FBA 17
| Type 17 |
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| Viking OO-1 in USCG service |
| Role |
Flying boat trainer |
| Manufacturer |
FBA |
| Designer |
Louis Schreck |
| First 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.
Variants
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)
- HMB 2 - 17 HMT 2s already in service with the French Navy, were redesignated HMB 2, after being fitted with a bomb rack on the port side of the hull.
- HMT 4 - 4-seat amphibious transport aircraft (2 built)
- HT 4 - (Hydravion de Transport) 4-seat transport aircraft (35 built)
FBA 171
Lorraine Mizar-powered version
- HE 2 - 2-seat trainer (1 built)
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)
- Type 172/2 - The HT.4 was redesignated Type 172/2, after it was fitted with extra fuel tanks.
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)
Operators
- Brazil
- France
- Poland
- United States
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)
References
USN observation aircraft designations, pre-1962
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Elias
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Viking
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