- Yes
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Hello everybody. I’d like to suggest the Boeing XF8B-1 for US aviation in War Thunder. The XF8B-1 was a prototype naval fighter designed by Boeing for the US Navy, where they would employ this aircraft at aircraft carriers in operations against Mainland Japan from extremely long distances. This aircraft was intended to be armed with either six .50-cal machine guns, six 20-mm cannons, or a combination of both. It was also designed to carry bombs or torpedoes, and it featured a 3,000 horsepower monster engine and a dual rotation six-bladed propeller. Overall, the XF8B-1 could be used for various roles, such as interceptor, long-range escort fighter, dive-bomber, and torpedo bomber. Although the results of the XF8B-1 were impressive, it was too late for the XF8B-1 to enter production as the war in the Pacific ended.
Key Characteristics
- Long-range naval fighter bomber
- Largest and heaviest piston-engined naval aircraft for the US Navy
- 3,000-hp XR-4360-10 28 cylinder air-cooled piston engine
- 2 x 3-bladed contra-rotating propellers
- Internal bomb bay, wing-mounted bombs and two torpedoes
- Provisions for 6 x .50-cal. machine guns or 6 x 20-mm cannons
History
The development of the Boeing XF8B began in response to the US Navy’s request for a long-range carrier-based fighter bomber. The Navy needed a long-range fighter bomber capable of reaching Mainland Japan from the aircraft carriers without bringing the aircraft carriers within striking range of land-based defense aircraft. The requirements for new aircraft were far more advanced than the last fighter aircraft Boeing had developed in the middle of the 1930s.
In 1943, Boeing began its design of the aircraft under the designation Boeing Model 400 and submitted it to the US Navy. After being carefully studied by the Navy, the design was strongly compelling enough to warrant the award of a contract for three XF8B-1 prototypes on May 4, 1943. The design proposed the aircraft could fulfill the roles of fighter, dive bomber, torpedo bomber, escort, and intercopter.
Only one prototype (BuNo 57984) was built and completed in 1944, before the end of the war in the Pacific. It was powered by a Pratt & Whitney XR-4360-10 radial engine and driven by two three-bladed propellers in a contra-rotating arrangement. That arrangement supplied the extra thrust from the 3,000 hp engine and countered the effects of torque. The low-mounted wings were straight-edged but tapered, and these wings could be folded upwards for carrier storage. The cockpit was mounted above the rear half of the wing, and it had a two-part canopy that visually resembled a bubble canopy without a fairing behind the canopy. This canopy provided an excellent all-round view for the pilot. The aircraft had an internal bomb bay capable of carrying a 3,200-lb payload and could carry another 4,000-lb payload outside the bomb bay. The XF8B-1 was not installed with wing-mounted guns, but it was planned to incorporate the provisions of installing .50-cal machine guns or 20-mm cannons.
The prototype (BuNo 57984) made its maiden flight on November 27, 1944, and it was immediately seen to be the largest and heaviest single-piston-engined fighter developed in the USA. In addition, its behemoth engine was the most powerful propeller-driving engine fitted to any fighter design in its time. The engine allowed the aircraft to attain a maximum speed of 432 mph with a cruise speed near 190 mph. The initial flight was a success, though the prototype would require some tweaks.
The second prototype (BuNo 579845) was built in January 1945, but it had to wait for an available power plant to be delivered and installed until after the war. Meanwhile, the service trials began for the prototype, running from the middle of March 1945 to the middle of April 1945, and the prototype had successfully surpassed the Navy’s expectations.
Between May 1945 and September 1945, the Navy came this close to making an agreement on production with Boeing for the F8B-1s; however, the production of the F8B-1 was projected to be more expensive and heavier than the initial prototype. In addition, Boeing had a top-priority commitment to delivering B-29 Superfortresses for the US Army in the Pacific, putting the XF8B-1 program on hold. Consequently, the Navy had gone through top-secret experiments with jet-powered aircraft on aircraft carriers before the war’s end.
When the war over the Pacific had come to an end, the development of jet engines would soon become dominant and offer enough performance gains for the Navy fighters and bombers, negating the need for the expensive production F8B-1. In addition, the postwar strategy was drastically evolved and required Boeing to concentrate on building more large land-based bombers and transports. The appearance of jet fighters was the final nail in the coffin of numerous late-war and postwar piston-engined projects, so Boeing realized this and began to wind down the XF8B program.
