Boeing F4B-2
Boeing · United States · first flew 1931 · fighter
The Boeing F4B-2 was a refined carrier-based biplane fighter of the early 1930s, one of the most capable and visually refined naval fighters of the interwar period.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 6.12 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Sesquiplane-style biplane with upper wing larger than lower
- Smooth Pratt & Whitney Wasp cowling with exposed cylinder heads
- Split-axle fixed undercarriage with streamlined wheel spats
Distinguished from the F4B-1 by its Townend ring cowling and split-axle gear; from the later F4B-4 by the fabric-covered fuselage rather than a metal monocoque. The unequal-span biplane wings and compact Wasp radial give it a purposeful, clean appearance against more angular contemporaries.
Specifications
- The Boeing F4B-2 has a length of 6.12 m (20 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.14 m (30 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 303 km/h (188 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Boeing developed the F4B series from its Model 83/89 private-venture designs in the late 1920s, producing a succession of progressively refined variants for the US Navy. The F4B-2, delivered from 1932, featured an improved ring cowling, split-axle undercarriage and revised cockpit over the F4B-1. The Army Air Corps received essentially the same aircraft as the P-12E.
Variants
The F4B family ran from F4B-1 through F4B-4, each incorporating incremental aerodynamic refinements; the F4B-4 featured a metal monocoque fuselage replacing earlier fabric-over-frame construction. Export customers included Brazil and Thailand.
Where you'll see it
The F4B-2 equipped US Navy squadron VF-6 aboard USS Saratoga and VF-1 aboard USS Langley, serving as the Navy's primary shipboard fighter until the biplane era ended with the arrival of monoplanes in the mid-1930s.
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- Boeing F4B-4
- Boeing P-12E
- Boeing Monomail
- Boeing P-26 Peashooter
- Aero A.46
- Arado Ar 65
- Curtiss A-8 Shrike
- Curtiss F9C Sparrowhawk
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