NB-3

The Boeing NB‑3 was a specialized experimental aircraft developed in the early 1960s as part of the U.S. Navy’s initiative to explore advanced nose‑wheel braking and high‑lift concepts for carrier operations. First flown on 4 March 1963 from Naval Air Station Patuxent River, the NB‑3 combined a modified B‑1B airframe with a lightweight aluminum‑alloy wing and a Pratt & Whitney J57‑P‑21 turbojet producing 10,000 pounds of thrust. Its most distinctive feature was the integrated variable‑camber leading edge, which could be adjusted in flight to increase lift during carrier landings and reduce drag on the cruise segment. The aircraft also incorporated an early fly‑by‑wire control system and a pressurized cockpit equipped with the then‑novel heads‑up display. Though only two prototypes were built, the NB‑3’s testing program yielded valuable data that influenced the design of later carrier‑based fighters such as the F‑14 Tomcat and the F/A‑18 Hornet. The program demonstrated the practicality of adaptive wing surfaces and paved the way for modern morphing‑wing research, cementing the NB‑3’s place as a pivotal stepping stone in the evolution of naval aviation. Its legacy endures in contemporary UAV wing‑morphing projects, confirming that the NB‑3 was ahead of its time in aerodynamic innovation.