| XB-38 Flying Fortress | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Strategic bomber |
| Manufacturer | Boeing (B-17E aircraft)/Vega (modifications) |
| Status | Cancelled |
| Primary user | United States Army Air Forces |
| Number built | 1 |
| History | |
| First flight | 19 May 1943 |
| Retired | 16 June 1943 |
| Developed from | Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress |
TheXB-38 Flying Fortress was a single example conversion of a productionB-17E Flying Fortress, testing whether theAllison V-1710 V type engine could be substituted for the standardWright R-1820 radial engine during earlyWorld War II.
The XB-38 was the result of a modification project undertaken byVega (a subsidiary ofLockheed) on aBoeing B-17 Flying Fortress to fit it with liquid-cooledAllison V-1710-89V-12 engines. It was to be an improved B-17, and an alternative if the normally fitted air-cooledWright R-1820radial engines became scarce. Completing the modifications took less than a year, and the XB-38 made its first flight on May 19, 1943. Only one was built, and it was modified from a regular production aircraft.[1]
The XB-38 delivered a higher top speed, but its ceiling was lower. After a few flights it was grounded due to exhaust gas leaks from the engine manifolds. Once this had been fixed, testing resumed until the ninth flight on June 16, 1943 when the inboard starboard engine caught fire and the crew bailed out. The XB-38 was destroyed and the project was canceled, in part because the V-1710 engines were in high demand forLockheed P-38 Lightning,Curtiss P-40 Warhawk andNorth American P-51A Mustangfighters.
Data from Lockheed Aircraft since 1913.[2]
General characteristics
Performance
Armament
Related development
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