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The Douglas XT3D was an American three-seat
The XT3D torpedo bomber ( BuNo 8730) first flew in 1931. It has been described as a "large and ugly" aircraft. Of metal construction with a fabric covering the XT3D had folding wings and an arrestor hook for carrier operation. With a fixed tailwheel landing gear and powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-1690 Hornet
;XT3D-1
:Prototype powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-1690 radial, one built.
;XT3D-2
:Prototype modified including a change to a Pratt & Whitney R-1830 radial.
torpedo bomber
A torpedo bomber is a military aircraft designed primarily to attack ships with aerial torpedoes. Torpedo bombers came into existence just before the World War I, First World War almost as soon as aircraft were built that were capable of carryin ...
biplane
A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two main wings stacked one above the other. The first powered, controlled aeroplane to fly, the Wright Flyer, used a biplane wing arrangement, as did many aircraft in the early years of aviation. While ...
developed by the Douglas Aircraft Company
The Douglas Aircraft Company was an American aerospace manufacturer, aerospace and military, defense company based in Southern California. Founded in 1921 by Donald Wills Douglas Sr., it merged with McDonnell Aircraft in 1967 to form McDonnell D ...
to meet a United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
requirement.
Development
The XT3D torpedo bomber ( BuNo 8730) first flew in 1931. It has been described as a "large and ugly" aircraft. Of metal construction with a fabric covering the XT3D had folding wings and an arrestor hook for carrier operation. With a fixed tailwheel landing gear and powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-1690 Hornet radial engine
The radial engine is a reciprocating engine, reciprocating type internal combustion engine, internal combustion engine configuration in which the cylinder (engine), cylinders "radiate" outward from a central crankcase like the spokes of a wheel. ...
, the XT3D had three open cockpits, forward for the gunner/bomb-aimer, center for the pilot, rear for another gunner.
The XT3D failed to meet the United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
's requirements and after tests was returned to Douglas. It was modified with a more powerful Pratt & Whitney XR-1830-54 radial, and wheel fairings and the two rear cockpits were enclosed. Re-designated XT3D-2, it still failed to pass U.S. Navy trials and was not ordered into production. The U.S. Navy used the prototype for the next ten years as a general-purpose aircraft until relegating it to use as an instructional airframe in 1941.
Variants
;XT3D-1
:Prototype powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-1690 radial, one built.
;XT3D-2
:Prototype modified including a change to a Pratt & Whitney R-1830 radial.
Operators
; *United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
Specifications
See also
References
;Notes ;Bibliography * * {{USN torpedo aircraft T3D 1930s United States bomber aircraft Single-engined tractor aircraft Carrier-based aircraft Biplanes Aircraft first flown in 1931