Thomas-Morse MB-3
Thomas-Morse Aircraft Corporation · United States · first flew 1919 · fighter
The Thomas-Morse MB-3 was an open-cockpit biplane fighter, mainly built by Boeing for the United States Army Air Service in 1922.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 6.1 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Single-seat two-bay biplane of wood and fabric
- Layout similar to the SPAD XIII
- Open cockpit under a cut-out in the upper wing
A single-seat two-bay biplane with a Wright-Hispano V-8 and two machine guns ahead of the pilot.
Specifications
- The Thomas-Morse MB-3 has a length of 6.1 m (20 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 7.92 m (26 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 228 km/h (142 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The prototype was ordered in September 1918 and first flew on 21 February 1919. Boeing won the later MB-3A contract by underbidding Thomas-Morse.
Variants
The MB-3A moved the radiators to the fuselage sides; the last 50 had larger tail surfaces. The MB-3M was a trainer conversion.
Where you'll see it
The MB-3A was the mainstay Air Service fighter from 1922 to 1925, replaced from 1926 by the Curtiss PW-8 and Boeing PW-9. It proved unreliable and suffered vibration problems.
Related aircraft
AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 5,226 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.