The Boeing XF6B-1 / XBFB-1 was Boeing's last

biplane A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two main wings stacked one above the other. The first powered, controlled aeroplane to fly, the Wright Flyer, used a biplane wing arrangement, as did many aircraft in the early years of aviation. While ...

design for the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

. Only the one prototype, ''Model 236'', was ever built; although first flying in early 1933, it rammed into a crash barrier in 1936 and the design was not pursued further.

Design and development

Ordered by the U.S. Navy on 30 June 1931, the fighter aircraft was a derivative of the

Boeing F4B The Boeing Company, or simply Boeing (), is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product support s ...

; it was almost entirely of metal construction, with only the wings still fabric-covered. The aircraft was powered by a 625 hp

Pratt & Whitney R-1535 The Pratt & Whitney R-1535 Twin Wasp Junior is an American aircraft engine developed in the 1930s. The engine was introduced in 1932 as a 14-cylinder version of the 9-cylinder R-985, and was a two-row, air-cooled radial design. Displacement was ...

-44 Twin Wasp engine. The intended role of this design turned out to be uncertain. While its rugged construction was capable of withstanding high ''g''-forces, it weighed in at 3,704 pounds (700 pounds more than the F4B), and did not have the maneuverability needed in a fighter aircraft. It was, however, suitable as a

fighter-bomber A fighter-bomber is a fighter aircraft that has been modified, or used primarily, as a light bomber or attack aircraft. It differs from bomber and attack aircraft primarily in its origins, as a fighter that has been adapted into other roles, wh ...

, and in March 1934 the prototype was redesignated XBFB-1 in recognition of its qualities. Even so, various ideas were tried to improve its fighter qualifications, such as an improved engine

cowling A cowling (or cowl) is the removable covering of a vehicle's engine, most often found on automobiles, motorcycles, airplanes, and on outboard boat motors. On airplanes, cowlings are used to reduce drag and to cool the engine. On boats, cowlings ...

, streamlining around the landing gear, and even a three-bladed propeller (two-bladed props being standard).

Operational history

Performance of the Boeing XF6B remained unsatisfactory with the U.S. Navy instead opting for the Curtiss F11C Goshawk.

Operators

; *

Specifications

References

Citations

Bibliography

* ''The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft''. London: Aerospace Publishing, 1965. * Jones, Lloyd S. ''U.S. Naval Fighters''. Fallbrook California: Aero Publishers, 1977, pp. 115–117. . * Taylor, Michael J. H. ''Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation''. London: Studio Editions, 1989. . * ''World Aircraft Information Files''. London: Bright Star Publishing, 1985. {{USN fighters F6B 1930s United States fighter aircraft Boeing BFB-01 Single-engined tractor aircraft Carrier-based aircraft Biplanes Aircraft first flown in 1933 Aircraft with fixed conventional landing gear