This airplane landed at least three times at Tucson. Two landings on April 5 and 20, 1929 were piloted by Lt. Odas Moon, a founding member of the Order of Daedalians. The third landing on May 10, 1929 was flown by Capt. E.C. Black carrying five passengers.

Keystone LB-7s were equipped with two Pratt & Whitney R-1690-3 Hornet radials. Sixteen of these aircraft were delivered to the Army Air Corps. Four of them appear in the Register. The LB-7 rapidly became obsolete and they were all withdrawn from service and scrapped during 1933-1934.

Keystone LB7 28-391, Probably Long Beach, CA, Date Unknown

28-391 was a part of the 11th Bombardment Squadron. The Squadron has its roots in WWI when it was organized at Kelly Field as the 11th Aero Squadron. In 1921 it was redesignated as the 11th Squadron (Bombardment) and in 1922 as the 11th Bombardment Squadron. As part of the 7th Bombardment Group (Heavy) it was again redesignated the 11th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) in 1939. We see it at Tucson as a member of the 11th Bombardment Squadron.

There are three Keystone LB7s signed in the Register that identify with the 11th Bombardment Squadron: 28-391, -392 and -395. 28-391 was delivered to the Army on March 4, 1929. It was redesignated as a ZLB-7 and assigned with the 40th School Squadron at Kelly Field, El Paso, TX on May 26, 1931. It was surveyed August 7, 1934.

28-392 was delivered March 12, 1929. It, too, was redesignated a ZLB-7 and placed with the 40th School Squadron on June 14, 1931. It was surveyed June 28, 1934.

28-395 was delivered April 15, 1929, redesignated a ZLB-7 with the 40th School Squadron on April 28, 1931, and surveyed August 20, 1934.

The fourth LB-7 to land was 29-008. It was delivered to the Army on May 10, 1929, visited Tucson flown by E.C. Batten on June 11, 1929 and it burned on January 15, 1930.

Technical details and data for the LB-7 are available here.

You may view another image of 28-391 at the Gerow Collection link in the left sidebar.

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UPLOADED: 02/09/08 REVISED: