Boeing-Canada A-213 Totem
A-213 Totem | |
---|---|
Role | Utility and fisheries seaplane |
National origin | Canada |
Manufacturer | Boeing Aircraft of Canada
|
Designer | Captain Edward Fothergill Elderton |
First flight | June 1932[1] |
Introduction | 1932 |
Status | Scrapped in 1942 |
Primary users | Boeing Aircraft of Canada
|
Number built | 1 |
The Boeing-Canada A-213 Totem was a Canadian single-engine
Design
The Chief Engineer, Edward Fothergill Elderton was British, and had previously worked at Short Brothers[4] and Saunders-Roe before coming to Canada to work for Canadian Vickers and Boeing of Canada.[3]
Despite being developed while the
The bottom of the hull was built up as a three-ply Alclad sandwich, riveted to frames with external longitudinal stringers. The sides and top of the hull used sheet metal with widely spaced corrugations or ribs.[4] There were five bulkheads separating six watertight compartments, and it made extensive use of stainless steel components to limit corrosion.[4] The roomy 4 seat cabin was positioned ahead of the front wing spar and was accessed through a folding roof hatch.[4][3] Dual controls were offered, while the stick could be removed on the passenger side.[4] The main fuel tank was behind the cabin and between the wing spars, with a smaller fuel tank in the engine nacelle that was fed by a fuel pump.[4] The Wasp Jr. radial engine was mounted as a pusher, which made passenger egress safer, and reduced cabin noise.[4] Starting was accomplished with an inertial hand starter.[4]
The wings were built around two
Operational history
The sole Totem built, serial number CB10 was registered as CF-ARF.[2] The first known flight is believed to have been on 16 June 1932, by William J. Holland.[3] Test flights were being made in July by company pilots, and on September 25, an official test flight was made, with government observers.[3] One of the test flights was to Garibaldi Lake, the first visit by an airplane to that lake, at an altitude of 4,869 ft (1,484 m) where it experienced no difficulties.
Boeing of Canada had been having difficulty selling its flying boats, and the Totem was no exception, with it remaining in Boeing's hands for almost a year before being sold to a private operator.[5]
In May 1933, the Victoria Daily Times reported that Holland was taking the president of
The new owner only kept it for a couple of years before selling it to Canadian Airways in May 1935.[7] This was despite demonstrating excellent water and flight handling characteristics during official tests and in operational service.[3] It would remain in service until January 1938, mainly carrying out fisheries patrols,[3] until they sold it to another private operator in 1938.[7] Its registration was cancelled in February 1942, and presumably scrapped.[7][3]
The Totem served most of its career in British Columbia, however it would remain a one-off as pure-flying boats were by then being supplanted by floatplanes.[3]
Operators
- Boeing Aircraft of Canada- operated for one year until sold to private operator in August 1933.
- Canadian Airways - operated from May 1935 to January 1938 for fisheries patrols, although charter flights were also made[3]
- Private operators - barnstorming and light transport from August 1933 to May 1935 by V. Spencer and January 1938 to late 1941 or early 1942 by W.J. Dyson.
Specifications (Boeing A-213 Totem)
Data from Flight, 1932, p.890-892
General characteristics
- Crew: one (but fitted with dual controls)
- Capacity: three
- Length: 32 ft 9 in (9.98 m)
- Wingspan: 46 ft 0 in (14.02 m)
- Wing chord: 90 in (2.29 m)
- Wing dihedral: 1° 30'
- Height: 11 ft 3 in (3.43 m)
- Wing area: 310 sq ft (29 m2)
- Airfoil: Boeing 103[3]
- Empty weight: 2,700 lb (1,225 kg)
- Gross weight: 4,000 lb (1,814 kg)
- Maximum load: 1,300 lb (590 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Junior 9-cylinder air-cooled radial engine mounted as a pusher, 300 hp (220 kW)
- Propellers: 2-bladed metal fixed pitch propeller
Performance
- Maximum speed: 122 mph (196 km/h, 106 kn)
- Cruise speed: 99.5 mph (160.1 km/h, 86.5 kn)
- Landing speed: 55 mph (48 kn; 89 km/h)
- Range: 400 mi (640 km, 350 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 17,000 ft (5,200 m)
- Absolute ceiling: 18,500 ft (5,600 m)
- Rate of climb: 834 ft/min (4.24 m/s) initial rate of climb
- Wing loading: 12.9 lb/sq ft (63 kg/m2)
- Power/mass: .075 hp/lb (0.123 kW/kg)
See also
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
Related lists
- List of civil aircraft
- List of experimental aircraft
- List of pusher aircraft by configuration
- List of flying boats and floatplanes
References
Citations
Bibliography
- Aviation History Canada (2020). "Historical Register". www.aviationhistorycanada.ca. TLC Aviation Consulting. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
- McLaughlin, George F., ed. (March 1931). "Develop New Boeing Plane". Aero Digest. Vol. 18, no. 3. New York City: Aeronautical Digest Publishing Corp. p. 114.
- Milberry, Larry (1997). Air transport in Canada. Canav Books. p. 90. ISBN 978-0921022091.
- Pentland, Andrew (26 June 2010). "Golden Years of Aviation - Civil Aircraft Register - Canada (CF-)". www.airhistory.org.uk. p. 2. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
- Spooner, Stanley, ed. (23 September 1932). "The Boeing Totem". Flight. Vol. 24, no. 39/1239. Royal Aero Club of the United Kingdom. pp. 890–892.
- Stokalko, Lindsay (22 November 2019). "The Totem Sea Plane's Foray to Banff National Park". www.whyte.org. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
- Visschedijk, Johan (31 May 2011). "ROSS MAHON COLLECTION No. 4043. Boeing Canada A-213 Totem (CF-ARF c/n 10)". 1000aircraftphotos.
- "Aviation Notes". Victoria Daily Times. Vol. 82, no. 119. Victoria, BC. 19 May 1933. p. 24. Retrieved 24 March 2020.