What is it?

[Niner Delta]

If you can identify this aircraft, you are fairly clever.

Vern.

[DSchnopp]

It's a B-24 airframe with a B-17G nose grafted on. Maybe part of the the XB-41 program.?

Dave

[Karl/Pa.]

U.S. Air Force Fact Sheet

CONSOLIDATED XB-41 LIBERATOR

Consolidated XB-41

The XB-41 and XB-40 projects were developed to test the escort bomber concept. Because there were no fighters capable of escorting bomber formations on deep strike missions early in World War II, the Air Corps authorized tests for heavily armed bombers to act as escorts and protect the bomb-carrying aircraft from enemy fighters. Both the XB-40 and XB-41 projects were failures for a variety of reasons -- they were unable to effectively defend other aircraft, the were too slow to keep up with formations returning from bombing missions, they were too heavy, and the basic flight characteristics were changed drastically by the added drag and center of gravity changes introduced with the additional turrets.

The XB-41 was modified from an early production model B-24D (S/N 41-11822) and included 14 .50-cal. machine guns mounted in pairs in a Bendix chin turret, two Martin power turrets on the dorsal (top) fuselage, a belly turret, left and right waist positions, and a tail turret. The XB-41 was completed in late 1942 and testing was done in early 1943. Flight tests were very disappointing and the XB-41 project was quickly canceled.

Type Number built/

converted Remarks

XB-41 1 (cv) B-24D converted to bomber escort

Serial number: (B-24D-CO): 41-11822

SPECIFICATIONS:

Span: 110 ft. 0 in.

Length: 66 ft. 4 in.

Height: 17 ft. 11 in.

Weight: 63,000 lbs. (max. gross weight)

Armament: 14 .50-cal. machine guns

Engines: Four Pratt & Whitney R-1830-43 Twin Wasp radial engines of 1,250 hp each

Crew: Nine

PERFORMANCE:

Maximum speed: 289 mph at 25,000 ft.

Cruising speed: 200 mph

Range: 3,100 miles

Service ceiling: 28,500 ft.

[Karl/Pa.]

U.S. Air Force Fact Sheet

BOEING-LOCKHEED VEGA XB-40 FLYING FORTRESS

Boeing-Lockheed Vega B-40

The XB-40 was developed to test the bomber escort concept. Early in World War II, before long-range fighters like the P-51D became available, the Air Corps developed plans to modify bombers with additional defensive armament. These aircraft would accompany regular bomber formations and provide protection from attacking fighters. Unfortunately, the modified escort bombers were not maneuverable enough to protect large formations. They were also excessively tail heavy and overweight. A standard B-17F formation returning from a mission (after bomb release) outpaced the escort bombers. The YB-40 participated in only a few operational missions in mid-1943 before being withdrawn from service.

The prototype XB-40 was modified by Lockheed Vega (Project V-139) by converting the second production B-17F-1-BO (S/N 41-24341). Defensive armament consisted of 14 .50-cal. machine guns in seven gun positions: chin turret, two dorsal turrets, ball turret, two waist positions and the tail. The first flight of the XB-40 was on Nov. 10, 1942. Twenty service test aircraft were ordered (Vega Project V-140) as YB-40 along with four crew trainers designated TB-40. Because Vega had higher priority production projects, the YB-40/TB-40 assembly job was transferred to Douglas.

In the spring of 1943, the 327th Bomb Squadron of the 92nd Bomb Group, RAF Alconbury, was assigned 12 YB-40s for operational combat tests. The first mission was flown on May 29, 1943, and after less than 10 missions the aircraft were withdrawn from service. Most were converted back to the standard B-17F configuration.

The chin turret installation pioneered on the B-40 series aircraft was soon adopted for late model B-17Fs and became standard equipment on the B-17G.

Type Number built/

converted Remarks

XB-40 1 (cv) B-17F converted to bomber escort

YB-40 20 (cv) Service test version

TB-40 4 (cv) YB-40 crew training aircraft

Notes:

· Serial numbers: XB-40 (B-17F-1-BO): 41-24341; YB-40 (B-17F-VE): 42-5732 to 42-5744, 42-5871, 42-5920, 42-5921, 42-5923 to 42-5925, 42-5927; TB-40 (B-17F-VE): 42-5833, 42-5834, 42-5872, 42-5926

· First flight of the XB-40 was Nov. 10, 1942

SPECIFICATIONS:

Span: 103 ft. 9 in.

Length: 74 ft. 9 in.

Height: 19 ft. 1 in.

Weight: 63,500 lbs. (max. gross weight)

Armament: 14 .50-cal. machine guns standard, various numbers and types of machine guns and cannon were also tested

Engines: Four Wright R-1820-65 engines of 1,200 hp each

Crew: Nine

PERFORMANCE:

Maximum speed: 292 mph at 25,000 ft.

Cruising speed: 196 mph

Range: 2,260 miles

Service ceiling: 29,200 ft.

Click here to return to the Early 1940s Bomber index.

[Niner Delta]

Dave is correct, a B-24 with a B-17 nose, and only one was built because it wasn't a very good idea.

There doesn't seem to be a connection to the B-40 (B-17) or B-41 (B-24) "escort bomber" that was too over-gunned to do any good.

The goal of this was to streamline the nose of B-24 and give crew more room in front.

This was done in 1944 and the "escort bomber" idea had come and gone by then.

http://www.unrealaircraft.com/hybrid/B17G.php

Vern.

[DSchnopp]

Interesting idea though.

Dave

[Niner Delta]

The reason it looks like it's cheeks are puffed out is that the B-17 had a round fuselage and the B-24 was more oval/rounded rectangle shape. Another idea that just didn't work well, they didn't gain anything and actually lost a lot of performance.

But I bet it seemed like a good idea at the time.

Vern.