Martin XB-51

Glenn L. Martin Company · United States · first flew 1949 · bomber

The Martin XB-51 was an American experimental jet ground-attack bomber prototype notable for its three-engine layout, variable-incidence wing, and tandem bicycle undercarriage. Despite impressive performance, it lost out to the English Electric Canberra (built as the B-57) in USAF evaluation.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, swept
E — Engines	3 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted
F — Fuselage	Three jet engines — two under forward fuselage, one in tail
T — Tail	T-tail

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

Three jet engines — two under forward fuselage, one in tail
Variable-incidence swept wing with tandem bicycle undercarriage
T-tail and long slender fuselage — resembles a large fighter

Unmistakable three-engine layout with two under-nose jet pods and a third in the tail, swept wings with marked anhedral, T-tail, and an extremely slender fuselage making it look more like a fighter than a bomber.

Specifications

The Martin XB-51 has a length of 25.94 m (85 ft).
It has a wingspan of 16.18 m (53 ft).
Its maximum speed is 1036 km/h (644 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

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

History

First flown on 28 October 1949, the XB-51 was Martin's entry in the USAF competition for a new tactical bomber. Its innovative layout included two jets under the forward fuselage, one in the tail, a variable-incidence swept wing for short take-off, and tandem bicycle main gear with outrigger stabilisers. The design showed promise but was judged inferior to the British Canberra and only two prototypes were built.

Variants

Only two XB-51 prototypes were built; there were no production variants. Both aircraft were eventually destroyed in accidents.

Where you'll see it

The XB-51 was a pure prototype and never entered USAF service. The contract was awarded to the B-57 Canberra.

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