The second prototype (BuNo 579845) was fitted with the powerplant, and the third prototype (BuNo 579846) was built and completed. The three flyable prototypes continued in testing programs with the US Air Force and US Navy into 1946 and 1947, respectively. After the testing concluded, all prototypes were scrapped, terminating the XF8B-1 project.
Specifications
Boeing XF8B-1General Characteristics
- Crew: 1 (Pilot)
- Length: 43 ft 3 in (13.18 m)
- Height: 16 ft 3.3125 in (4.96 m)
- Span: 54 ft (19.8 m)
- Wing area: 489 sq ft (45.43 sq m)
- Propeller Type: 6-bladed contra-rotating coaxial propellers
- Propeller Diameter: 13 ft 8 in (4.17 m)
- Powerplant: XR-4360-10 28 cylinder air-cooled piston engine
→ 3,000 hp (2,237 k/W)- Internal Fuel: 384 US gal. (1,454 L)
- Oil Tankage: 40 US gal. (151.4 L)
- Empty Weight: 13,519 lb (6,132 kg)
- Gross Weight: 17,508 lb (7,941 kg)
- Max. Takeoff Weight: 21,336 lb (9,678 kg)
Engine Ratings
Takeoff:
→ 3,000 BHP @ 2,700 RPM @ sea level
Military:
→ 3,000 BHP @ 2,700 RPM @ sea level - 1,500 ft
→ 2,750 BHP @ 2,700 RPM @ 14,500 ft
→ 2,540 BHP @ 2,700 RPM @ 22,000 ft
Normal:
→ 2,500 BHP @ 2,550 RPM @ sea level
→ 2,380 BHP @ 2,550 RPM @ 14,500 ft
→ 2,250 BHP @ 2,550 RPM @ 23,000 ft
Performance w/ Military Power, Combat Loading Condition
- Power-to-Weight Ratio: 0.17 hp/lb (0.28 kW/kg)
- Sea level Speed: 340 mph (547 km/h)
- Critical Altitude Speed: 411 mph @ 26,900 ft (661 km/h @ 8,200 m)
- Stall Speed:
- Gross Weight: 82.3 mph (132.4 km/h)
- Without Fuel: 76.6 mph (123.3 km/h)
- Wing Loading: 35.6 lb/sq ft (173.8 kg/sq m)
- Take-off Distance - Calm: 639 ft (195 m)
- Rate of Climb: 2,800 fpm (14.2 m/s)
- Time to Altitude:
- 3.8 minutes to 10,000 ft (3,048 m)
- 8.1 minutes to 20,000 ft (6,096 m)
- Service Ceiling: 35,300 ft (10,759 m)
- Max. Range: 1,305 - 2,780 miles (2,100 - 4,474 km)
Armament
- Guns:
- 6 x .50-cal. M2 Browning machine guns (400 rpg; 2,400 rounds)
- (Alternatively) 6 x 20-mm cannons (200 rpg; 1,200 rounds)
- Fuselage Bomb-bay:
- 1 x 2,000-lb bomb
- 2 x 1,600-lb armor-piercing bombs
- 2 x 1,000-lb bombs
- 4 x 500-lb bombs
- Wings (Two Bomb-racks):
- 2 x 2,000-lb bombs
- 2 x 1,600-lb armor-piercing bombs
- 2 x 1,000-lb bombs
- 2 x 500-lb bombs
- Torpedoes:
- 2 x MK 13-3 torpedoes
- Drop Tanks:
- 2 x 150-gal wing drop tanks
Conclusion | Why it should be in the game
The Boeing XF8B was a late-war American naval fighter intended for use in the Pacific Theater. It was designed to fulfill five roles: fighter, interceptor, long-range escort, dive bomber, and torpedo bomber. Hence, Boeing called the XF8B-1 a “five-in-one fighter.” It was a tremendous fighter and the Navy’s equivalent for both P-47 and P-51 as the one. This fighter was the last aircraft developed by Boeing in this period before the development of Boeing F-15EX Eagle II. I feel the XF8B-1 is a perfect opportunity to add as a battlepass aircraft in War Thunder for US aviation.
- Preliminary Pilot’s Manual for Model XF8B-1 Navy Fighter (15 July 1944)
- XF8B-1 Airplane Characteristics & Performance (1 August 1944)
- Pilot’s Manual Boeing XF8B-1 Navy Fighter (28 September 1945)
- Boeing XF8B - fighter
- Boeing XF8B
- Boeing XF8B Carrier-Based Long-Range Fighter Prototype
- Boeing XF8B - Wikipedia
Thank you for taking the time to read my suggestion! 😃