Boeing F3B

F3B
Boeing F3B-1, U.S. Navy Photo
Role	Carrier-based Fighter-Bomber
Manufacturer	Boeing
First flight	3 February 1928
Introduced	August 1928[1]
Primary user	U.S. Navy
Number built	74 including the prototype[1]
Developed from	F2B-1 & FB-5

The Boeing F3B was a biplane fighter and fighter bomber that served with the United States Navy from 1928 into the early 1930s.

Contents 1 Development 2 Operational history 3 Variants 4 Operators 5 Specifications (F3B-1)

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.^[2] It also eliminated the spreader bar arrangement of the undercarriage and revised the vertical tail shape.^[3]

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,^[1][3] during which period some were fitted with Townend rings and others with streamlined wheel fairings.^[2] The aircraft remained in first-line service to 1932 and were then retained as "hacks" (command and staff transports) for several more years.^[3]

Variants

Model 74

XF3B-1, one prototype serial number A7674^[1]

Model 77

F3B-1, single-seat fighter biplane for the US Navy, 73 aircraft serial numbers A7675-A7691; A7708-A7763^[1]

Operators

 United States

• United States Navy

Specifications (F3B-1)

Data from "The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft" Editors: Paul Eden & Soph Moeng, 2002, ISBN 0-7607-3432-1, page 319

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)

Armament

• 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