The Burnelli CBY-3 Loadmaster is an unconventional transport aircraft that was designed by

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engineer

Vincent Burnelli Vincent Justus Burnelli (November 22, 1895 – June 22, 1964) was an American aeronautics engineer, instrumental in furthering the lifting body and flying wing concept. Biography Burnelli was born on November 22, 1895, in Temple, Texas. ...

and built in

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in 1944 by Canadian Car and Foundry.

Design and development

The CBY-3 " lifting fuselage" was an evolution of the earlier Burnelli UB-14. Burnelli worked as a designer at Canadian Car and Foundry (CanCar) in

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, and the CBY-3 was intended for bush operations in northern Canada. The sole

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was extensively tested but failed to gain a production contract. Burnelli had a lifelong career devoted to exploiting the advantages of the lifting body airfoil concept that characterized many of his earlier aircraft designs. His last design, the CBY-3 was manufactured by CanCar in

, but ownership reverted to Burnelli, when the CBY-3 was unable to gain a production contract. The name of the aircraft, CBY-3, was derived from the name of the three partners involved in its creation: CanCar, Burnelli and

Lowell Yerex Lowell Yerex (24 July 1895 – 1968) was born in New Zealand, and attended Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana United States. He graduated from Valparaiso University in 1916. He volunteered for the British Royal Flying Corps in 1917, wa ...

and "3" from the number of partners involved. Lowell Yerex was a

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er who had formed TACA – ''Transportes Aéreos Centroamericanos'' (Central American Air Transport) in

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in 1931, and joined the project when Burnelli convinced him that the CBY-3 could be used as both a cargo and passenger aircraft. A follow-up design in 1942 for the CC&F B-1000, a bomber using the same lifting body principles, remained a "paper project".

Operational history

Originally registered ''CF-BEL-X'' while still in the experimental stage, this one-off, twin-boom, aerofoil-section

fuselage The fuselage (; from the French ''fuselé'' "spindle-shaped") is an aircraft's main body section. It holds crew, passengers, or cargo. In single-engine aircraft, it will usually contain an engine as well, although in some amphibious aircraft t ...

, high-lift

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garnered significant interest from the industry. ''CF-BEL-X'' underwent rigorous testing and proving flights designed to show off its potential. Despite a trouble-free test program and glowing accolades from the press and industry observers, no production orders resulted and the prototype was later sold in the United States as ''N17N''. Moving to Southampton, New York, Burnelli continued to promote his airfoil-shaped fuselage transport aircraft. In 1955, he adapted the CBY-3 to carry an expedition of 20 passengers and 41 sled dogs, along with their equipment, to the

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, but the enterprise was canceled. The Loadmaster continued to fly regularly as a commercial airliner both in northern Canada and South America; acquired with design rights by Airlifts Inc. in

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, it went to

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, and returned to Burnelli Avionics for refitting with Wright R-2600 engines, finally ended its flying days at

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's airport in Maryland.

Aircraft on display

In 1964, the CBY-3 air transport was retired to the New England Air Museum in

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, where it was displayed outside. As of November 2020, after an eight-year restoration, the CBY-3 was moved into the Civil Aviation Hangar where the final assembly will be completed.

Specifications (CBY-3)

References

External links

Extensive story of Burnelli's designs
*
Tracking RANSA’s CBY-3 Loadmaster – LAAHS.com

After The Track Of The CBY-3 «Loadmaster» Of RANSA (Spanish) – LAAHS.com
{{Aircraft manufactured in Canada CBY-3 1950s Canadian airliners Canadian Car and Foundry aircraft Twin-boom aircraft Aviation history of Canada Abandoned civil aircraft projects Lifting bodies High-wing aircraft Twin piston-engined tractor aircraft