Ford 5-AT Trimotor
Ford Motor Company · United States · first flew 1928 · airliner
The Ford 5-AT Trimotor is the definitive and most produced variant of the famous Ford Trimotor family, an all-metal high-wing monoplane airliner that became an icon of early American commercial aviation. Its corrugated metal skin and three Pratt & Whitney Wasp engines made it faster and more capable than earlier Trimotor variants.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 3 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 15.19 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Corrugated Duralumin all-metal skin
- Three radial engines — one in nose, one under each wing
- Fixed spatted undercarriage
Unmistakable with its corrugated all-metal skin, three radial engines (one on the nose, one under each wing root), high straight wing, and fixed undercarriage with large wheel spats.
Specifications
- The Ford 5-AT Trimotor has a length of 15.19 m (50 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 23.72 m (78 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 250 km/h (155 mph).
- Typical crew: 2 crew, up to 17 passengers.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Ford launched the Trimotor in 1926 based on Fokker and Stout designs; the 5-AT emerged in 1928 with more powerful Pratt & Whitney Wasp engines instead of the earlier Wright Whirlwinds. It served with nearly every major US airline of the early 1930s and was famously used by Admiral Byrd over Antarctica.
Variants
The Trimotor family included the 4-AT (with Wright Whirlwinds) and 5-AT (with Pratt & Whitney Wasps); multiple sub-variants featured different engine combinations, passenger capacities, and equipment.
Where you'll see it
Used widely by US airlines including TWA, American, and United in the late 1920s and early 1930s; several examples survive in airworthy condition and fly at airshows today.
Related aircraft
- Ford 4-AT-E Trimotor
- Ford 4-AT-B Trimotor
- Ford 4-AT-D Trimotor
- Ford 4-AT Trimotor
- Boeing 80
- Short S.8 Calcutta
- Dornier Do X
- Focke-Wulf A 17 Möwe
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