Travel Air 4000 Explained

The Travel Air 4000 is an American general-purpose biplane of the 1920s, a member of the family of aircraft that began with the Travel Air Model A.[1] It was later known as the Model 4.[2] Derived from the Model BW, around 100 were built, including two that were converted from Model 2000s.[2]

Design and development

Like other members of this family, the Model 4000 is an unequal-span, single-bay, staggered biplane of conventional design.[2] The passengers and pilot sit in tandem, open cockpits.[2] It has a conventional tail, and fixed, tailskid undercarriage.[2] The fuselage is built from welded steel tubes, and the wings from wood.[3] Travel Air model numbers primarily reflected changes in powerplant, and the Model 4000 was originally powered by a Wright J-5 or J-4 radial engine mounted in the nose, driving a tractor propeller.[2] From late 1928 onwards, however, the Model 4000 and Model 4 designations were applied to aircraft powered by a wide variety of other air-cooled radial engines.[2] [4]

Travel Air built fourteen Model 4000s in 1927, and the design received type certificate ATC-32 in April 1928.[4] Most Model BWs were registered under the same type certificate.[5]

Starting with the Model B-4000, some variants had a new "outrigger" style undercarriage, where oleo struts were attached outboard of the main undercarriage units, connected to struts forward of the lower wing.[6]

Model 4000 variants are distinguished by changes in their wing type and powerplant, although other characteristics such as undercarriage changes or roles such as mailplane or aerial spraying are sometimes also reflected in the model numbers.

The wing types are as follows:[7]

Wing typeAirfoilDescriptionYear introduced
Type ATravel Air #1Aerodynamically balanced ("elephant ear") ailerons, no fuel tank1925
Type ETravel Air #1[8] Frise ailerons, no fuel tanks1927
Type BTravel Air #1[9] Frise ailerons, fuel tanks1929
SpeedwingDifferent, thinner wing[10] Frise ailerons, greater structural strength1929

Operational history

Apart from its use in general avaiation, the Model 4000 was flown competitively. Louise Thaden flew a D-4000 to win the inaugural Women's Air Derby at the 1929 National Air Races.[11]

They were also used for film work. D-4000s represented World War I Nieuport fighters in The Dawn Patrol (1930), Hell's Angels (1930), and Young Eagles (1930).

Variants

Model 4000
  • standard model with Type A wing and Wright J-5 engine; type certificate ATC-32[12] [13]
    Model A-4000
  • version with Type A wing and seven-cylinder Floco engine;[6] [14] type certificate ATC-148;[14] [15] 9 registered[6]
    Model B-4000
  • version with Type E or Type B wing,[6] Wright J-5 engine,[16] and outrigger undercarriage;[6] [9] type certificate ATC-146;[9] [17] 25 registered[6]
    Model C-4000
  • version built by Curtiss[6] [18] with Type A or Type E wing,[18] and Curtiss Challenger engine,[18] ; type certificate ATC-149;[18] [19] prototype converted from a D-4000, then 22 registered, plus seven Model 2000s and two E-4000s converted[6]
    Model BC-4000
  • version based on C-4000 but with Type B wing and outrigger undercarriage;[6] 1 built, later converted to SBC-4000[6] [20]
    Model SBC-4000
  • floatplane version of BC-4000;[6] approval number 2-154;[21] [22] 1 converted from BC-4000[6]
    Model SC-4000
  • floatplane version with Curtiss C-6 engine;[6] [23] designation might also have referred to floatplane version of BC-4000[6]
    Model D-4000
  • "speedwing" version with Wright J-5 engine;[24] some built as single-seaters;[6] approval number 2-84;[25] [26]
    Model E-4000
  • version with Type E wing[27] and Wright J-6-5 engine;[28] [29] approval number 2-156,[21] [22] superseded by type certificate ATC-188;[8] [30] most widely-produced of the Model 4000 family,[28] [8] 59 registered[28]
    Model BE-4000
  • version with Type E or Type B wing, Wright J-6 engine,[27] and possibly outrigger undercarriage;[28] 12 registered[28]
    Model J4-4000
  • version with Wright J-4 engine;[21] [28] approval number 2-243;[21] [31] at least 6 built[28]
    Model K-4000
  • version with Type A wing[27] and Kinner K-5 engine;[32] [33] elongated nose to compensate for weight and balance changes; type certificate ATC-205;[33] 6 built[32]
    Model DK-4000
  • "speedwing" version of the K-4000; 1 built[32]
    Model L-4000
  • version created by Parks Air College in 1941 to upgrade the Model 4000s they used as trainers by installing Lycoming R-680-B4 engines. These aircraft had dual controls and their rear cockpits were fitted with folding blind-flying hoods.[32]
    Model BM-4000
  • dedicated mailplane version with front cockpit replaced by mail compartment and with redesigned tail fin;[32] Wright J-5 engine[27] [32] type certificte ATC-147;[34] [35] at least 7 built or converted[32]
    Model B9-4000
  • version with Type E or Type B wing,[27] Wright J-6-9 engine, and outrigger undercarriage;[32] some completed as single-seaters; some later fitted with NACA cowlings;[32] approval number 2-381;[36] [37] 7 built or converted,[32] including one from a Model 4-D[38]
    Model D9-4000
  • D-4000 modified for Arthur Goebel for airshow flying;[32] speedwings (or otherwise clipped wings), Wright J-6-9 engine, and front cockpit replaced by chemical tank for smoke production;[32] BM-4000-style fin fitted later;[32] 1 converted[32]
    Model U-4000
  • alternative designation for Model 4-U[32]
    Model W-4000
  • version with Type A wing[27] and Warner R-420 engine;[27] [39] approval number 2-35[21] [40] superseded by type certificate ATC-112;[41] [42] 27 registered[39]
    Model DW-4000
  • "speedwing" version converted from the W-4000 prototype;[39] Warner R-420 engine;[27] [39] 1 converted[39]
    Model 4000-CAM
  • alternative designation for Model 8000[38]
    Model 4000-SH
  • alternative designation for Model 9000[38]
    Model 4000-T
  • experimental major conversion by Curtiss from Model 4-D;[38] new wings with automatic leading-edge slots, flaps of nearly full-span, and Tanager-style "floating ailerons";[38] 1 converted, in turn later converted to Model D-4-D[38]
    Model 4-D
  • development of the Model B-4000 with type B wing,[38] Wright J-6 engine,[38] [43] and outrigger undercarriage;[38] type certificate ATC-254;[34] examples included two converted from Model BE-4000s[38]
    Model 4-P
  • version with ACE LA-1 engine and NACA cowling;[38] approval number 2-160[21] [22] superseded by type certificate ATC-280[34]
    Model 4-PT
  • alternative designation for Model 4-P[38]
    Model 4-S
  • experimental testbed for the Powell Lever Motor; 1 built[44]
    Model 4-U
  • catchall designation for early versions converted by Otto Timm to use Comet 7-cylinder radial engines[44]
    Model D-4-D
  • lightened version with reduced-span wings, Wright J-6 engine, and new undercarriage;[44] approval number 2-178;[21] [45] 5 registered, plus another 6 converted from other variants[44]
    Model W-4-B
  • special racing version designed by Ted A. Wells; much shortened wings, Wright J-5 engine, and new undercarriage and interplane strut designs. 1 built.[44]
    Model Z-4-D
  • dedicated version for aerial spraying and heaviest of all the Travel Air biplane family; Wright J-6-9 engine; 1 built, plus 1 converted from Model 4000[44]

