Boeing XF8B

infobox Aircraft
name = Boeing XF8B



caption = First prototype XF8B-1 , BuNo "57984" in test by USAAF, 1945
type = Fighter
manufacturer = Boeing
designer =
first flight = 27 November 1944
introduced =
retired =
status = Cancelled
primary user = United States Navy
more users = United States Army Air Forces
produced =
number built = 3
unit cost =
developed from =
variants with their own articles =

The Boeing XF8B (Model 400)Donald 1997, p. 159.] was a single-engine aircraft developed by Boeing during World War II to provide the United States Navy a long-range shipboard fighter aircraft. The XF8B was intended for operation against the Japanese home islands from aircraft carriers outside the range of Japanese land-based aircraft. Designed for various roles including interceptor, long-range escort fighter, dive-bomber and torpedo bomber, the final design embodied a number of innovative features in order to accomplish the various roles. Despite its formidable capabilities, the XP8B-1 was fated to never enter series production.

Design and development

The XF8B-1 was, at the time, the largest and heaviest single-seat, single-engine fighter developed in the United States. Boeing optimistically called the XF8B-1 the "five-in-one fighter" (fighter, interceptor, dive bomber, torpedo bomber, or level bomber). It was powered by a single 3,000 hp (2200 kW) Pratt & Whitney XR-4360-10 four-row 28-cylinder radial engine, driving two three-bladed contra-rotating propellors. It would be the largest single-seat piston fighter to fly in the U.S. to date. The large wings featured outer sections which could fold vertically, while the fuselage incorporated an internal bomb bay and large fuel tanks; more fuel could be carried externally. The proposed armament included six 0.50 inch (12.7 mm) machine guns or six 20 mm wing-mounted cannons, and a 6,400 lb (2,900 kg) bomb load or two 2,000 lb (900 kg) torpedoes. The final configuration was a large but streamlined design, featuring a bubble canopy, sturdy main undercarriage that folded into the wings, and topped by a variation on the B-29 vertical tail.

The contract for three prototypes (BuNos "57984"–"57986") was awarded 4 May 1943, although only one was completed before the war ended. It first flew in November 1944. The two remaining prototypes were completed after the war, with the third (BuNo "57986") evaluated at Eglin Air Force Base by the United States Army Air Forces. [Koehnen 2005, p. 41.]

Operational history

To expedite testing and evaluation, a second cockpit was fitted to the first two prototypes to allow a flight engineer to help monitor the test flights. The second seat was easily accommodated in the roomy cockpit. [Allen 1994, p. 23.]

Although testing of the promising XF8B concept continued into 1946 by the USAAF and 1947 by the US Navy, the end of the war in the Pacific and changing postwar strategy required that Boeing concentrate on building large land-based bombers and transports. The advent of jet fighters led to the cancellation of many wartime piston-engined projects; consequently, since the USAF lost interest in pursuing the project and the U.S. Navy was only prepared to offer a small contract, Boeing chose to wind down the XF8B program. [ Allen 1994, p. 27.] As the test program was concluded, the prototypes were scrapped one by one, with "57986" lingering on into 1950.

pecifications (Boeing XF8B-1)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?= plane
jet or prop?= prop

ref={name of first source}

crew= one, pilot
capacity=
length main= 43 ft 3 in
length alt=13.1 m
span main= 54 ft
span alt= 16.5 m
height main= 16 ft 3 in
height alt= 5.0 m
area main= 489 ft²
area alt= 45.4 m²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 13,519 lb
empty weight alt= 6,132 kg
loaded weight main= 20,508 lb
loaded weight alt= 9,302 kg
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main= 21,691 lb
max takeoff weight alt= 9,839 kg
more general=

engine (prop)= Pratt & Whitney R-4360 XR-4360-10
type of prop= 28-cylinder four-row radial engine
number of props= 1
power main= 3,000 hp
power alt= 2,240 kW
power original=
max speed main= 376 knots
max speed alt= 432 mph, 695 km/h
cruise speed main= 165 knots
cruise speed alt= 190 mph, 306 km/h
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
range main= 2,435 NM
range alt= 2,800 miles, 4,500 km
ceiling main= 37,500 ft
ceiling alt= 11,400 m
climb rate main= 2,800 ft/min
climb rate alt= 850 m/min
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=
power/mass main= 0.15 hp/lb
power/mass alt= 240 W/kg
more performance=

armament=
* 6 × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) or 6 × 20 mm wing mounted guns
* 2,200 lb (1415 kg) bomb load or 1 × 2,000 lb (900 kg) torpedo
avionics=

ee also

aircontent
related=

similar aircraft=
* Blackburn Firebrand
* A-1 Skyraider
* Martin AM Mauler
* Curtiss XBTC

lists=
* List of fighter aircraft
* List of aircraft of the U.S. military, World War II

see also=

References

Notes

Bibliography

* Allen, Francis. "Last of the Line: Boeing's XF8B-1 Multi-purpose Fighter." "Air Enthusiast" No. 55, Autumn 1994.
* Donald, David, ed. "Boeing Model 400 (XF8B)"."Encyclopedia of World Aircraft". Etobicoke, ON: Prospero Books, 1997. ISBN 1-85605-375-X.
* Green, William. "Boeing XF8B-1". "War Planes of the Second World War, Volume Four: Fighters". London: Macdonald & Co.(Publishers) Ltd., 1961 (6th impression 1969), p. 26-27. ISBN 0-356-01448-7.
* Green, William and Swanborough, Gordon. "Boeing XF8B-1". "WW2 Aircraft Fact Files: US Navy and Marine Corps Fighters". London: Macdonald and Jane's Publishers Ltd., 1976, p.4. ISBN 0-356-08222-9.
* Koehnen, Richard C. "Boeing XF8B-1 Five-in-One Fighter, Naval Fighters Number 65". Simi Valley, CA: Steve Ginter Publishing, 2005. ISBN 0-94261-265-5.
* Koehnen, Richard C. "XF8B-1... Last of the Breed: Boeing's Five-in-One Fighter." "Airpower, Vol. 5, no. 4, July 1975".
* "Pedigree of Champions: Boeing Since 1916, Third Edition". Seattle, WA: The Boeing Company, 1969.
* Zichek, Jared A. "The Boeing XF8B-1 Fighter: Last of the Line". Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing, 2007. ISBN 0-76432-587-6.

External links

* [http://www.daveswarbirds.com/usplanes/aircraft/xf8b-1.htm Boeing XF8B-1]
* [http://www.boeing.com/history/boeing/xf8b1.html XF8B-1 Fighter-Bomber]