FBA 17

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Type 17

Viking OO-1 in USCG service

Type Flying boat trainer
Manufacturer FBA
Designed by Louis Schreck
Maiden flight April 1923
Number built >300

The FBA 17 was a training flying boat produced in France in the 1920s. Similar in general layout to the aircraft that FBA had produced during World War I, the Type 17 was a conventional two-bay biplane with unequal-span, unstaggered wings and side-by-side open cockpits. The pusher engine was mounted on struts in the interplane gap. Apart from their use by the French Navy, a small number were sold to the Polish Navy, the Brazilian Air Force, and civil operators as well. Some versions were built as amphibians, and others had fittings to allow them to be catapulted from warships.

In 1931, the US Coast Guard purchased an example for evaluation, and being pleased with the design, arranged for the type to be built under licence by the Viking Flying Boat Company in New Haven, Connecticut. Six aircraft were eventually produced and served with the Coast Guard under the designation OO until the outbreak of World War II.

[edit] Variants

[edit] FBA 17

Hispano-Suiza 8A-powered versions

  • HE 2 - (Hydravion d'École) 2-seat trainer (over 300 built)
  • HL 1 - (Hydravion de Liaison) 1-seat catapulatable liaison aircraft (1 built)
  • HL 2 - 2-seat catapultable liaison aircraft (10 built)
  • HMT 2 - (Hydravion Mixte de Transport) 2-seat amphibious transport aircraft (37 built)
  • HMT 4 - 4-seat amphibious transport aircraft (2 built)
  • HT 4 - (Hydravion de Transport) 4-seat transport aircraft (35 built)

[edit] FBA 171

Lorraine Mizar-powered version

  • HE 2 - 2-seat trainer (1 built)

[edit] FBA 172

Gnome et Rhône 5B-powered versions

  • HE 2 - 2-seat trainer (5 built)
  • HMT 2 - 2-seat amphibious transport aircraft (1 built)
  • HT 4 - 4-seat transport aircraft (1 built)

[edit] Viking-built versions

  • V-2 - French-built 17 HT 4 converted to 2-seaters (4 converted)
  • OO-1 - longer-span, Wright R-760-powered version of V-2 produced for USCG (5 built)

[edit] Specifications (17 HE 2)

General characteristics

  • Crew: Two, pilot and instructor
  • Length: 8.94 m (29 ft 4 in)
  • Wingspan: 12.87 m (42 ft 3 in)
  • Height: 3.20 m (10 ft 6 in)
  • Wing area: 36.5 m² (393 ft²)
  • Empty weight: 850 kg (1,875 lb)
  • Gross weight: 1,125 kg (2,480 lb)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Hispano-Suiza 8Ac, 134 kW (180 hp)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 150 km/h (90 mph)
  • Range: 360 km (220 miles)
  • Service ceiling: 3,000 m (9,840 ft)


[edit] References