Northrop C-19 Alpha

YC-19 Alpha

Manufacturer: Northrop
Designed by: John K. Northrop
First flight: 1930 as Northrop Alpha
Primaryuser: US Army Air Corps
Number built: 3
Variants: 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. 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. 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. The other aircraft were used for several more years until being sent to training schools as subjects for maintenance and repair classes.

Design and development

The YC-19 aircraft were Northrop Alpha 4s supplied for evaluation to the USAAC. No production oders was given.

Variants

YC-19 one aircraft, previously an Alpha 4, serial numbers 31-516 Y1C-19 two aircraft, serial numbers 31-517 to 31-518, Pratt & Whitney R-1340-11 engine

Operators

United States: US Army Air Corps

Specifications (YC-19)

Data from "Janes all the Worlds Aircraft" - 1931, page 303c

General characteristics

Crew: one pilot
Capacity: four passengers
Length: 28 ft 5 in (8.66 m)
Wingspan: 41 ft 10 in (12.75 m)
Height: 9 ft 0 in (2.74 m)
Max takeoff weight: 4,700 lb (2,136 kg)
Powerplant: 1x— Pratt & Whitney R-1340-7 Wasp radial, 450 hp (336 kW)

Performance

Maximum speed: 170 mph (272 km/h)
Range: 650 miles (1,040 km)
Service ceiling: 19,000 ft (5,792 m)

Related development

Northrop Alpha

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Source: WikiPedia