Naval Aircraft Factory PN-9

Naval Aircraft Factory · United States · first flew 1925 · transport aircraft

The Naval Aircraft Factory PN-9 is remembered chiefly for Commander John Rodgers's 1925 attempt to fly from San Francisco to Hawaii; it ran out of fuel but the crew sailed the aircraft the last 450 miles under an improvised sail.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, straight
E — Engines	2 × piston, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	15.5 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Attempted trans-Pacific flight in 1925
Twin-engine biplane flying boat
Sailed under jury rig after running out of fuel

A large strut-braced biplane flying boat similar in outline to other PN types, distinguished primarily by its historical association with the 1925 trans-Pacific attempt.

Specifications

The Naval Aircraft Factory PN-9 has a length of 15.5 m (51 ft).
It has a wingspan of 22.9 m (75 ft).
Its maximum speed is 177 km/h (110 mph).
Typical crew: 5.

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

History

Developed as part of the Navy's PN flying-boat series, the PN-9 made the most significant mark in history when it set a world overwater distance record during the Hawaii attempt in August–September 1925. Though it failed to reach Honolulu under power, the crew's ingenuity in rigging a sail from wing fabric became legendary.

Variants

The PN-9 was a single example used for the record attempt; its sibling designs in the series (PN-8, PN-10, PN-11, PN-12) pursued refined production configurations.

Where you'll see it

Operated by the US Navy as a trials and long-distance-record aircraft; not placed in series production.

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