Boeing XF8B-1, a neat looking idea ...

[Mark Allen M]

The Boeing XF8B (Model 400) was a single-engine aircraft developed by Boeing during World War II to provide the United States Navy a long-range shipboard fighter aircraft. The XF8B was intended for operation against the Japanese home islands from aircraft carriers outside the range of Japanese land-based aircraft. Designed for various roles including interceptor, long-range escort fighter, dive-bomber and torpedo bomber, the final design embodied a number of innovative features in order to accomplish the various roles. Despite its formidable capabilities, the XF8B-1 was fated to never enter series production.
The XF8B-1 was, at the time, the largest and heaviest single-seat, single-engine fighter developed in the United States. Boeing called the XF8B-1 optimistically, the "five-in-one fighter" (fighter, interceptor, dive bomber, torpedo bomber, or level bomber). It was powered by a single 3,000 hp (2,200 kW) Pratt & Whitney XR-4360-10 four-row 28-cylinder radial engine, driving two three-bladed contra-rotating propellers. It would be the largest single-seat piston fighter to fly in the U.S. to date. The large wings featured outer sections which could fold vertically, while the fuselage incorporated an internal bomb bay and large fuel tanks; more fuel could be carried externally. The proposed armament included six 0.50 inch (12.7 mm) machine guns or six 20 mm wing-mounted cannons, and a 6,400 lb (2,900 kg) bomb load or two 2,000 lb (900 kg) torpedoes. The final configuration was a large but streamlined design, featuring a bubble canopy, sturdy main undercarriage that folded into the wings, and topped by a variation on the B-29 vertical tail.

The contract for three prototypes (BuNos 57984–57986) was awarded 4 May 1943, although only one was completed before the war ended. It first flew in November 1944. The two remaining prototypes were completed after the war, with the third (BuNo 57986) evaluated at Eglin Air Force Base by the United States Army Air Forces.

To expedite testing and evaluation, a second cockpit was fitted to the first two prototypes to allow a flight engineer to help monitor the test flights. The second seat was easily accommodated in the roomy cockpit.

Although testing of the promising XF8B concept continued into 1946 by the USAAF and 1947 by the US Navy, the end of the war in the Pacific and changing postwar strategy required that Boeing concentrate on building large land-based bombers and transports. The advent of jet fighters led to the cancellation of many wartime piston-engined projects; consequently, since the USAF lost interest in pursuing the project and the U.S. Navy was only prepared to offer a small contract, Boeing chose to wind down the XF8B program. Tests at Boeing Field were marred by an accident in which a test pilot accidentally retracted his landing gear on final approach. Investigation later found this to have been caused by a faulty micro switch. This occurred just as first shift was ending, and as many workers watched from the Plant 2 steps, the XF8B-1 bellied onto the concrete of Boeing Field. As the test program was concluded, the prototypes were scrapped one by one, with 57986 lingering on into 1950.
Source of text and photos, Duggy at Axis & Allied paintworks.


XF8B-1 over Seattle area


XF8B-1


XF8B-1


XF8B-1


XF8B-1


XF8B-1


XF8B-1


XF8B-1


XF8B-1


XF8B-1 Boeing Field in Seattle WA


XF8B-1 Boeing Field Seattle WA


XF8B-1NAS Patuxent River MD storage area


XF8B-1


Cockpit interior of XF8B-1


Instrument Panel of XF8B-1

[JohnB]

I'm aware of the aircraft through Peter M. Bower's book, Boeing Aircraft Since 1916 and other works.

I've never seen it in bare metal finish.

Note it has the "back and fold flat" wheels l that Boeing developed in the 30s and licensed it to Curtiss for use on the P-40s (...and possibly Douglas & Vought as well?).

[Invader26]

Nice machine ... looks like a Super Sea Fury...

[Zachary]

I like it! Thanks for sharing those, Mark!

