The Douglas XB-19 was the largest bomber built for the United States Army Air Corps until 1946. It was originally given the designation XBLR-2 (XBLR- denoting Experimental Bomber, Long Range).
The purpose of the XB-19 project was to test the flight characteristics and design techniques associated with giant bombers. Douglas Aircraft Company strongly wanted to cancel the project, because it was extremely expensive. Despite advances in technology that made the XB-19 obsolete before it was even completed, the Army Air Corps felt that the prototype would be useful for testing. Its construction took so long that competition for the contracts to make the XB-35 and XB-36 occurred two months before its first flight.
The plane finally flew on June 27 1941, more than three years after the construction contract was awarded. In 1943, the original Wright R-3350 engines were replaced with Allison V-3420-11 V engines. After completion of testing, the XB-19 served as a cargo carrier until it was scrapped in 1949.
Specifications (XB-19A)
General characteristics
Crew: 18
Length: 132 ft 2 in (40.2 m)
Wingspan: 212 ft 0 in (64.6 m)
Height: 42 ft 9 in (13.0 m)
Wing area: 4,492 ft² (417 m²)
Empty weight: 140,230 lb (63,500 kg)
Loaded weight: 158,930 lb (72,000 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 164,000 lb (74,400 kg)
Powerplant: 4× Allison V-3420-11 V24 engines, 2,600 hp (1,940 kW) each
Performance
Maximum speed: 265 mph (230 knots, 426 km/h)
Cruise speed: 165 mph (143 knots, 266 km/h)
Range: 4,200 mi (3,600 nm, 6,800 km)
Ferry range: 7,750 mi (6,730 nm, 12,500 km)
Service ceiling: 39,000 ft (12,000 m)
Rate of climb: 650 ft/min (3.3 m/s)
Wing loading: 35 lb/ft² (170 kg/m²)
Power/mass: 0.065 hp/lb (110 W/kg)
Armament
Guns:
5× .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns
6× .30 in (7.62 mm) machine guns
2× 37 mm (1.42 in) cannon
Bombs: 18,700 lb (8,480 kg)
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