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The Bach Air Yacht was a trimotor airliner produced in the United States in the 1920s. Typical of its day, it was a high-wing braced monoplane, with fixed tailwheel undercarriage. Unusual for airliners of the late 1920s (due to legislation that forbade carrying passengers in wooden aircraft), the Air Yachts were constructed almost entirely of wood with steel fittings, undercarriage, and struts. Different models were powered by varying combinations of
The Bach Air Yacht, ''Flight'', 9 August 1928
{{Bach Aircraft 1920s United States airliners Trimotors High-wing aircraft Aircraft with fixed conventional landing gear Aircraft first flown in 1927
Wright
Wright is an occupational surname originating in England and Scotland. The term 'Wright' comes from the circa 700 AD Old English word 'wryhta' or 'wyrhta', meaning worker or shaper of wood. Later it became any occupational worker (for example, a ...
, Ryan-Siemens, Kinner
Kinner Airplane & Motor Corp was an airplane and engine manufacturer, founded, in the mid-1920s, in Glendale, California, United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country pr ...
, Comet
A comet is an icy, small Solar System body that warms and begins to release gases when passing close to the Sun, a process called outgassing. This produces an extended, gravitationally unbound atmosphere or Coma (cometary), coma surrounding ...
, and Pratt & Whitney
Pratt & Whitney is an American aerospace manufacturer with global service operations. It is a subsidiary of RTX Corporation (formerly Raytheon Technologies). Pratt & Whitney's aircraft engines are widely used in both civil aviation (especially ...
engines, a large engine in the nose of the aircraft, and two smaller "helpers" under the wings in nacelles supported by struts. As with so many aircraft companies of the late 1920s, the Bach Aircraft Company succumbed to the Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...
, thus further development of the Air Yacht was abandoned after the 3-CT-9.
On 26 July 1929, a 3-CT-9 model piloted by Waldo Waterman
200px, Waldo Waterman in 1920
Waldo Dean Waterman (June 16, 1894 – December 8, 1976) was an inventor and aviation pioneer from San Diego, California. He developed a series of tailless swept-wing aircraft incorporating tricycle landing gear, cul ...
set a new altitude record, lifting a 1,000 kg payload to 20,820 ft (6,347 m).
Variants
;3-CT-2 :Variant with oneWright J-5
The Wright R-790 Whirlwind was a series of nine-cylinder air-cooled radial aircraft engines built by Wright Aeronautical Corporation, with a total displacement of about and around . These engines were the earliest members of the Wright Whirlwin ...
and two Ryan-Siemens 9 engines.
;3-CT-3
:Variant with one Pratt & Whitney Wasp
The Pratt & Whitney Wasp was the civilian name of a family of air-cooled, radial piston engines developed in the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s.
The Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Company (P&W) was founded in 1925 by Frederick B. Rentschler, who had previ ...
and two Ryan-Siemens 9 engines, one built.
;3-CT-4
:Variant with one Pratt & Whitney Wasp
The Pratt & Whitney Wasp was the civilian name of a family of air-cooled, radial piston engines developed in the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s.
The Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Company (P&W) was founded in 1925 by Frederick B. Rentschler, who had previ ...
and two Ryan-Siemens 9 engines, two built.
;3-CT-5
:Variant with one Pratt & Whitney Wasp
The Pratt & Whitney Wasp was the civilian name of a family of air-cooled, radial piston engines developed in the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s.
The Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Company (P&W) was founded in 1925 by Frederick B. Rentschler, who had previ ...
and two Comet 100hp engines, one built.
;3-CT-6
:Variant with one Pratt & Whitney Hornet
The Pratt & Whitney R-1690 Hornet was a widely used American aircraft engine. Developed by Pratt & Whitney, 2,944 were produced from 1926 through 1942. It first flew in 1927. It was a single-row, 9-cylinder air-cooled radial design. Displaceme ...
and two Comet 100hp engines, five built.
;3-CT-8
:Variant with one Pratt & Whitney Hornet
The Pratt & Whitney R-1690 Hornet was a widely used American aircraft engine. Developed by Pratt & Whitney, 2,944 were produced from 1926 through 1942. It first flew in 1927. It was a single-row, 9-cylinder air-cooled radial design. Displaceme ...
and two Wright J-6
The Wright Whirlwind was a family of air-cooled radial aircraft engines built by Wright Aeronautical (originally an independent company, later a division of Curtiss-Wright). The family began with nine-cylinder engines, and later expanded to incl ...
engines, four or five built.
;3-CT-9
:Variant with one Pratt & Whitney Wasp
The Pratt & Whitney Wasp was the civilian name of a family of air-cooled, radial piston engines developed in the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s.
The Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Company (P&W) was founded in 1925 by Frederick B. Rentschler, who had previ ...
and two Wright J-6
The Wright Whirlwind was a family of air-cooled radial aircraft engines built by Wright Aeronautical (originally an independent company, later a division of Curtiss-Wright). The family began with nine-cylinder engines, and later expanded to incl ...
engines, three built.
;3-CT-9K
:Variant of the 3-CT-9 with one Pratt & Whitney Wasp
The Pratt & Whitney Wasp was the civilian name of a family of air-cooled, radial piston engines developed in the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s.
The Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Company (P&W) was founded in 1925 by Frederick B. Rentschler, who had previ ...
and two Kinner C-5
The Kinner C-5 was an American five cylinder radial engine
The radial engine is a reciprocating engine, reciprocating type internal combustion engine, internal combustion engine configuration in which the cylinder (engine), cylinders "radia ...
engines, ten built.
;3-CT-9S
:Deluxe variant of the 3-CT-9 with engine cowls, wheel spats, and custom interior, one built.
;3-CTS
:Variant with one 3-CT-8 modified with a Pratt & Whitney Wasp
The Pratt & Whitney Wasp was the civilian name of a family of air-cooled, radial piston engines developed in the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s.
The Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Company (P&W) was founded in 1925 by Frederick B. Rentschler, who had previ ...
and two Wright J-5
The Wright R-790 Whirlwind was a series of nine-cylinder air-cooled radial aircraft engines built by Wright Aeronautical Corporation, with a total displacement of about and around . These engines were the earliest members of the Wright Whirlwin ...
engines, one built.
;T-11P
:Three aircraft, being single-engined conversions (formerly NC219H, NC53M, and 34998 built from spare parts)
;Note:
:As it was common practice to upgrade airframes as improvements became available, some 'N' numbers and/or serial numbered airframes were redesignated as different or new models. Total number of Bach Air Yachts built verified by Air Commerce Bureau and FAA records is 21.
Specifications (3-CT-6)
See also
References
* * * *External links
The Bach Air Yacht, ''Flight'', 9 August 1928
{{Bach Aircraft 1920s United States airliners Trimotors High-wing aircraft Aircraft with fixed conventional landing gear Aircraft first flown in 1927