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Fokker USA – General Aviation XB-8 / O-27

XB-8

The Fokker XB-8 was a bomber built in 1929 for the

USAAC and was derived from the faster observation aircraft the XO-27.

During assembly, the second prototype of the XO-27 was converted into a prototype bomber called the XB-8.

Although the XB-8 was much faster than existing bombers, it did not have sufficient bomb capacity to qualify for production.

The wing of the XB-8 was built of wood, the fuselage of steel tube covered with canvas, the nose was partly made of metal.

In the nose was an observer and bombsight, behind it the pilot and a mechanic/radio operator sat in the fuselage behind the wing.

Only one example of the XB-8 was built.

XO-27

On June 9, 1929, the USAAC ordered two XO-27 observation/bomber prototypes.

It was a cantilevered single-decker, powered by two V-1570-9 Conqueror V-12 liquid-cooled engines of 600 hp each, which were mounted in the leading edge of the wing.

The landing gear was retractable, the three crew members were in open cockpits at the top of the fuselage.

Later, the army gave more priority to complete the XO-27 as a light bomber and one XO-27 was therefore given the designation XB-8.

XO-27A

The prototype of the XO-27 was equipped in 1932 with a closed cockpit and equipped with Curtiss V-1570-29 in-line engines.

This version was referred to as XO-27A

O-27

The YO-27 observation aircraft from 1931 was later designated O-27.

The six machines produced had the USAAC registrations AC 31-587/592.

Compared to the XO-27A, the YO-27 had longer engine gondolas and there were windows / windows in the nose.

The observation aircraft had a single Browning machine gun in a flexible position in the nose.

Another Browning machine gun was mounted in a flexible position in the rear cockpit.

Variants

XB-8

XO-27/YO-27/O-27

Y1B-8/Y1O-27

Specifications

XB-8

Crew

4

Length

47 ft 4 in (14.42 m)

Wingspan

64 ft 4 in (19.60 m)

Height

11 ft 6 in (3.50 m)

Wing area

619 sq ft (57.5 m2)

Empty weight

6,861 lb (3,112 kg)

Gross weight

10,650 lb (4,824 kg)

Powerplant

2 × Curtiss V-1570-23 “Conqueror” V12 engines,

600 hp (450 kW) each

Performance

Maximum speed

160 mph (260 km/h, 140 kn).

 

 

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