Vought XSB3U-1
Vought · United States · first flew 1936 · bomber
The Vought XSB3U-1 was a 1930s US Navy scout bomber prototype, developed jointly by Vought and Sikorsky as a competitor for a naval dive-bombing role. It was a biplane design in the transitional era before monoplanes dominated.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 8.59 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- 1930s US Navy scout-bomber biplane prototype
- Single radial engine in nose
- Sesquiplane or biplane configuration with open cockpits
A compact 1930s biplane scout bomber with a single radial engine, open rear cockpit for the observer/gunner, and typical interwar US Navy colour scheme of yellow wings.
Specifications
- The Vought XSB3U-1 has a length of 8.59 m (28 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10.13 m (33 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 346 km/h (215 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Vought submitted the XSB3U-1 in the mid-1930s as part of competition to provide the US Navy with a new scout bomber. The aircraft competed against designs that would eventually lead to the SB2U Vindicator. The XSB3U-1 did not win the production contract.
Variants
A single prototype was evaluated; no production followed.
Where you'll see it
The XSB3U-1 did not enter service with the US Navy.
Related aircraft
- Vought SB2U Vindicator
- Vought V-141
- Vought O5U
- Vought OS2U Kingfisher
- Armstrong Whitworth A.W.29
- Armstrong Whitworth Whitley
- Blenheim
- Bloch MB.131
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