    Operators

    Civilian

    Parks Air College
  • operated Model 4000s for training transport pilots.[46] Some aircraft modified with Lycoming R-680-B4 engines.[32]
    San Diego Air Service
  • operated the W-4000[41]
    United States Department of Agriculture
  • operated the B-4000[47]
    United States Department of Commerce
  • operated the B-4000[47]

    Military

    Peruvian Air Force
  • operated at least one E-4000[48]

    Surviving aircraft

    This is a partial list of surviving examples of the Model 4000 and its subtypes, confined to aircraft that are still in commercial use, in museums, or in some other way notable.

    Notes

    Bibliography

    Notes and References

    1. Taylor 1993, pp.856,865
    2. Pelletier 1995, p.32
    3. Phillips 1994, p.91–92
    4. Juptner 1962a, p.94
    5. Pelletier 1995, p.23
    6. Pelletier 1995, p.33
    7. Phillips 1994, pp.91,93
    8. Phillips 1994, p.102
    9. Phillips 1994, p.99
    10. "Travel Air D4D"
    11. Pelletier 1995, pp.33–34
    12. Phillips 1994, p.95
    13. Juptner 1962a, p.94
    14. Phillips 1994, p.98
    15. Juptner 1962b, p.139
    16. Phillips 1994, p.99
    17. Juptner 1962b, p.135
    18. Phillips 1994, p.101
    19. Juptner 1962b, p.141
    20. Juptner 1962b, p.256
    21. Phillips 1994, p.89
    22. Juptner 1962d, p.131
    23. Phillips 1994, p.101
    24. Pelletier 1995, pp.33–34
    25. Phillips 1994, p.89
    26. Juptner 1962d, p.121
    27. Phillips 1994, p.94
    28. Pelletier 1995, p.34
    29. Phillips 1994, p.102
    30. Juptner 1962b, p.188
    31. Juptner 1962d, p.143
    32. Pelletier 1995, p.35
    33. Phillips 1994, p.103
    34. Phillips 1994, p.88
    35. Juptner 1962b, p.137
    36. Phillips 1994, p.90
    37. Juptner 1962d, p.167
    38. Pelletier 1995, p.37
    39. Pelletier 1995, p.36
    40. Juptner 1962d, p.112
    41. Juptner 1962b, p.35
    42. Phillips 1994, p.104
    43. Phillips 1994, p.112
    44. Pelletier 1995, p.38
    45. Juptner 1962d, p.133
    46. Juptner 1962a, p.95
    47. Juptner 1962b, p.136
    48. Hagedorn 2006 p.88
    49. "Aircraft Inquiry" [4321]
    50. "Cap'n Mac's Magic Air Biplane Tours"
    51. "Aircraft Inquiry" [1004]
    52. "Travel Air 4000 [Mid America Flight Museum]"
    53. "1928 Curtiss-Wright Travel Air 4000 C/N 416"
    54. "Aircraft Inquiry" [2709]
    55. "1927 Travel Air 4000"
    56. "Aircraft Inquiry" [6425]
    57. "Aircraft"
    58. Sullivan 2024
    59. "Aircraft Inquiry" [9049]
    60. "Travel Air 4000 [Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum]"
    61. "Aircraft Inquiry" [9872]
    62. Leigh, 2022
    63. "CCAR - Aircraft Details"
    64. Skaarup 2009, p.450
    65. "Aircraft Inquiry" [648H]
    66. "1929 Travel Air E-4000 - NC648H"
    67. "Aircraft Inquiry" [671H]
    68. "Louise Thaden's Travel Air"
    69. "Indoor Exhibits"
    70. "Aircraft Inquiry" [367M]
    71. "Parish Travel Air"
    72. "Aircraft Inquiry" [174V]
    73. "1929 Travel Air 4000"
    74. "Aircraft Inquiry" [477N]
    75. "1930 Curtiss-Wright Travel Air D-4000 Speedwing"

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