Remove Approach Remove Horizontal Stabilizer Remove Payload
article thumbnail

Voices from Combat: The Consolidated PB2Y Coronado Becomes a Bomber

Vintage Aviation News

A short 18 months later, on August 13, 1937, the XPB2Y-1 took to the skies for the first time, revealing plenty of room for improvement lateral instability was a major problem for the deep-hulled boat, so the single tail fin was augmented by two smaller fins on the horizontal stabilizers.

article thumbnail

Nothing Small About It

Plane and Pilot

But it was apparent the smallest Grumman flying boat was too small and full of quirks—the cabin door won’t open if the flaps are down, for example—to justify something approaching a direct copy. Just recognizable in the background is a horizontal stabilizer and one-piece elevator. lb/sq ft Power loading 10.32

article thumbnail

Unusual Queens: Top 10 coolest special mission Boeing 747s

Aerotime

With the two aircraft rapidly approaching 40 years old, theyre becoming less cost-effective to operate. The pilot would bank the 747 away from the rocket, and after five seconds, it would ignite and take the payload the rest of the distance into orbit. As such, the USAF is in the process of replacing them with newer Boeing 747-8s.

Cargo 269