The Lockheed Model 10 Electra is an American twin-engined, all-metal monoplane airliner developed by the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation , which was produced primarily in the 1930s to compete with the Boeing 247 and Douglas DC-2 . The type gained considerable fame as one was flown by Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan on their ill-fated around-the-world expedition in 1937.
17-606: The Lockheed XC-35 is a twin-engine, experimental pressurized airplane. It was the second American aircraft to feature cabin pressurization. It was initially described as a "supercharged cabins" by the Army. The XC-35 was a development of the Lockheed Model 10 Electra that was designed to meet a 1935 request by the United States Army Air Corps for an aircraft with a pressurized cabin . The United States Air Corps wanted
34-426: A flight engineer, and up to two passengers. The aft compartment provided accommodation for one passenger and could be used only at low altitudes since it lacked pressurization. The XC-35 was fitted with two Pratt & Whitney XR-1340-43 engines of 550 hp (410 kW) each compared to the two Pratt & Whitney R-985-13 of 450 hp (336 kW) fitted to the base Model 10 Electra. The engines featured
51-674: A turbo supercharger to permit the engines to operate in thin air at high altitudes. The XC-35 was delivered to Wright Field, Ohio in May 1937, made its first performance flight on 5 August, and was involved in an extensive flight testing program for which the Army Air Corps was awarded the Collier Trophy . The lessons learned from the XC-35 played a key role in the development of the Boeing 307 Stratoliner and
68-585: The B-29 Superfortress which was to be the first mass-produced pressurized aircraft. The Air Corps brass were so confident in the new technology that they allowed the XC-35 to be used as an executive transport for Louis Johnson , the Assistant Secretary of War and future Secretary of Defense . In 1943, NACA pilot Herbert H. Hoover flew the XC-35 into thunderstorms to gather data on the effects of severe weather on aircraft in flight. The XC-35
85-730: The Harmon Trophy . On the eastbound trip, they carried newsreels of the crash of the Hindenburg , and on the return trip from the United Kingdom , they brought photographs of the coronation of King George VI . Bata Shoes operated the Model 10 to ferry its executives between their European factories. Probably the most famous use of the Electra was the highly modified Model 10E flown by Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan . In July 1937, they disappeared over
102-905: The 1970s. Electras were popular as private planes for royalty in Asia and Europe. In India , the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir and the Maharaja of Jodhpur both purchased them for their personal use in 1937. The Electra was produced in several variants, for both civilian and military customers. Lockheed built a total of 149 Electras. Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1937. General characteristics Performance Related development Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Related lists [REDACTED] Media related to Lockheed Model 10 Electra at Wikimedia Commons Marshall Headle Marshall E. Headle (March 21, 1893 Winthrop, Massachusetts , United States - May 14, 1945)
119-571: The Air Corps Engineering Division at Wright Field in Ohio were responsible for the design of the pressurized cabin structure. Greene and Younger worked with Lockheed to modify a Model 10 Electra with a new fuselage consisting of a circular cross-section that was able to withstand up to a 10 psi differential. New, smaller windows were used to prevent a possible blowout while operating at high pressure differentials. The cabin pressurization
136-554: The Electra was Lockheed's first all-metal and twin-engined design by Lloyd Stearman and Hall Hibbard . The name Electra came from a star in the Pleiades . The prototype made its first flight on February 23, 1934, with Marshall Headle at the controls. Wind-tunnel work on the Electra was undertaken at the University of Michigan . Much of the work was performed by a student assistant, Kelly Johnson . He suggested two changes be made to
153-879: The French Air Force and learned to fly. After the entry of the United States in the conflict, he joined the US Air Service as an instructor in Tours and in Issoudun . After the war, he continued to fly in the US Marine Corps before becoming chief test pilot for Lockheed , succeeding Wiley Post . From 1935, his position at Lockheed evolved and he traveled the world on behalf of the company conducting demonstration flights as well as training for global customers. A high- altitude chamber accident ended his flying career and led to
170-486: The aircraft to perform high altitude research and to test the feasibility of a pressurized cabin. The Corps contracted with Lockheed Aircraft Corporation to produce the aircraft at a total cost of $ 112,197. The requirements called for an aircraft capable of flying at no less than 25,000 ft (7,620 m) and having an endurance of ten hours with at least two hours above 25,000 ft (7,620 m). Major Carl Greene and John Younger, both structures experts who worked for
187-506: The central Pacific Ocean during an attempted round-the-world flight. Many Electras and their design descendants (the Model 12 Electra Junior and Model 14 Super Electra ) were pressed into military service during World War II , for instance the USAAF 's C-36 . By the end of the war, the Electra design was obsolete, although many smaller airlines and charter services continued to operate Electras into
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#1732844855160204-524: The design: changing the single tail to double tails (later a Lockheed trademark), and deleting oversized wing fillets. Both of these suggestions were incorporated into production aircraft. Upon receiving his master's degree, Johnson joined Lockheed as a regular employee, ultimately leading the Skunk Works in developing advanced aircraft such as the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird . The Lockheed Electra
221-480: The first airline to use Electras was Cubana de Aviación , starting in 1935, for its domestic routes. Besides airline orders, a number of non-commercial civil operators also purchased the new Model 10. In May 1937, H. T. "Dick" Merrill and J. S. Lambie accomplished a round-trip crossing of the Atlantic Ocean . The feat was declared the first round-trip commercial crossing of that ocean by any aircraft. It won them
238-474: Was a U.S. test pilot. He is best known for his participation in the first Lockheed Aircraft company projects. In 1913, Marshall Headle graduated from the Massachusetts State College and decided to go to France after the start of First World War . He enlisted as a soldier, and soon became captivated by the flying machines he discovered during the conflict. He then asked to be transferred to
255-533: Was donated to the Smithsonian Institution 's National Air and Space Museum in 1948 and remains there in long term storage. Data from Lockheed aircraft since 1913 General characteristics Performance Related development Lockheed Model 10 Electra Some of Lockheed's wooden designs, such as the Orion , had been built by Detroit Aircraft Corporation with metal fuselages. However,
272-654: Was one of the first commercial passenger aircraft with retractable landing gear to come equipped with mudguards as standard equipment, although aircraft with fixed landing gear commonly had mudguards much earlier than this. After October 1934, when the US government banned single-engined aircraft for use in carrying passengers or in night flying, Lockheed was perfectly placed in the market with its new Model 10 Electra. In addition to deliveries to US-based airlines, several European operators added Electras to their prewar fleets. In Latin America,
289-446: Was provided by bleeding air from the engines' turbo supercharger , the compressor outlet fed into the cabin and was controlled by the flight engineer. This system was able to maintain a cabin altitude of 12,000 ft (3,658 m) while flying at 30,000 ft (9,144 m). The fuselage was divided into two compartments, a forward pressurized compartment, and an aft unpressurized compartment. The forward compartment housed two pilots,
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