YB-40

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Escort bomber XB-40 Bendix chin turret

Boeing/Lockheed-Vega XB-40 Bendix chin turret

Escort bomber XB-40 on the ground 1942

Boeing/Lockheed-Vega XB-40 on the ground 1942

Escort bomber YB-40 of the 92nd Bomb Group, England 1943

Boeing/Lockheed-Vega YB-40 of the 92nd Bomb Group, England 1943

Boeing/Lockheed-Vega XB-40, art work 1943

Escort bomber XB-40 in 1943

YB-40 42-5736 92nd Bomb Group

Escort bomber YB-40 42-5736 named "Tampa Tornado" from 92nd Bomb Group June 1943

Boeing YB-40 42-from 327th Bomb Squadron, 92nd BG

Escort bomber YB-40 42-5741 "Chicago" from 327th Bomb Squadron, 92nd BG

Boeing/Lockheed-Vega YB-40 42-5925 in flight

Escort bomber YB-40 42-5925 in flight

Front view of a XB-40 41-24341 1942

Front view of a XB-40 41-24341 1942

Left side view of a XB-40

Left side view of a XB-40

Rear view of a XB-40 41-24341

Rear view of a XB-40 41-24341

Escort bomber XB-40 Lockheed Vega factory airfield,14 November 1942

XB-40 41-24341 Lockheed Vega factory airfield,14 November 1942

The Boeing/Lockheed-Vega (Vega model V-139) YB-40 Flying Fortress was a modification for operational testing purposes of the B-17F Flying Fortress, converted to act as a heavily-armed “gunship” for other bombers during World War 2.

Variants: XB-40 - prototype converted from B-17F-1-BO 41-24342 YB-40 - 20 escort bombers converted from B-17F TB-40 - 4 trainers converted from B-17F

Specifications:

Length: 22,78 m (74ft 9in)
span 31,62 m (103ft 9in)
Height: 5,82 m (19ft 1in)
Wing area: 131,9 m2 (1,420 sq ft)
Empty weight: 17343 kg (38,235 lb)
Loaded weight: 26308 kg (58,000 lb)
Max. take-off weight: 28712 kg (63,300 lb)
Wing loading 199,4 kg/m2 (40,8 lb/sq ft)
Max speed 470 km/h at 7,620 m (292 mph at 25,000 ft )
Cruise speed 309 km/h (192 mph)
Range 3635-4000 km (2,260 - 2,480 miles)
Service ceiling 7650 m (25,100 ft)
Rate of climb 2,11 m/s (416 ft/min)
Armament 14-16 x 12,7 mm (0.50 in) Browning M2 machine guns
Bibliography:
  • Lloyd S. Jones: U.S. Bombers, 1974
  • Kev Darling: American X & Y Planes: Volume I: Experimental Aircraft to 1945, Crowood Aviation Series, 2009
  • Michael O’Leary: Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, Osprey Production Line to Frontline 2
  • Martin W. Bowman: Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, Crowood Aviation Series, 1998
  • Wings Of Fame – The Journal Of Classic Combat Aircraft – Volume 6
  • Rene J. Francillon: Lockheed Aircraft since 1913, 1987
  • Peter M. Bowers: Boeing Aircraft Since 1916, Putnam 1989
  • Alwyn T. Lloyd: B-17 Flying Fortress in Detail & Scale, Part 3: More derivatives - D & S Vol. 20