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Boeing F8b




The Boeing F8B was developed during World War II to provide the U.S. Navy a long-range shipboard Fighter Aircraft for operation against the Japanese home islands from Aircraft Carrier s outside the range of Japanese land-based aircraft. It was intended for various roles including Interceptor , long-range escort fighter, dive-bomber, and torpedo bomber.

The XF8B-1 was, at the time, the largest and heaviest single-seat, single-engine fighter developed in the U.S.A. It was powered by a single twenty eight cylinder Pratt & Whitney XR-4360-10 3,000 hp (2.2 MW) radial air-cooled engine that drove two Contra-rotating three blade Propellor s. The proposed armament for the aircraft included six 0.50 inch (12.7 mm) or six 20 mm wing mounted guns and carry a 6,400 lb (2,900 kg) bomb load or two 2,000 lb (900 kg) torpedoes.

The development of three Prototype s began in May 1943 , only one was completed before the war ended and the other two were delivered after the war. One aircraft was evaluated by the U.S. Army Air Force.


SPECIFICATIONS (BOEING XF8B-1)


General characteristics

  • Crew: one, pilot

  • Length: 43 ft 3 in (13.1 m)

  • Wingspan: 54 ft (16.5 m)

  • Height: 16 ft 3 in (5.0)

  • Wing area: 489 ft² (45.4 m²)

  • Empty: 13,519 lb (6,132 kg)

  • Loaded: 20,508 lb (9,302 kg)

  • Maximum takeoff: 21,691 lb (9,839 kg)

  • Powerplant: Pratt & Whitney XR-4360-10 28-cylinder radial, 3,000 hp (2,240 kW)



Performance

  • Maximum speed: 340 mph (550 km/h)

  • Range: miles ( km)

  • Service ceiling: 37,500 ft (11,400 m)

  • Rate of climb: 2,800 ft/min (850 m/min) initial

  • Wing loading: kg/m² ( lb/ft²)

  • Power/mass: 0.15 hp/lb (0.24 kW/kg)



Armament

  • 6× 0.50 in (12.7 mm) or 6× 20 mm wing mounted guns

  • 6,400 lb (2900 kg) bomb load or 2× 2,000 lb (900 kg) torpedoes



REFERENCES

  • Green, William (1961). ''War Planes of the Second World War - Fighters'' (Vol 4). London: Macdonald.



RELATED CONTENT

Related development:

Comparable aircraft:

Designation sequence:
F5B -
F6B -
F7B -
F8B