Boeing F3B
The Boeing F3B was a biplane fighter and fighter bomber that served with the United States Navy from 1928 into the early 1930s.
Design and 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.[3] It also eliminated the spreader bar arrangement of the undercarriage and revised the vertical tail shape.[4]
Operational history
It first flew on 3 February 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,[1][4] during which period some were fitted with Townend rings and others with streamlined wheel fairings.[3]The aircraft remained in first-line service to 1932 and were then retained as "hacks" (command and staff transports) for several more years.[4]
Variants
- XF3B-1
- (Model 74) One prototype serial number A7674[1]
- F3B-1
- (Model 77) Single-seat fighter biplane for the US Navy, 73 aircraft serial numbers A7675-A7691; A7708-A7763[1]
Operators
Specifications (F3B-1)
Data from The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft [4]
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Length: 24 ft 10 in (7.57 m)
- Wingspan: 33 ft (10.06 m)
- Height: 9 ft 2 in (2.79 m)
- Wing area: 275 ft² (25.55 m²)
- Empty weight: 2,179 lb (988 kg)
- Max. takeoff weight: 2,945 lb (1,336 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-1340-80 Wasp radial engine, 425 hp (317 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 157 mph (137 knots, 253 km/h)
- Cruise speed: 131 mph (114 knots, 211 km/h)
- Range: 340 mi (296 nm, 547 km)
- Service ceiling: 21,500 ft (6,555 m)
- Rate of climb: 2,020 ft/min (10.26 m/s)
- 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
References
Notes
Bibliography
- Eden, Paul and Soph Moeng, eds. The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. London: Amber Books, 2002. ISBN 0-7607-3432-1.
- Jones, Lloyd S. U.S. Naval Fighters. Fallbrook, California: Aero Publishers, 1977. ISBN 0-8168-9254-7.
- Swanborough, Gordon and Peter M. Bowers. United States Navy Aircraft Since 1911. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1976. ISBN 0-87021-968-5.
External links
See also
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