Boeing F3B
Boeing · United States · first flew 1928 · fighter
The Boeing F3B was a biplane fighter and fighter-bomber that served with the United States Navy from 1928 into the early 1930s. 74 were built, including the prototype.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 7.57 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Single-engined carrier-based biplane fighter-bomber
- Pratt and Whitney R-1340 Wasp radial engine
- Larger, slightly swept-back upper wing and a tail with corrugated aluminium surfaces
Look for a single-seat radial-engined biplane, some fitted with Townend rings and others with streamlined wheel fairings.
Specifications
- The Boeing F3B has a length of 7.57 m (25 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10.06 m (33 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 253 km/h (157 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Designed as Boeing Model 74, it was an incremental improvement over the F2B. The XF3B-1 prototype still had the tapered wings of the F2B and was a single-float seaplane, and the production F3B-1 had a larger upper wing and a redesigned tail. It first flew on 3 February 1928.
Variants
The XF3B-1 (Model 74) was the single prototype. The F3B-1 (Model 77) was the single-seat production version, with 73 built.
Where you'll see it
F3Bs served as fighter-bombers with squadrons VF-2B on USS Langley, VB-2B on USS Saratoga and VB-1B on USS Lexington. They stayed in first-line service to 1932 and were then kept as hacks, or command and staff transports.
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- Boeing 80
- Boeing Model 6D
- Boeing Model 95
- Boeing P-12/F4B
- Amiot 110
- Blackburn F.2 Lincock
- Boulton Paul Partridge
- Bristol Bullpup
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