North American XB-28

1942

Back to the Virtual Aircraft Museum
  BOMBERVirtual Aircraft Museum / USA / North American  

North American XB-28

Envisaged originally as a high-altitude version of the B-25 Mitchell, the North American NA-63 (XB-28) emerged finally as an almost entirely different aircraft. With single vertical tail surfaces and a circular-section fuselage with a pressure cabin for the five-man crew, the XB-28 was powered by two 1491kW Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radials and bomb bay capacity was 1814kg. Dorsal, ventral and tail turrets, each containing two 12.7mm machine-guns, were remotely controlled from the cockpit; three similar forward-firing weapons were also fitted. Of three prototypes ordered in February 1940, the first flew in April 1942, the second was cancelled and the third, with a reconnaissance camera installation, crashed during the test programme. Although the XB-28 achieved a maximum speed of 599km/h at 7620m and could carry a 272kg bomb load for 3283km, production orders were not placed.

3-View 
North American XB-28A three-view drawing (700 x 1053)

Specification 
 WEIGHTS
  Take-off weight16226 kg35772 lb
  Empty weight11611 kg25598 lb
 DIMENSIONS
  Wingspan22.12 m73 ft 7 in
  Length17.20 m56 ft 5 in
  Wing area62.80 m2675.97 sq ft
 PERFORMANCE
  Cruise speed411 km/h255 mph
  Range3284 km2041 miles

North American XB-28

Comments
Klaatu83, e-mail, 21.07.2014 01:15

The main reason why this bomber was cancelled was because, as a result of combat experience, the Army Air Force found that they really didn't require a high-altitude medium bomber. The current B-25 and B-26 medium bombers were doing an adequate job, so there didn't seem to be any need to stop the production lines in order to change to a new type of bomber.

reply

phil marchese, e-mail, 30.03.2014 17:03

The turrets were sighted by a dorsal and ventral periscope located aft the cockpit at the rear of the forward flight deck. The position had sighting blisters port and starboard. The periscope can be seen in the 7 /8 frontal starboard view, even with the sighting station.

reply

Klaatu83, e-mail, 12.02.2012 17:31

Although the B-28 was never ordered into production, the experience NA gained in developing the pressurized, high-altitude crew's compartment for this aircraft proved invaluable later on, when they produced the B-45 Tornado.

reply

Dodge, e-mail, 14.11.2011 22:57

I don't have any info on the XB 28, but I have several North American Logs and North American Skyline magazines from 1939 - 1941. One is illustrated and one is painted by "Al" Algier. The inside cover of the 1939 Log states that Mr. Algier was an artist engineer of North American Aviation, a graduate of Syracuse University, with a mechanical engineer's degree and the Pratt Institute of Art of New York. --In response to Nathan's question.

reply

Alex, e-mail, 15.02.2009 13:11

You can find drawing of this plane on a site Fineartamerica. com In works Alex Arkhipau

reply

Nathan, e-mail, 08.01.2009 06:17

I have an original pencil concept drawing of this plane dated 1939. It was drawn by an Al Algiers - I haven't been able to find any information about him (who he was, his role in the development, etc.), but it is a neat piece of artwork either way. Any idea where I might find more information?

reply

Do you have any comments?

Name    E-mail


COMPANY
PROFILE


All the World's Rotorcraft


All rhe World's Rotorcraft TopList AVIATION TOP 100 - www.avitop.com Avitop.com