Vultee V-11

Vultee Aircraft · United States · first flew 1935 · bomber

The Vultee V-11 was an American single-engine monoplane attack bomber developed in the mid-1930s, notable as one of the first clean retractable-undercarriage monoplane attack aircraft. It was exported widely before the United States entered the war.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Low-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	11.58 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

Single-engine monoplane attack bomber
Tapered low wing with retractable undercarriage
Wright Cyclone radial engine, glazed nose position

A trim low-wing monoplane with a large radial engine, retractable main gear, a glazed ventral gunner's position, and a dorsal turret ring — more modern-looking than contemporaries but with fixed-geometry wings.

Specifications

The Vultee V-11 has a length of 11.58 m (38 ft).
It has a wingspan of 15.24 m (50 ft).
Its maximum speed is 390 km/h (242 mph).
Typical crew: 3.

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

History

First flown in 1935, the V-11 attracted orders from China, the Soviet Union, Brazil, and Turkey, as the US Army declined to order it domestically in favour of the Douglas B-18. Vultee sold most of its V-11 production overseas, where the type saw combat in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War and in the Soviet-Finnish Winter War.

Variants

The V-11G was the main export production variant; the V-11GB had a more powerful engine. Soviet V-11s were designated BSh-1. A dedicated China export version was also produced.

Where you'll see it

Operated by China, the Soviet Union, Turkey, and Brazil in the late 1930s; none served with US forces. Chinese V-11s saw combat against Japanese forces.

Related aircraft

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