Boeing YB-9
Boeing · United States · first flew 1931 · bomber
The Boeing YB-9 was the first all-metal monoplane bomber designed for the United States Army Air Corps. It was a much enlarged twin-engine development of Boeing's single-engine Model 200 Monomail transport.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 15.85 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- First all-metal monoplane bomber of the US Army Air Corps
- Cantilever low wing with two radial engines in nacelles
- Retractable tailwheel undercarriage and open cockpits
A slim, oval-section fuselage with the pilot and co-pilot in separate open cockpits, a nose gunner and a dorsal gunner.
Specifications
- The Boeing YB-9 has a length of 15.85 m (52 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 23.42 m (77 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 303 km/h (188 mph).
- Typical crew: 4-5.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Boeing built two prototypes as a private venture, the Model 214 with Curtiss Conqueror engines and the Model 215 with Pratt & Whitney Hornet B radials. The radial-powered Model 215 first flew on 13 April 1931, and both were bought by the Army in August 1931.
Variants
The Y1B-9 with Conqueror engines first flew on 5 November 1931 and was later re-engined with Hornets. The Y1B-9A service-test aircraft had a redesigned vertical stabilizer modelled on that of the Boeing 247D.
Where you'll see it
Seven were built. They entered service from September 1932 and were used until early 1935, but no serial production followed because the Martin XB-907 was more advanced.
Related aircraft
- Boeing F4B-2
- Boeing F4B-4
- Boeing P-12E
- Boeing Monomail
- Amiot 143
- Avions Amiot 140
- Dornier Do Y
- Douglas XT3D
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