Pander S-4 Postjager
| Pander S-4 Postjager | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Role | Mailplane |
| National origin | Netherlands |
| Manufacturer | Pander & Son |
| Designer | Theo Slot |
| First flight | 6 October 1933 |
| Status | Destroyed |
| Number built | 1 |
|
| |
The Pander S-4 Postjager was a 1930s Dutch three-engined mailplane designed and built by Pander & Son. Only one was built which was destroyed during the MacRobertson Air Race.[1]
Design and development
The S-4 was designed as a fast mailplane for the service between the Netherlands and the Dutch East Indies.[1] It was a three-seat low-wing monoplane powered by three 420 hp (313 kW) Wright Whirlwind radial engines.[1] It had a conventional retractable landing gear with a tailwheel.[1] The S-4, registered PH-OST, first flew on 6 October 1933.[1]
Operational history
In December 1933 it flew a mail flight to Batavia.[1] In 1934 the S-4 was entered into the MacRobertson Air Race between London and Melbourne.[1] It left Mildenhall in England on 20 October 1934 and after 36 hours arrived at Allahabad, India.[1] The aircraft was delayed when the landing gear was badly damaged on arrival at Allahabad.[2] It was ready to leave on the 26 October but while taxiing for departure it hit a motor car and burst into flames and was destroyed; the crew jumped out and escaped injury.[1][2]
Specifications
Data from The "Aerial Phost"[3]
General characteristics
- Crew: 3
- Capacity: 500 kg
- Length: 11 m (36 ft 1 in)
- Wingspan: 16.4 m (53 ft 10 in)
- Height: 2.9 m (9 ft 6 in)
- Wing area: 45.0 m2 (484 sq ft) [4]
- Gross weight: 5,000 kg (11,023 lb)
- Powerplant: 3 × Wright Whirlwind air-cooled radial engine, 340 kW (450 hp) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 370 km/h (230 mph; 200 kn)
- Cruising speed: 300 km/h (186 mph; 162 kn)
- Range: 2,430 km (1,510 mi; 1,312 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 5,400 m (17,717 ft)
References
Notes
Bibliography
- "Some Head-On Contrasts Among the Australia Race Entries". Flight. No. 18 October 1934. pp. 1082–1083.
- "The "Aerial Phost"". Flight. No. 5 October 1933. p. 992.
- The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.