The Martin XB-16, company designation Model 145, was a projected heavy bomber designed in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
during the 1930s.
Design and development
The XB-16 was designed to meet the
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was the aerial warfare service component of the United States Army between 1926 and 1941. After World War I, as early aviation became an increasingly important part of modern warfare, a philosophical r ...
(USAAC) request for a bomber that could carry of bombs .
The XB-16 (Model 145A) was to use four
Allison V-1710 liquid-cooled reciprocating
V-engine
A V engine, sometimes called a Vee engine, is a common configuration for internal combustion engines. It consists of two cylinder banks—usually with the same number of cylinders in each bank—connected to a common crankshaft. These cylinder ...
s; contemporary American aircraft used air-cooled
radial engine
The radial engine is a reciprocating type internal combustion engine configuration in which the cylinders "radiate" outward from a central crankcase like the spokes of a wheel. It resembles a stylized star when viewed from the front, and is ...
s.
In
1935, Martin revised the XB-16 design as the Model 145B. The wingspan was increased from to , and a set of V-1710 engines added to the trailing edge. This version had a wingspan 20% greater than that of the
B-29 Superfortress
The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is an American four-engined propeller-driven heavy bomber, designed by Boeing and flown primarily by the United States during World War II and the Korean War. Named in allusion to its predecessor, the B-17 F ...
, the first operational bomber that would fill the role intended for the XB-16.
The XB-16 was canceled for essentially the same reason that the
Boeing XB-15
The Boeing Company () is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product ...
project was: it was not fast enough to meet the requirements set by the Army. Since both were canceled around the same time, Martin did not have time to produce an XB-16.
Specifications (Model 145A)
See also
References
External links
USAF Museum description of XB-16Martin aircraft 146 specifications
{{USAF bomber aircraft
Martin B-16
B-16