Boeing XF8B

The Boeing Model 400 / XF8B was a single-engine aircraft developed by Boeing during World War II to provide the United States Navy with a long-range shipboard fighter aircraft.

The XF8B was intended for operation against the Japanese home islands from aircraft carriers outside the range of Japanese land-based aircraft.

Designed for various roles including interceptor, long range escort fighter, dive-bomber, and torpedo bomber, the final design embodied a number of innovative features in order to accomplish the various roles.

Despite its formidable capabilities, the XF8B-1 never entered series production.

Specifications

Crew

1

Length

43 ft 3 in (13.18 m)

Wingspan

54 ft (16 m)

Height

16 ft 3 in (4.95 m)

Wing area

489 sq ft (45.4 m2)

Empty weight

13,519 lb (6,132 kg)

Gross weight

20,508 lb (9,302 kg)

Max take-off weight

21,691 lb (9,839 kg)

Powerplant

1 × Pratt & Whitney XR-4360-10 28 cylinder four-row air-cooled piston engine,

3,000 hp (2,200 kW) for take-off,

(3,600 hp (2,700 kW) war emergency with water injection)

Propellers

3 bladed 2 x Aeroprop, 13 ft 6 in (4.11 m) diameter contra-rotating co-axial propellers

Performance

Maximum speed

450 mph (720 km/h, 390 kn) +

(with war emergency power and water injection)

Cruise speed

190 mph (310 km/h, 170 kn)

Range

2,800 mi (4,500 km, 2,400 nmi)

Service ceiling

37,500 ft (11,400 m)

Rate of climb

2,000 ft/min (10 m/s)

Power/mass

0.15 hp/lb (0.240 kW/kg)

Armament

Guns

6 x 20 mm (0.787 in) cannon

or

6 x 0.5 in (12.7 mm) machine guns

Rockets

Provision for rockets under the outer wings

Bombs

6,400 lb (2,900 kg) bombs

or

2x 2,000 lb (910 kg) torpedoes.