Consolidated Fleetster


The Consolidated Model 17 Fleetster was a 1920s American light transport monoplane aircraft built by the Consolidated Aircraft Corporation. There was several closely related types the Model 17, Model 18, Model 20; then the C-11, C-22, and XBY military versions.

Design and development

The Fleetster received Approved Type Certificate Number 369 on 29 September 1930. It was designed to meet a requirement of the New York, Rio, and Buenos Aires Line for an aircraft to serve the coastal routes in South America. The Fleetster had a streamlined all-metal monocoque fuselage with a wooden wing. The powerplant was a 575 hp Pratt & Whitney R-1860 Hornet B radial engine. It was available as a landplane or seaplane and could accommodate up to eight passengers, although the three NYRBA aircraft were fitted with two full-width seats each for three passengers.
A parasol-wing version was also developed with the wing supported by four short struts. The open cockpit was moved behind the passenger cabin and the resultant space was used as a cargo compartment. Three aircraft were built for NYRBA and a private Canadian customer.
In 1932 a carrier-borne dive bomber version was evaluated by the United States Navy as the XBY-1, it was not ordered but was the first stressed-skin aircraft, and the first aircraft with so-called "wet wing" integral fuel tanks in the wings operated by the Navy.

Variants

;Model 17-1
;Model 17AF
;Model 17-2AC
;Model 18
;Model 20-1
;Model 20-A
;C-11
;C-22

Operators