| MB-9 | |
|---|---|
| Role | Fighter aircraft |
| National origin | United States of America |
| Manufacturer | Thomas-Morse Aircraft |
| Designer | B Douglas Thomas |
| First flight | 1922 |
| Number built | 1 (MB-9) |
The Thomas Morse MB-9 was an experimental American fighter aircraft of the 1920s. It was a single-engined, single-seat parasol winged monoplane, but was unsuccessful, being quickly abandoned.
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In 1921, B. Douglas Thomas, chief designer of Thomas-Morse Aircraft designed two closely related parasol monoplanes, a single seat fighter, the MB-9 and a two-seat trainer, the MB-10. They were of all-metal construction, with corrugated duralumin skinning.[1]
First to be completed was the MB-10, which had tandem cockpits and was designed to be powered by a 200 hp (150 kW) Wright or Lawrance radial engine. In the absence of the intended engine, it was fitted with a 110 hp (82 kW) Le Rhône rotary engine to allow flight testing to start in late 1921. The MB-10's handling proved to be extremely poor,[1] while it also suffered severe vibration and was structurally weak.[2]
The MB-9 fighter was completed early in 1922,[3] differing principally from the MB-10 in the removal of the forward cockpit and the use of a 320 hp (240 kW) Wright Hispano H-3 V8 engine, cooled by a radiator situated (along with the oil tank) in a torpedo-shaped structure under the fuselage.[1] Planned armament was two machine guns; one .50 in (12.7 mm) and one .30 in (7.62 mm).[3]
While the MB.9 handled better than the MB.10,[1] it still suffered from the severe vibration and structural problems that plagued the trainer,[2] together with a weak undercarriage and cooling problems.[1] The development of both aircraft was quickly stopped, with the types not being sent for formal evaluation by the United States Army Air Service at McCook Field.[2]
Data from The Complete Book of Fighters[3]
General characteristics
Performance
Armament
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