Douglas XB-19

Douglas · United States · first flew 1941 · bomber

The Douglas XB-19 was the largest aircraft in the world when it first flew in June 1941, serving as a flying laboratory to develop techniques for very large aircraft rather than as a production bomber. Its 64-metre wingspan would not be exceeded by a US aircraft for many years.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	4 × piston, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	40.34 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Largest aircraft in the world at its first flight in 1941
Experimental US strategic bomber — never intended for production
Four-engine mid-wing design with a 64-metre wingspan

An enormous four-engine mid-wing monoplane with a wingspan of 64 m — contextually dwarfing contemporary B-17s and B-24s. The smooth fuselage and large gun positions identify it as a late-1930s US design concept.

Specifications

The Douglas XB-19 has a length of 40.34 m (132 ft).
It has a wingspan of 64.62 m (212 ft).
Its maximum speed is 360 km/h (224 mph).
Typical crew: 16.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Ordered in 1935 as an experimental aircraft to test the engineering of very large bombers, the XB-19 took six years to build and flew until 1946, accumulating data on large aircraft structures, systems, and handling. It was never intended as an operational type.

Variants

A single aircraft only, later re-engined with Allison inline engines as the XB-19A.

Where you'll see it

Never operational; used as a flying test laboratory for large aircraft research until retirement in 1946.

Related aircraft

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