F3B

The Boeing F3B was a single‑seat, biplane fighter developed for the United States Navy in the early 1920s. It evolved from the earlier Boeing FB series and was the Navy’s first aircraft to be designated with the “F” (fighter) prefix under the new 1922 nomenclature. First flown in 1923, the prototype XF3B-1 demonstrated a metal fuselage and fabric‑covered wings, a combination that improved durability while keeping weight low. Powered by a 440 hp Curtiss D-12 V‑12 engine, the aircraft could reach 156 mph and climb to 10,000 ft in under eight minutes, respectable performance for its era. Armament consisted of two .30‑caliber machine guns mounted in the forward fuselage. The production version, the F3B‑1, entered service with Naval Air Squadrons aboard carriers such as USS Langley, providing the Navy’s first carrier‑based fighter capable of sustained operations at sea. Although quickly superseded by more advanced monoplane designs, the F3B proved the viability of metal construction and carrier launch‑recovery techniques, informing later Boeing fighters like the P‑26 Peashooter. Its brief but influential career helped shape naval aviation doctrine and demonstrated Boeing’s growing expertise in military aircraft design.

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