Boeing F3B

infobox Aircraft
name = F3B
type = Carrier-based Fighter-Bomber
manufacturer = Boeing



caption = Boeing F3B-1, U.S. Navy Photo
designer =
first flight = 3 February 1928
introduced = August 1928"United States Navy Aircraft Since 1911" by Gordon Swanborough & Peter M. Bowers (Naval Institute Press Annapolis, MD, ISBN 0870219685) 1976, 546 pp.]
introduction=
retired =
status =
primary user = U.S. Navy
more users =
number built = 74 including the prototype"United States Navy Aircraft Since 1911" by Gordon Swanborough & Peter M. Bowers (Naval Institute Press Annapolis, MD, ISBN 0870219685) 1976, 546 pp.]
unit cost =
developed from = F2B-1 & FB-5
variants with their own articles = The Boeing F3B was a biplane fighter and fighter bomber that served with the United States Navy from 1928 into the early 1930s.

Development

Designed by the company as its Model 74, the plane was an incremental improvement over the F2B. The Navy-designated prototype XF3B-1 still had the tapered wings of the F2B for instance, but was built as a single-float seaplane using the FB-5 undercarriage. However, the growing use of aircraft carriers took away most of the need for floating fighters, and by the time other test results had been taken into account, the production F3B-1 (Model 77) had a larger upper wing that was slightly swept back and a redesigned tail with surfaces made from corrugated aluminum.Lloyd S. Jones, "U.S. Naval Fighters" (Fallbrook CA: Aero Publishers, 1977, ISBN 0-8168-9254-7), pp. 60-62] It also eliminated the spreader bar arrangement of the undercarriage and revised the vertical tail shape."The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft" Editors: Paul Eden & Soph Moeng, (Amber Books Ltd. Bradley's Close, 74-77 White Lion Street, London, NI 9PF, 2002, ISBN 0-7607-3432-1), 1152 pp.]

Operational history

It first flew on February 3, 1928, turning in a respectable performance and garnering Boeing a contract for 73 more. F3Bs served as fighter bombers for some four years with the squadrons VF-2B aboard USS Langley, VB-2B aboard USS Saratoga (later VF-6B), and VB-1B on USS Lexington,"United States Navy Aircraft Since 1911" by Gordon Swanborough & Peter M. Bowers (Naval Institute Press Annapolis, MD, ISBN 0870219685) 1976, 546 pp.] "The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft" Editors: Paul Eden & Soph Moeng, (Amber Books Ltd. Bradley's Close, 74-77 White Lion Street, London, NI 9PF, 2002, ISBN 0-7607-3432-1), 1152 pp.] during which period some were fitted with Townend rings and others with streamlined wheel fairings.Lloyd S. Jones, "U.S. Naval Fighters" (Fallbrook CA: Aero Publishers, 1977, ISBN 0-8168-9254-7), pp. 60-62] The aircraft remained in first-line service to 1932 and were then retained as "hacks" (command and staff transports) for several more years."The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft" Editors: Paul Eden & Soph Moeng, (Amber Books Ltd. Bradley's Close, 74-77 White Lion Street, London, NI 9PF, 2002, ISBN 0-7607-3432-1), 1152 pp.]

Variants

;Model 74: XF3B-1, one prototype serial number A7674"United States Navy Aircraft Since 1911" by Gordon Swanborough & Peter M. Bowers (Naval Institute Press Annapolis, MD, ISBN 0870219685) 1976, page 61] ;Model 77: F3B-1, 73 aircraft serial numbers A7675-A7691; A7708-A7763"United States Navy Aircraft Since 1911" by Gordon Swanborough & Peter M. Bowers (Naval Institute Press Annapolis, MD, ISBN 0870219685) 1976, page 61]

Operators

;flag|United States|1912
*United States Navy

pecifications (F3B-1)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?= plane
jet or prop?= prop
ref="The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft" Editors: Paul Eden & Soph Moeng, 2002, ISBN 0-7607-3432-1, page 319
crew= 1
capacity=
length main= 24 ft 10 in
length alt= 7.57 m
span main= 33 ft
span alt= 10.06 m
height main= 9 ft 2 in
height alt= 2.79 m
area main= 275 ft²
area alt= 25.55 m²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 2,179 lb
empty weight alt= 988 kg
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main= 2,945 lb
max takeoff weight alt= 1,336 kg
more general=

engine (prop)= Pratt & Whitney R-1340-80 Wasp
type of prop= radial engine
number of props= 1
power main= 425 hp
power alt= 317 kW
power original=
max speed main= 157 mph
max speed alt= 137 knots, 253 km/h
cruise speed main= 131 mph
cruise speed alt= 114 knots, 211 km/h
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
range main= 340 mi
range alt= 296 nm, 547 km
ceiling main= 21,500 ft
ceiling alt= 6,555 m
climb rate main= 2,020 ft/min
climb rate alt= 10.26 m/s
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=
guns=Two 0.3 in (7.62mm) forward firing Browning Machine Guns in the forward fuselage
bombs=Five 25 lb (11.3 kg) bombs carried under the fuselage and lower wing
avionics=

References

External links

ee also

aircontent
related=

similar aircraft=

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