Keystone B-3 Explained
The Keystone B-3A was a bomber aircraft developed for the United States Army Air Corps by Keystone Aircraft in the late 1920s.
Design and development
The B-3 was originally ordered as the LB-10A (a single-tail modification of the Keystone LB-6), but the Army dropped the LB- 'light bomber' designation in 1930.
Although the performance of the B-3A was hardly better than that of the bombers flown at the end of World War I, it had come a long way in terms of flight safety.
Operational history
The B-3A was a member of the last family of biplanes operated by the US Army; it remained in service until 1940. A few years after it was first produced, the introduction of all-metal monoplanes rendered it almost completely obsolete.
Variants
- LB-10
The last of the 17 LB-6s ordered (S/N 29-27) was converted with a re-designed single fin and rudder and two 525 hp Wright R-1750E engines. Delivered to Wright Field on 7 July 1929, it was wrecked on 12 November 1929.
- LB-10A
This version used Pratt and Whitney R-1690-3 Hornet engines and was slightly smaller, in both wingspan and length. A total of 63 were ordered (S/N 30-281/343). All were re-designated as the B-3A before any deliveries were made, with the final 27 built as B-5A with Wright engines.
- B-3A
Ordered as LB-10A, 36 delivered as B-3A (S/N 30-281/316). The first aircraft was delivered in October 1930.
- B-5A
Ordered as B-3A, re-engined with Wright R-1750-3 Cyclone engines, 27 built (S/N 30-317/343).Operators
- United States
- United States Army Air Corps
- 2d Bombardment Group, Langley Field, Virginia
- 4th Composite Group, Nichols Field, Luzon, Philippines
- 5th Composite Group, Luke Field, Territory of Hawaii
- 6th Composite Group, France Field, Panama Canal Zone
- 7th Bombardment Group, March Field, California
- 19th Bombardment Group, Rockwell Field, California
- Philippines
References
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Andrade, John. U.S. Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909. Leicester, UK: Midland Counties Publications, 1979, pp. 43, 135. .
- The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982–1985). London: Orbis Publishing, 1985, p. 2255.
- Maurer, Maurer. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Air Force Historical Studies Office, 1982. .
External links
Notes and References
- https://web.archive.org/web/20131029211809/http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=2394 "Fact Sheet – Keystone B-3A."