Wright-Bellanca WB-1
Wright Aeronautical · United States · first flew 1925 · light aircraft
The Wright-Bellanca WB-1 was a high-winged monoplane designed by Giuseppe Mario Bellanca for Wright Aeronautical for use in record-breaking flights. It had all-wood construction and a Wright J-4 Whirlwind engine.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 7.54 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- High-winged monoplane of all-wood construction
- Conventional landing gear with fairings extended into wheel pants
- Single Wright J-4 Whirlwind radial engine in the nose
A clean wooden high-wing monoplane with a single radial engine and streamlined wheel pants. It stands on conventional landing gear with fairings extended into wheel pants.
Specifications
- The Wright-Bellanca WB-1 has a length of 7.54 m (25 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 13.72 m (45 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 212 km/h (132 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Bellanca designed the WB-1 for the Wright Aeronautical corporation and it first flew in September 1925. Its landing gear fairings were extended into wheel pants.
Variants
Only one WB-1 was built, powered by a Wright J-4 Whirlwind engine.
Where you'll see it
The WB-1 was demonstrated at the 1925 Pulitzer air races in New York, where it clocked 121.8 mph on a closed course on the first day. It won a payload versus horsepower and speed efficiency contest the next day, and crashed in 1926 during an overloaded world-record endurance attempt flown by Fred Becker.
Related aircraft
- Wright XF3W Apache
- Wright-Bellanca WB-2 Columbia
- Wright F2W
- Albatros L 69
- Albatros L.71
- Albert TE.1
- ANBO I
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