WORLD WAR 2 IN REVIEW: Fairchild (Kreider-Reisner) XC-31: American Transport

The Kreider-Reisner XC-31 or Fairchild XC-31 was an American single-engined monoplane transport aircraft of the 1930s designed and built by Kreider-Reisner. It was one of the last fabric-covered aircraft tested by the U.S. Army Air Corps. Designed as an alternative to the emerging twin-engined transports of the time such as the Douglas DC-2, it was evaluated by the Air Corps at Wright Field, Ohio, under the test designation XC-941, but rejected in favor of all-metal twin-engined designs.

The XC-31 was built with an aluminum alloy framework covered by fabric, and featured strut-braced wing and fully retractable landing gear, with the main gear units mounted on small wing-like stubs and retracting inwards. An additional novel feature was the provision of main cargo doors that were parallel with the ground to facilitate loading.

Following evaluation by the USAAC, the XC-31 was transferred to NACA, which used it for icing studies at its Langley Research Center.

Role: Single-engine transport

National origin: United States

Manufacturer: Kreider-Reisner; Fairchild Aircraft

First flight: September 22, 1934

Primary user: United States Army Air Corps

Number built: 1

Crew: 1 (Pilot)

Capacity: 15 passengers or 3,500 pounds (1,600 kg) of cargo

Length: 55 ft 5 in (16.89 m)

Wingspan: 75 ft 0 in (22.86 m)

Height: 15 ft 10 in (4.83 m)

Wing area: 802 sq ft (74.5 m2)

Empty weight: 7,322 lb (3,321 kg)

Gross weight: 12,750 lb (5,783 kg)

Powerplant: 1 × Wright R-1820-25 radial , 750 hp (559 kW)

Maximum speed: 154 mph (248 km/h, 134 kn)

Cruise speed: 143 mph (230 km/h, 124 kn)

Range: 775 mi (1,247 km, 673 nmi)

Service ceiling: 15,000 ft (4,570 m)

Fairchild XC-31 (34-26), US Army Air Corps, circa 1934.

Fairchild XC-31 (34-26). Note the unusual cargo loading door parallel to the ground while parked rather than parallel to the cabin floor.

Fairchild XC-31 (34-26).

Fairchild XC-31 at Langley.

Fairchild XC-31 (34-026).

Fairchild XC-31 (34-26). The large XC-31, built by the Kreider-Reisner division of Fairchild aircraft was used, in part, for icing studies while with the NACA at Langley. This is the only example of the type ever built. 10 October 1938.

Fairchild XC-31 (34-26).

Fairchild XC-31 (34-26). This “winged boxcart” was designed by the Kreider-Reisner company but built by Fairchild after that company acquired Kreider-Reisner in 1934. The XC-31 was a single-engined transport aircraft of at the time already too conventional fabric covered construction born in the nascent multi-engined all-metal aircraft era. Not all was boring in the XC-31 though. It had a pretty neat retractable landing gear and, to facilitate loading, its cargo doors were parallel to the ground. In the background is a Douglas DC-2 (maybe the XC-32 or a YC-34).