Thomas-Morse MB-4
Thomas-Morse Aircraft · United States · first flew 1920 · transport aircraft
The Thomas-Morse MB-4 was a prototype American mailplane of the 1920s, of unusual twin-fuselage biplane design. It was a failure with extremely poor flying characteristics.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × piston, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Biplane with twin fuselages and a central nacelle carrying two engines in push-pull configuration |
| T — Tail | Twin fin |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Biplane with twin fuselages and a central nacelle carrying two engines in push-pull configuration
- Pilot and co-pilot in separate cockpits in the noses of the port and starboard fuselages
- Three-bay wings with ailerons on the upper wing and two separate tail assemblies
Cargo was carried behind the crew in each fuselage. Dual controls were fitted, but there was no means of communication between the two cockpits.
Specifications
- The Thomas-Morse MB-4 has a length of 7.74 m (25 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 13.87 m (46 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 196 km/h (122 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It was designed to meet a June 1919 US Post Office Department specification for a two- or three-engined mailplane able to carry 1,500 lb of mail on a single engine. Thomas-Morse used two engineless MB-3 fighter fuselages and the standard MB-3 tail assemblies, and the MB-4 made its maiden flight in February 1920.
Variants
Two 300 hp Wright-Hisso H V8 engines were mounted in a central nacelle between the fuselages, with fuel tanks between the engines. The wings were all new, and the undercarriage was a conventional tailwheel type.
Where you'll see it
One fuselage tended to take off before the other, and the engines caused severe vibration that overloaded the structure, so Thomas-Morse's plant superintendent called it the worst thing on wings. The US Post Office tested one but did not use it, and it was scrapped in 1921.
Related aircraft
- Thomas-Morse MB-6
- Thomas-Morse MB-7
- Thomas-Morse MB-1
- Thomas-Morse MB-2
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