Boeing MB-3A
Boeing · United States · first flew 1919 · fighter
The MB-3A was a US open-cockpit biplane fighter, the Boeing-built development of the Thomas-Morse MB-3.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | MB-3A has radiators on each side of the fuselage in line with the cockpit |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Single-seat, two-bay biplane of similar layout to the SPAD XIII
- Open cockpit under a cut-out in the upper wing
- MB-3A has radiators on each side of the fuselage in line with the cockpit
A SPAD-like two-bay biplane with a 300 hp Wright-built V-8 engine and fuselage-side radiators.
Specifications
- The Boeing MB-3A has a length of 6.1 m (20 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 7.92 m (26 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 228 km/h (142 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The Thomas-Morse MB-3 first flew on 21 February 1919. Boeing won the contract for 200 MB-3A on 21 April 1921 by underbidding Thomas-Morse, and the order helped rescue the company after wartime cancellations.
Variants
The MB-3A had a stronger structure and moved the radiator from the upper wing to the fuselage sides. Later it received larger tail surfaces. MB-3M was the training conversion.
Where you'll see it
It was the Air Service's mainstay fighter from 1922 to 1925 and served in Hawaii, the Philippines and the Panama Canal Zone. Replacement by the Curtiss PW-8 and Boeing PW-9 began from 1926.
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- Boeing GA-1
- Boeing B&W Seaplane
- Boeing NB
- Boeing XPW-9
- Armstrong Whitworth Siskin
- Junkers J 5
- Nieuport 31
- Orenco D
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