Boeing F2B

infobox Aircraft
name = F2B
type = Carrier-based Fighter
manufacturer = Boeing


caption = Boeing F2B-1, U.S. Navy Photo
designer =
first flight = 3 November 1926
introduced = 20 January 1928
introduction=
retired =
status =
primary user = U.S. Navy
more users = Japan, Brazil
number built = 32 plus 1 prototype
unit cost =
developed from = Boeing XP-8
variants with their own articles = The Boeing F2B was an biplane fighter aircraft of the United States Navy of the 1920s, familiar to aviation fans of the era as the craft of the Three Sea Hawks aerobatic flying team, famous for its tied-together formation flying.Swanborough, and Bowers 1976]

Development

Initially the Boeing Model 69, it was inspired by the results of tests on the FB-6, which was powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-1340B Wasp radial engine. Boeing set out to use this engine in a fighter designed specifically for carrier operations, using the same welded-tubing fuselage and wooden-frame wings as for the Model 15, and adding a large spinner to reduce air drag around the engine (this was dropped in production). Armament was either two .30 cal. machine guns, or one .30 cal. and one .50 cal.; the lower wing had attachments for up to four 25-pound bombs, plus a fifth could be hung from the fuselage.Jones 1977, p. 47-49.]

Operational history

First flight was November 3, 1926. The Navy acquired the prototype as XF2B-1, which was capable of reaching speeds of 154 mph, and was sufficiently impressed to order 32 F2B-1s. In addition to omission of the spinner, the production versions also had a balanced rudder. Delivery began January 20, 1928, with some assigned to fighter squadron VF-1B and others to bomber squadron VF-2B, both operating from USS "Saratoga" (CV-3).Jones 1977, p. 47-49.]

Although the Navy did not order any more F2Bs, Boeing built two more, as Model 69Bs, exporting one to Brazil and the other to Japan.Jones 1977, p. 47-49.]

Variants

;Model 69: XF2B-1, one prototype serial number "A7385"Swanborough, and Bowers 1976] ;Model 69: F2B-1, 32 aircraft serial numbers "A7424"-"A7455"Swanborough, and Bowers 1976] ;Model 69B: two aircraft, generally similar to the F2B-1, one each to Brazil and Japan.Eden and Moeng 2002, p. 319.]

Operators

;BRA;JPN;flag|United States|1912
*United States Navy

pecifications (F2B-1)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?= plane
jet or prop?= prop
ref="The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft" [Eden and Moeng 2002, p. 319.]
crew= 1
capacity=
length main= 22 ft 11 in
length alt= 6.98 m
span main= 30 ft 1 in
span alt= 9.17 m
height main= 9 ft 2.25 in
height alt= 2.81 m
area main= 243 ft²
area alt= 22.57 m²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 1,989 lb
empty weight alt= 902 kg
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main= 2,805 lb
max takeoff weight alt= 1,272 kg
more general=

engine (prop)= Pratt & Whitney R-1340-8 Wasp
type of prop= Radial
number of props= 1
power main= 425 hp
power alt= 317 kW
power original=
max speed main= 158 mph
max speed alt= 137 knots, 254 km/h
cruise speed main= 132 mph
cruise speed alt= 115 knots, 212 km/h
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
range main= 315 mi
range alt= 274 nm, 507 km
ceiling main= 21,500 ft
ceiling alt= 6,555 m
climb rate main= 1,890 ft/min
climb rate alt= 9.6 m/s
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=
guns=One 0.5 in (12.7mm) M2 Browning and one 0.3 in (7.62mm) forward firing M1919 Browning machine guns or two 0.3 in forward firing machine guns in the forward fuselage
bombs=Five 25 lb (11.3 kg) bombs carried under the fuselage and lower wing
avionics=

References

* Eden, Paul and Moeng, Soph. The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. London: Amber Books Ltd., 2002. ISBN 0-7607-3432-1.
* Jones, Lloyd S. "U.S. Naval Fighters". Fallbrook CA: Aero Publishers, 1977. ISBN 0-8168-9254-7.
* Swanborough, Gordon and Bowers, Peter M. "United States Navy Aircraft Since 1911". Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 1976. ISBN 0-87021-968-5.

External links

ee also

aircontent
related=

similar aircraft=

lists=
* List of military aircraft of the United States
* List of fighter aircraft