[Snake45]

I sometimes wonder how fighter aircraft would have evolved if the jet engine had never been invented. Pretty sure something like this would have been at least the next generation. This, and a larger Mustang, Griffon-powered. Or perhaps twin-engine fighters along the lines of the Tigercat would have become the norm.

Cool airplane, and you have several pics of it I've never seen before. Thanks!

[SaxMan]

The F8B had a 54 foot wingspan...identical to the TBM Avenger. That should give you a good concept of its size!

2800 mile range with a 432 mph top speed and the ability to carry 6,400 pounds of ordinance -- that is incredibly impressive for a plane that size. The Skyraider and Mauler could both lift more, but the F8B was 100 mph faster than the Skyraider and about 70 mph faster than Mauler.

The F8B was to prop-driven aircraft what the F-111 was to jet powered ones.

[Matt Gunsch]

I think we can tell where the draftsman from the B-17 and B-29 dorsal fin project ended up

[Dan Jones]

Did this one ultimately become Pax River landfill, too?

Dan

[Snake45]

I think we can tell where the draftsman from the B-17 and B-29 dorsal fin project ended up

It also kinda looks like the love child of a Skyraider and a Bearcat.

[sandiego89]

A neat plane indeed. IIRC the contra-rotating prop was deemed to have a hypnotic/nauseating effect on the pilot, and was deemed to be of concern for long duration flights. Did any other contraprops like the griffon spit have this effect?

[Mark Allen M]

Looks like it a graft of:
Mustang wing tips
Bearcat canopy
B-29 dorsal fin
A bit of Sea fury-ness
A bit of Skyraider-ness

[tacoope]

A neat plane indeed. IIRC the contra-rotating prop was deemed to have a hypnotic/nauseating effect on the pilot, and was deemed to be of concern for long duration flights. Did any other contraprops like the griffon spit have this effect?

Griffon powered Spit with contraprops???? Never heard of such a beast.
The Griffon turns the opposite way to a Merlin, but as far as I know (not an expert mind you) they only ever had one prop.

Terry

[Snake45]

A neat plane indeed. IIRC the contra-rotating prop was deemed to have a hypnotic/nauseating effect on the pilot, and was deemed to be of concern for long duration flights. Did any other contraprops like the griffon spit have this effect?

Griffon powered Spit with contraprops???? Never heard of such a beast.
The Griffon turns the opposite way to a Merlin, but as far as I know (not an expert mind you) they only ever had one prop.

Terry

Well, just off the top of my head, the Seafire 47 had contraprops.

[sandiego89]

A neat plane indeed. IIRC the contra-rotating prop was deemed to have a hypnotic/nauseating effect on the pilot, and was deemed to be of concern for long duration flights. Did any other contraprops like the griffon spit have this effect?

Griffon powered Spit with contraprops???? Never heard of such a beast.
The Griffon turns the opposite way to a Merlin, but as far as I know (not an expert mind you) they only ever had one prop.

Terry

Several marks of the spitfire/seafire had contra-props with Griffons. Some mk 21, f22, f24, seafire 46, 47, some other ones offs.

Google spitfire contraprops and you will see some great images of the XIX at chino with the griffon from a shack.

examples from this source: http://freespace.virgin.net/john.dell/spits.htm#mk21 :
mark 21, F21: although a few were fitted with the Griffon 85 with six blades in two sets of three rotating in different directions (known as a contra-rotating propeller) to use fully the 2,375 hp of the Griffon.

Seafire 47: Seafire 47 had folding wings operated by hydraulics and the Big Griffon 87 or 88 (2,375 hp) was fitted with contra-rotating propellers.

Don't want to derail the XF8B thread, and get into a spitfire mark/mk debate, but was just curious if any other contra-props had this strobotic effect on the pilot. Spitfire, Gannet, some air racers, others?

[AFWhite]

Thanks for sharing the pics. I've never seen any of the Navy ones before.

That thing must of had a pretty awesome sound to it!