Howard DGA-15
DGA-15 | |
---|---|
Role | Civil transport |
Manufacturer | Howard Aircraft Corporation |
Designer | Benny Howard
|
Introduction | 1939 |
Primary user | US Navy |
Produced | 1939-1944 |
Number built | 520 |
Developed from | Howard DGA-12
|
The Howard DGA-15 was a single-engine civil aircraft produced in the United States by the Howard Aircraft Corporation from 1939 to 1944. After the United States' entry into World War II, it was built in large numbers for the United States Navy and also served various roles in the United States Army Air Forces.
Design and development
The Howard Aircraft Company (later Howard Aircraft Corporation) was formed in 1936 to build commercial derivatives of the Howard DGA-6 (named Mister Mulligan),[1][2] a successful four-seat racing aircraft which had won both the Bendix and the Thompson Trophies in 1935, the only aircraft ever to win both races.[3] These successes did indeed bring the DGA series much attention, and Howard produced a series of closely related models differing mainly in the engine type, consisting of the DGA-7, -8, -9, -11 and -12. Offering high performance and being comprehensively equipped, despite a high purchase price (with the DGA-11 selling for $17,865),[4] these became coveted aircraft owned by corporations, wealthy individuals, and movie stars, such as Wallace Beery, who was himself a pilot. (In the movie Bugsy, Warren Beatty, playing the title role, is flown from Los Angeles to Las Vegas in a red Howard DGA-15.)
In 1939, the Howard Aircraft Corporation produced a new development of the basic design, the DGA-15. Like its predecessors, the DGA-15 was a single-engined high-winged
World War II
Prior to the
Vintage years
In their vintage years, Howards DGA series are prized more for their utility than for their clean lines. Contemporary cabin aircraft have already become antiques, living pampered lives as show pieces rather than working aircraft. In the 1960s a modification was offered by the Jobmaster company of
With most of the working Howard DGAs retired from active commercial service, they have become popular as restoration subjects and as alternatives to more modern equivalents with higher cost of ownership. Almost 100 of the Howard variants are still flying, mostly DGA-15s. A few of the
Superb travelling airplanes with much better visibility, headroom, and shoulder room than some contemporary cabin aircraft, they have very long "legs" with a fuel capacity of 151 gallons in 3 belly-mounted tanks, giving an endurance of more than 7 hours, for a range, at normal cruise (130 kn, 150 mph), of over 1,000 statute miles. With modern avionics, the Howard can compete in many respects with many contemporary light aircraft, due to its combination of room, comfort, speed, range and carrying capacity. A DGA-15P competed in the 1971 London (England) to Victoria (British Columbia, Canada) air race.
Variants
- DGA-15J
- Variant fitted with a Jacobs L6MB radial engine (330 hp, 246 kW)
- DGA-15P
- Variant fitted with a Pratt & Whitney R-985radial engine (450 hp, 336 kW)
- DGA-15W
- Variant fitted with a Wright Whirlwind J6-7radial engine (350 hp, 261 kW)
Military designations
- GH-1
- Communications and liaison version of the DGA-15P built for the United States Navy and United States Coast Guard, 29 built new and four civil aircraft impressed.
- GH-2 Nightingale
- Ambulance version for the US Navy, 131 built.
- GH-3
- A variant of the GH-1 with equipment changes, 115 built.
- NH-1
- Instrument training variant for the United States Navy, 205 built.
- UC-70
- Ten civil DGA-15Ps impressed into service by the United States Army Air Forces and one aircraft leased.
- UC-70B
- Four civil DGA-15Js impressed into service by the United States Army Air Forces.
Specifications (DGA-15P)
Data from Howard Aircraft Foundation[9]
General characteristics
- Crew: one, pilot
- Capacity: 4 passengers
- Length: 25 ft 0 in (7.62 m)
- Wingspan: 38 ft 0 in (11.58 m)
- Height: 8 ft 5 in (2.57 m)
- Wing area: 210 sq ft (19.5 m2) (Note: the wing span and DGA-11, but the DGA-15 area is calculated including the area displaced by the fuselage cabin)
- Airfoil: NACA 2R212 (reflexed)
- Empty weight: 2,705 lb (1,227 kg)
- Gross weight: 4,350 lb (1,973 kg) useful load 1645 lb (746 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 4,350 lb (1,973 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-985SB Wasp Jr. radial engine, 450 hp (336 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 175 kn (201 mph, 323 km/h)
- Never exceed speed: 235 kn (270 mph, 437 km/h)
- Range: 800 nmi (920 mi, 1,480 km)
- Service ceiling: 21,500 ft (6,553 m)
- Rate of climb: 1,560 ft/min (7.9 m/s)
See also
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
- Beech 17 Staggerwing
- Cessna Airmaster
- de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver
- Fairchild 24
- Fairchild Model 45
- Noorduyn Norseman
- Spartan Executive
- Stinson Reliant
- Waco SRE Aristocrat
Related lists
Notes
- ^ Bushell 1987, p.42.
- Benny Howard's nomenclature.
- ^ Bushell 1987, pp.40-41.
- ^ a b Bushell 1987, p.43.
- ^ "1939 Howard Aircrafter brochure" (PDF). Howard Aircraft Foundation. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
- ^ "1940 Howard Aircrafter brochure" (PDF). Howard Aircraft Foundation. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
- ^ "Howard DGA-15, NC-2464". Chet Aero Marine. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
- Flight. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
- ^ "Howard DGA-15". Howard Aircraft Foundation. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
References
- Bushell, Sue J. "Some Damn Good Airplanes". Air Enthusiast, Thirty-two, December 1986-April 1987. Bromley, UK:Pilot Press. pp. 32–44.