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YOA-5
YOA-5
General information
Type	Seaplane bomber
Manufacturer	Douglas Aircraft Company
Status	Prototype
Primary user	United States Army Air Corps
Number built	1
History
Introduction date	1935
First flight	1935
Retired	1943
Developed from	Douglas XP3D

The Douglas YOA-5 was an amphibious aircraft designed for the United States Army Air Corps, based on the Navy's Douglas XP3D.^[1] Although a prototype was built, it did not enter production.

Design and development

In November 1932, the U.S. Army ordered the development of an amphibious reconnaissance aircraft/bomber, intended to act as navigation leaders and rescue aircraft for formations of conventional bombers. The resultant aircraft, which was ordered under the bomber designation YB-11, was designed in parallel with the similar but larger Douglas XP3D patrol flying boat for the United States Navy. It was a high-winged monoplane with two Wright R-1820 Cyclone radial engines mounted in individual nacelles above the wing, resembling an enlarged version of the Douglas Dolphin.^[2]

Prior to completion, it was redesignated firstly as an observation aircraft YO-44 and then as the YOA-5 'observation amphibian model 5'.^[3] It first flew during January 1935, and was delivered to the army during February that year.^[2] The concept for which it was designed proved impracticable, and no further production ensued, but the YOA-5 was used to set two world distance records for amphibians, being finally scrapped in December 1943.^[4]

Operators

United States

United States Army Air Corps

Variants

YB-11: An amphibious reconnaissance bomber ordered in 1932 by the US Army Air Corps, powered by 2x Wright R-1820-13 Cyclone radial engines.
YO-44: The YB-11 redesignated in the Observation category before completion.
YOA-5: Another redesignation to the Observation Amphibian category. One built, given the aforementioned designations at various times in its life. The YOA-5 started life with Wright R-1820-13 Cyclone engines, was re-engined with 930 hp (690 kW) Wright YR-1820-45 Cyclone engines for experimental long-range flying, then re-engined again with 750 hp (560 kW) Wright R-1820-25 Cyclones.

Specifications (YOA-5)

Data from McDonnell Douglas aircraft since 1920 : Volume I^[5]

General characteristics

Crew: 4
Length: 69 ft 6 in (21.18 m)
Wingspan: 89 ft 9 in (27.36 m)
Height: 21 ft 2 in (6.46 m)
Gross weight: 20,000 lb (9,072 kg)
Powerplant: 2 × Wright R-1820-25 Cyclone 9-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engines, 750 hp (560 kW) each

Performance

Maximum speed: 169 mph (272 km/h, 147 kn) at sea level
Power/mass: 0.075 hp/lb (0.123 kW/kg)

Armament

Guns: 3× .30 in (7.62 mm) machine guns in open bow and fuselage positions

References

^ "Fact Sheets: Douglas YB-11". National Museum of the United States Air Force™. Archived from the original on 26 Aug 2007.
^ ^a ^b Francillon 1979, p.192.
^ Wagner, Ray, American Combat Planes, 1981, Doubleday & Company, Garden City, New York, ISBN 9780385131209, page 307
^ Francillon 1979, pp. 192–193.
^ Francillon, René J. (1988). McDonnell Douglas aircraft since 1920 : Volume I. London: Naval Institute Press. pp. 184–193. ISBN 0870214284.