Emsco B-2 Challenger
Emsco Aircraft Corporation · United States · first flew 1929 · airliner
The Emsco B-2 Challenger was a US three-engined, six-passenger high-wing aircraft flown in 1929.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 3 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Wing meets on top of the fuselage, braced by parallel struts in airfoil-section fairings |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Wing meets on top of the fuselage, braced by parallel struts in airfoil-section fairings
- Two of the three engines uncowled on the wing bracing struts
- Deep rudder extending to the keel
The pilots sit in an enclosed cockpit placed high, just ahead of the wing leading edge. Both fin and tailplane have straight swept leading edges, and the tailplane sits at mid-fuselage height.
Specifications
- The Emsco B-2 Challenger has a length of 10.97 m (36 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 17.37 m (57 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 209 km/h (130 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Emsco bought out the Albatross Corporation in early 1929 and took over its Rocheville-designed aircraft. The Challenger flew in June 1929.
Variants
Only two were built, and they were soon converted into two other Emsco types, one with one engine and the other with two. One became the single-engined B-3A.
Where you'll see it
It toured the US West Coast on test and publicity flights in 1929. The B-5 conversion went to a Guatemalan airline in 1933.
Related aircraft
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