Hughes XF-11

1946

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Hughes XF-11

Designed specifically for long-range photographic reconnaissance, the Hughes XR-11 (formerly XF-11) twin-engined, twin-boom monoplane flew for the first time on 7 July 1946 but lost a propeller, the flight ending in a crash that nearly cost pilot Howard Hughes his life. A second aircraft flew on 5 April 1947 and subsequently went to Eglin Field, Florida (now Eglin Air Force Base), to be tested, but the US Air Force cancelled the programme in favour of utilizing the much more economical Boeing RB-50 to meet the long-range photo-reconnaissance requirement.

FACTS AND FIGURES

© The XF-11 had a two-man cockpit and a large camera nose. Unlike the XF-12 there was no room for onboard film processing.

© The first XF-11 had eight-bladed contra-rotating propellers with reversible pitch. It is thought that the rear propeller on the starboard engine went into reverse, precipitating the crash.

© The ailerons were small and gave sluggish control at low altitudes, although high-altitude performance was very good.

© Most of the fuel supply was carried in the long tailbooms.

Hughes XF-11

Specification 
 MODELXF-11
 ENGINE2 x Pratt-Whitney R-4360, 2611kW
 WEIGHTS
  Take-off weight26416 kg58238 lb
 DIMENSIONS
  Wingspan30.90 m101 ft 5 in
  Length19.97 m66 ft 6 in

Hughes XF-11


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