1. Design

2. Development

3. Specifications

4. References

The Nieuport-Delage NiD 740 was a French trimotor monoplane designed to carry night mail. Two were built in 1930.

Design

The NiD 740 was specifically designed as a postal aircraft for the night mail, though the mail compartment could alternatively accommodate three passengers. It was a three engined, wooden aircraft with a cantilever high wing of high aspect ratio and elliptical plan out to pointed tips.^[1][2] Mounted without dihedral, the plywood skinned wing was structurally and aerodynamically similar to,^[1] though larger than,^[4] that of the single-engined Nieuport-Delage NiD 640. Long, narrow, uncompensated ailerons filled much of the trailing edges.^[1][2]

Its one-piece fuselage was built on four spruce longerons interconnected by frames and was plywood covered, giving it flat sides and underside but with curved upper decking. The NiD 740's central {{convert|95|hp|kW|abbr=on}} Salmson 7Ac seven-cylinder radial engine was uncowled in the nose, though diagrams show it enclosed by a narrow-chord cowling.^[1] The outboard pair, also uncowled, were mounted well below the wing on parallel and diagonal struts.^[2] The enclosed cockpit was at the wing leading edge; in addition to the normal forward and side windows there was a window in the port side fuselage, matched by one in the starboard side door, to improve his downwards and rearward view. The navigator, provided with radio equipment, was in a separate compartment with his own port side, windowed door. Behind him was the {{convert|2.40|m3|cuft|abbr=on}} volume mail compartment with windowed doors on both sides and further lit by two forward windows. In this area the fuselage was double-walled.^[1][2]

The tail was conventional, with well rounded, roughly elliptical surfaces which were ply covered like the rest of the NiD 740. The tailplane was mounted on top of the fuselage; its angle of incidence could be adjusted in flight for trimming. Neither elevators nor rudder were balanced. The latter was large and extended down to the keel, operating in a small elevator cut-out.^[1]

The NiD 740 had conventional, fixed, independent landing gear, with each wheel mounted at the vertex of a V-strut hinged on the central fuselage underside. These gave the undercarriage a track of {{convert|3.50|m|ftin|abbr=on}} and placed the wheels directly below the outer engines. Vertical sprung legs, fitted with Messier shock absorbers, joined wheels and the engine-bearing frames. The wheels had brakes (also by Messier) which could be used differentially for ground steering. There was a short tailskid below the rudderpost. A pair of searchlights were fitted close together below the nose to help with night landings.^[1]

Development

The exact date of the NiD 740's first flight is not known though several early tests had been flown by Fernand Lasne before the end of January 1930. It handled well and it could maintain a fixed altitude of {{convert|1500|m|ft|abbr=on}} with one engine stopped.^[1] Two were built^[15] but their later history is not mentioned in the contemporary French aviation literature.

Specifications

|genhide=
|crew=2, pilot and navigator
|capacity=3 passengers in place of mail
|length m=10.49
|length note=
|span m=17.50
|span note=
|height m=3.026
|height note=
|wing area sqm=40.82
|wing area note= including ailerons
|aspect ratio=7.5
|airfoil=
|empty weight kg=1501
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=2300
|gross weight note=
|max takeoff weight kg=
|max takeoff weight lb=
|max takeoff weight note=
|fuel capacity=
|more general=

|eng1 number=3
|eng1 name=Salmson 7Ac
|eng1 type=7-cylinder radial
|eng1 hp=95
|eng1 note=
|power original=
|more power=
|prop blade number=2
|prop name=
|prop dia m=
|prop dia ft=
|prop dia in=
|prop dia note=

|perfhide=
|max speed kmh=230
|max speed note=
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|cruise speed note=
|stall speed kmh=
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|never exceed speed kmh=
|never exceed speed mph=
|never exceed speed kts=
|never exceed speed note=
|minimum control speed kmh=
|minimum control speed mph=
|minimum control speed kts=
|minimum control speed note=
|range km=850
|range note=
|combat range km=
|endurance=
|ceiling m=6000
|g limits=
|roll rate=
|glide ratio=
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate ftmin=
|climb rate note=
|lift to drag=
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}}

References

• Alas (Argentine band)
• Alasarna
• Alasay
• Alasay District
• A.L.A. Schechter Poultry Corporation v. United States
• A. L. A. Schechter Poultry Corp. v. United States
• Alas Chiricanas bombing
• Alasdair Allan
• Alasdair and Hetty Tayler
• Alasdair Bernard Graham
• Alasdair Campbell
• Alasdair Clayre
• Alasdair c. macintyre
• Alasdair C. MacIntyre
• Alasdair Colkitto MacDonald
• Alasdair "Colkitto" MacDonald
• Alasdair Dickinson
• Alasdair Duncan
• Alasdair, Earl of Ross
• Alasdair Fraser
• Alasdair Gillis
• Alasdair Grant Taylor
• Alasdair Henry Hutton
• Alasdair Hutton
• Alasdair Locke