Huff-Daland XB-1
{{short description|American bomber prototype}}
{{Infobox aircraft
|name= XB-1
|image=Parked Huff-Daland XB-1.jpg
|caption=
|type=Medium bomber
|manufacturer=Huff-Daland Aero Company
|designer=
|first_flight=September 1927
|introduction=
|retired=
|status=Scrapped
|primary_user=
|more_users=
|produced=
|number_built=1
|program cost=
|unit cost=
|developed_from=Huff-Daland XHB-1
|variants=
}}
The Huff-Daland XB-1 was a prototype bomber aircraft built for the United States Army Air Corps.
The XB-1 was the first aircraft named using just a B- designation. Prior to 1926, the U.S. Army used LB- and HB- prefixes, signifying 'Light Bomber' and 'Heavy Bomber'. The first XB-1, called the Super-Cyclops by Huff-Daland,{{cite news |page=8 |date=August 5, 1927 |title=To Test Bomber |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=svBQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8r0MAAAAIBAJ&pg=2553,196305&dq=giant+indian+skeleton&hl=en |newspaper=Lawrence Journal-World |access-date=April 29, 2017}} was an extension of the earlier Huff-Daland XHB-1 'Cyclops'. It was essentially the same in size, but sported a twin tail and twin engines.
Design and development
The XB-1's gunnery arrangement was new for an American bomber, but it had been previously used by the British and the Germans during World War I. The Army Air Corps had decided that single-engined bombers such as the XHB-1 performed worse, and weren't as safe as twin-engined bombers.
Operational history
The aircraft flew for the first time in September 1927. Its original Packard engines did not provide enough power for the aircraft, and it was refitted with more powerful Curtiss Aircraft "Conqueror" engines. This new configuration was designated the XB-1B.
Three other similar aircraft designs were requested by the Army Air Corps around the same time which competed against the XB-1 for the contract. Of these three (the XB-2 Condor, the Sikorsky S-37 and the Fokker XLB-2), the Curtiss model eventually won, and only a single XB-1 was ever produced.
Specifications (XB-1B)
{{Aircraft specs
|ref =
|prime units? = imp
|crew = 5
|capacity =
|length m = 18.7
|length ft = 61
|length in = 6
|span m = 25.9
|span ft = 85
|span in = 0
|height m = 5.9
|height ft = 19
|height in = 3
|wing area sqm = 149.0
|wing area sqft = 1604
|aspect ratio =
|airfoil =
|empty weight kg = 4292
|empty weight lb = 9462
|gross weight kg = 7480
|gross weight lb = 16500
|max takeoff weight kg =
|max takeoff weight lb =
|more general =
|eng1 number = 2
|eng1 name = Curtiss V-1570-5 Conqueror
|eng1 type = liquid-cooled V12 engines
|eng1 kw = 450
|eng1 hp = 600
|eng1 shp =
|eng1 kn =
|eng1 lbf =
|power original =
|thrust original =
|eng1 kn-ab =
|eng1 lbf-ab =
|more power =
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|max speed kmh = 160
|max speed mph = 100
|max speed kts = 86
|max speed note =
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|never exceed speed kmh =
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|range km = 1100
|range miles = 700
|range nmi = 610
|range note =
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|ceiling m = 4600
|ceiling ft = 15000
|ceiling note =
|climb rate ms =
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|sink rate ms =
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|wing loading kg/m2 = 28.80
|wing loading lb/sqft = 5.899
|disk loading kg/m2 =
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|power/mass = 0.072 hp/lb (120 W/kg)
|thrust/weight =
|more performance =
|guns = 6 × .30 in (7.62 mm) Lewis machine guns
|bombs = 2,500 lb (1,100 kg); 4,000 lb (1,800 kg) on short runs
|rockets =
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|avionics = }}
See also
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|related=
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References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons category|Huff-Daland XB-1}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20131022112230/http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=2417 USAF Museum Article on XB-1]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20131022112218/http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=2418 USAF Museum Article on XB-1B]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20050215153030/http://home.att.net/~jbaugher2/b1.html Encyclopedia of American Aircraft]
{{Keystone aircraft}}
{{USAF bomber aircraft}}
Category:Aircraft first flown in 1927