Then-Lt. Col. Henry H. “Hap” Arnold sits on the wing of a B-10. The B-10, which entered service in 1932, provided the high altitude capability and bombing accuracy needed by “industrial web theory” proponents.
Engine: Two Wright R-1820-33 of 775 hp. each
Big photo gallery at link.
Showing off the troops over Boston. America's first modern, all-metal bomber, the Martin B-10 is escorted by Boeing P-26's (Peashooters) below, and Curtis P-6 Hawks, above.
Orville Wright inspects a Wright Cyclone radial engine in 1941.
At the time, General Hap Arnold was moving toward achieving his dream of creating an independent air force. He'd established the intelligence unit to make air force training films and documentaries, train camera crews, and accompany our planes on combat missions. I was sent to the unit because of my experience in motion pictures. My first assignment was to recruit technicians and artists from the movie business for the new unit who were ineligible for the draft, and pretty soon, even though I was wearing the bars of a second lieutenant, I was offering majors' insignias to half-million-dollar-a-year movie directors. We also had first call on draftees from the industry. I wound up as adjutant and personnel officer for the unit. Our combat camera crews went to every war zone in the world and our training films were used throughout the army air corps. In a way, we'd become the Signal Corps for Hap Arnold's new air force.
One of nine shots of Pratt R 4360 at link below
Images from the Lone Star Flight Museum, by Dick Merrill
Boeing B-29 Superfortress (42-24812)
As for the R-3350, it first flew in 1941 in the B-19 which was Douglas Company’s huge test airplane, Now 60 years later the engine is still powers the fastest prop plane in history-the Grumman build- “ Rare Bear”, it has been clocked at 571 mph producing 4,200 horsepower; it flies in the unlimited class of races at the Reno Air Races.
