Douglas XT3D
Douglas Aircraft Company · United States · first flew 1931 · bomber
The Douglas XT3D was an American three-seat torpedo bomber biplane developed by the Douglas Aircraft Company to meet a US Navy requirement. It has been described as a 'large and ugly' aircraft.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 10.8 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Large three-seat biplane with three open cockpits: gunner/bomb-aimer forward, pilot in the centre, gunner at the rear
- Folding wings and an arrestor hook for carrier operation
- Fixed tailwheel landing gear
It could carry a torpedo or equivalent bombs of about 1,835 lb and had two flexibly mounted 0.3 in machine guns.
Specifications
- The Douglas XT3D has a length of 10.8 m (35 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 15.24 m (50 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 206 km/h (128 mph).
- Typical crew: 3.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The XT3D (BuNo 8730) first flew in 1931. It was of metal construction with fabric covering, and was powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-1690 Hornet radial engine.
Variants
Only one was built. The XT3D-1 was the prototype with the R-1690, and it was modified as the XT3D-2 with a more powerful Pratt & Whitney XR-1830-54 radial, wheel fairings and enclosed rear cockpits.
Where you'll see it
It failed to meet the Navy's requirements, as did the XT3D-2, and it was not ordered into production. The Navy used the prototype for ten years as a general-purpose aircraft before relegating it to instructional use in 1941.
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