Douglas XB-19

Scott Rose · **Posted:** Wed Feb 06, 2019 8:43 pm

The Douglas XB-19 was the largest bomber aircraft built for the United States Army Air Forces until 1946. It was originally given the designation XBLR-2 (XBLR denoting "Experimental Bomber Long Range").

Sources: USAF

Douglas XB-19A at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona

The XB-19 scrapped at MASDC, 1949.

The Douglas XB-19 prototype in flight in 1941.
Source: U.S. Air Force photo no. 080129-f-3927s-229

Scott Rose · **Posted:** Wed Feb 06, 2019 9:11 pm

Part II

Kyleb · **Posted:** Wed Feb 06, 2019 9:31 pm

With the range that aircraft had (7,000+ mile ferry range) it would have been interesting to make it an early marine patrol aircraft, complete with radar, to help protect convoys in the dead zones in the Atlantic. If you harassed the U boats and drove them under, particularly at night, it would have greatly complicated their job.

JohnB · **Posted:** Wed Feb 06, 2019 10:59 pm

You don't often see photos of it with the later in-line engines.

Like several designs of that era, the (relatively) small engines on the big wing makes it look underpowered.

sandiego89 · **Joined:** Mon May 21, 2012 12:28 pm **Posts:** 1208

JohnB wrote:

You don't often see photos of it with the later in-line engines.

Like several designs of that era, the (relatively) small engines on the big wing makes it look underpowered.

I had the same reaction, it looks way underpowered. I did not remember the V 3420 engine.

Seems it was first envisioned with V engines, but switched to the radial 3350 during early design, then later got the V 3420's.

Good overview here: https://www.plane-encyclopedia.com/ww2/douglas-xb-19/

sandiego89 · **Joined:** Mon May 21, 2012 12:28 pm **Posts:** 1208

JohnB wrote:

You don't often see photos of it with the later in-line engines.

Like several designs of that era, the (relatively) small engines on the big wing makes it look underpowered.

I had the same reaction, it looks way underpowered. I did not remember the V 3420 engine.

Seems it was first envisioned with V engines, but switched to the radial 3350 during early design, then later got the V 3420's.

Good overview here: https://www.plane-encyclopedia.com/ww2/douglas-xb-19/

Airlift48 · **Joined:** Sat Oct 29, 2005 7:01 pm **Posts:** 746

Im the B-19!

Left Seat · **Joined:** Thu Feb 13, 2014 5:44 pm **Posts:** 151

JohnB wrote:

You don't often see photos of it with the later in-line engines.

Spirit of Lincoln
XB-39

Left Seat · **Joined:** Thu Feb 13, 2014 5:44 pm **Posts:** 151

sandiego89 wrote:

I did not remember the Allison V-3420 engine.

It only took the Germans 60 years to come up with their own version of the W24 engine...
And then... they could only come up with 12 cylinders...

Volkswagen Phaeton W12

Thomas_Mac · **Posted:** Thu Feb 07, 2019 3:58 pm

Left Seat wrote:

sandiego89 wrote:

I did not remember the Allison V-3420 engine.

It only took the Germans 60 years to come up with their own version of the W24 engine...
And then... they could only come up with 12 cylinders...

Volkswagen Phaeton W12

Well they also did this one with a W16 and 4 turbos :lol:

(sorry for the thread drift)

Scott Rose · **Posted:** Thu Feb 07, 2019 4:48 pm

Rick65 · **Posted:** Thu Feb 07, 2019 7:46 pm

"It only took the Germans 60 years to come up with their own version of the W24 engine..."

A bit less if you consider the DB606 and 610 to be W engines.
Very similar in concept to the V-3420 they were not done well when installed in the He-177 and had a tendency to catch fire.
The XB-19 seems to be the only user of the V-3420 that made more than short test flights and I have never seen any reports on the reliability and performance of the engines in this application.

Left Seat · **Joined:** Thu Feb 13, 2014 5:44 pm **Posts:** 151

Thomas_Mac wrote:

Left Seat wrote:

sandiego89 wrote:

I did not remember the Allison V-3420 engine.

It only took the Germans 60 years to come up with their own version of the W24 engine...
And then... they could only come up with 12 cylinders...

Volkswagen Phaeton W12

Well they also did this one with a W16 and 4 turbos :lol:

(sorry for the thread drift)

Veyron!

D'oh!

Wait a minute!
....the Bugatti pays homage to the French!

I suppose you're going to toss in the Bentley W12, too.

Invader26 · **Joined:** Wed Aug 11, 2010 7:56 am **Posts:** 843

Don't forget the Napier Sabre H-24

Noha307 · **Posted:** Fri Dec 27, 2019 7:27 pm

I just came across this picture a little while ago:

(Source: News Journal)

According to the newspaper that posted it:

News Journal wrote:

The only thing we know about this photo is that someone wrote “bomber girl” on the back.

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