Boeing XF8B-1
Boeing · United States · first flew 1944 · fighter
The Boeing XF8B was a long-range carrier fighter developed in the Second World War for the US Navy.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 13.18 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Very large single-seat single-engine fighter
- Two contra-rotating three-bladed propellers on a 28-cylinder radial
- Bubble canopy and a B-29-style vertical tail
The largest single-seat piston fighter flown in the US, with outer wing panels that fold vertically.
Specifications
- The Boeing XF8B-1 has a length of 13.18 m (43 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 16.46 m (54 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 724 km/h (450 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Three prototypes were ordered on 4 May 1943 and the first flew on 27 November 1944.
Variants
Called the "five-in-one fighter", it was meant to be fighter, interceptor, dive bomber, torpedo bomber and level bomber.
Where you'll see it
It never entered series production. The third prototype was evaluated by the USAAF at Eglin.
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- Curtiss XF14C-2
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