The Boeing Model 42 (also Boeing XCO-7 for Experimental Corps Observation Model 7) was an American biplane aircraft developed from the
Airco DH.4
The Airco DH.4 is a British two-seat biplane day bomber of the First World War. It was designed by Geoffrey de Havilland (hence "DH") for Airco, and was the first British two-seat light day-bomber capable of defending itself.
It was desig ...
, taking advantage of the large number of aircraft left over after the end of
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
.
Development and design
The Model 42 was essentially an Airco DH-4M-1 fitted with new Boeing tailplanes, tapered wings, and tripod landing gear. The first aircraft built, designated XCO-7, was used as a static test bed, and did not fly. The second aircraft, XCO-7A, used a standard DH-4M-1 fuselage and Liberty engine, with the Boeing modifications. The final aircraft, XCO-7B, added balanced elevators and inverted the Liberty engine. Both flyable aircraft were shipped to
McCook Field
McCook Field was an airfield and aviation experimentation station in Dayton, Ohio, United States. It was operated by the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps and its successor the United States Army Air Service from 1917 to 1927. It was named f ...
, where the first flight occurred on 6 February 1925.
The performance of the new aircraft did not justify the cost of the conversion, and Boeing abandoned the project.
[Bowers, 1966. pg. 59.]
Specifications (XCO-7A)
References
* Bowers, Peter M. ''Boeing aircraft since 1916''. London: Putnam Aeronautical Books, 1966.
{{USAAS observation aircraft
1920s United States military reconnaissance aircraft
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Biplanes
Single-engined tractor aircraft
Aircraft first flown in 1925