Ford 4-AT-B Trimotor

Ford Motor Company · United States · first flew 1927 · airliner

The Ford 4-AT-B Trimotor is an intermediate production sub-variant of Ford's iconic Trimotor airliner, built in 1927 with incremental improvements over earlier 4-AT batches.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	3 × piston, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	15.19 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

Mid-series 4-AT sub-variant of the Tin Goose
Corrugated duralumin all-metal airframe
Wright Whirlwind radials in nose and wing mounts

Identical in appearance to other 4-AT sub-variants; the corrugated skin and trimotor high-wing layout make the overall type instantly recognisable.

Specifications

The Ford 4-AT-B Trimotor has a length of 15.19 m (50 ft).
It has a wingspan of 22.56 m (74 ft).
Its maximum speed is 185 km/h (115 mph).
Typical crew: 2.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

As Ford refined the Trimotor design through production, the 4-AT-B represented another small step in the evolution of the type, with minor changes to engine installation or interior specification. The Trimotor as a family was critical to the development of scheduled air transport in the United States during the late 1920s and early 1930s.

Variants

Part of the 4-AT production sequence; closely related to the 4-AT-A before it and the 4-AT-D after.

Where you'll see it

Sold to early US airline operators; some military examples also served with the US Army Air Corps in utility roles.

Related aircraft

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