295 sq ft (27.4 m²)
Airfoil: Clark Y^[5]
Empty weight: 2,660 lb (1,207 kg)

2,900 lb (1,315 kg) Seaplane

Gross weight: 4,500 lb (2,041 kg)

4,700 lb (2,132 kg) Seaplane

Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp 9-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 420 hp (310 kW)
Propellers: 2-bladed fixed-pitch propeller

Performance

Maximum speed: 170 mph (270 km/h, 150 kn)

165 mph (143 kn; 266 km/h) Seaplane

Cruise speed: 145 mph (233 km/h, 126 kn)

140 mph (122 kn; 225 km/h) Seaplane

Stall speed: 60 mph (97 km/h, 52 kn)
Range: 650 mi (1,050 km, 560 nmi)
Service ceiling: 19,300 ft (5,900 m)

18,000 ft (5,486 m) Seaplane

Absolute ceiling: 21,100 ft (6,431 m)

20,000 ft (6,096 m) Seaplane

Rate of climb: 1,400 ft/min (7.1 m/s) at sea level

650 ft/min (198 m/min) at 10,000 ft (3,048 m)

1,250 mph (1,086 kn; 2,012 km/h) Seaplane at sea level

550 ft/min (168 m/min) Seaplane at 10,000 ft (3,048 m)

Wing loading: 15.25 lb/sq ft (74.5 kg/m²)

15.9 lb/sq ft (78 kg/m²) Seaplane

Power/mass: 0.0935 hp/lb (0.1537 kW/kg)

0.0893 hp/lb (0.1468 kW/kg) Seaplane

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft" Editors: Paul Eden & Soph Moeng, (Amber Books Ltd. Bradley's Close, 74-77 White Lion Street, London, NI 9PF, 2002, ISBN 0-7607-3432-1), 1152 pp.
^ ^a ^b "United States Military Aircraft Since 1909" by F. G. Swanborough & Peter M. Bowers (Putnam New York, ISBN 0-85177-816-X) 1964, 596 pp.
^ "U.S. Army Aircraft 1908-1946" by James C. Fahey, 1946, 64pp.
^ Grey, C.G., ed. (1931). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1931. London: Sampson Low, Marston & company, ltd. p. 303c.
^ Lednicer, David. "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". m-selig.ae.illinois.edu. Retrieved 16 April 2019.

[world-1] "The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft" Editors: Paul Eden & Soph Moeng, (Amber Books Ltd. Bradley's Close, 74-77 White Lion Street, London, NI 9PF, 2002, ISBN 0-7607-3432-1), 1152 pp.

[ohnine-2] "United States Military Aircraft Since 1909" by F. G. Swanborough & Peter M. Bowers (Putnam New York, ISBN 0-85177-816-X) 1964, 596 pp.

[3] "U.S. Army Aircraft 1908-1946" by James C. Fahey, 1946, 64pp.

[JAWA1931-4] Grey, C.G., ed. (1931). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1931. London: Sampson Low, Marston & company, ltd. p. 303c.

[Selig-5] Lednicer, David. "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". m-selig.ae.illinois.edu. Retrieved 16 April 2019.

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