Aviation / Aerospace

Boeing Y1B-20

Experimental Heavy Bomber Aircraft [ 1938 ]

Though a production order was signed for two prototypes, the US Army was quick to cancel the large experimental Boeing Y1B-20.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 04/04/2019 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

GO TO SPECIFICATIONS [+]

Advertisements

Leading up to its famous stable of World War 2 heavy bombers, Boeing undertook a variety of projects to further existing technologies and enhance qualities for long endurance flight of heavy airframes. One such program became the Y1B-20 (Boeing Model 316), an offshoot of the experimental XB-15. The original XB-15 was born of a 1933 United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) initiative seeking a bomber capable of 5,000 mile endurance reaching speeds of 200 miles per hour with a 2,000lb bomb load. The Y1B-20 was essentially an evolved, dimensionally larger version designed around use of more powerful engines - 4 x Wright GR-2600-A73 rated at 1,350 horsepower being the intended type. While presented to the Army (and accepted through two prototype orders), the product was cancelled before manufacture of either airframe had begun. As such, no examples were ever completed by Boeing and the project was lost to aviation history.

The four-engine arrangement and general aerodynamic design of the Y1B-20 was estimated to allow for a maximum speed of 258 miles per hour with a cruising speed of 242 miles per hour. Operational range was listed at 4,000 miles. Comparatively, the YB-15 - which saw considerably more interest and usage by the US Army - exhibited a maximum speed of 200 miles per hour and cruising at 150 miles per hour. Range was 5,130 miles while its service ceiling was 18,900 feet. The famous B-17 (G-model) allowed for a maximum speed of 290 miles per hour, cruising at 180 miles per hour, a range of 2,000 miles and a service ceiling of 35,600 feet.

As a heavy bomber, the Y1B-20 was slated to carry ordnance loads up to 17,600lbs internally. As with other bombers of the period, the aircraft was to be defensed through a network of purposefully placed machine guns numbering seven - 3 x 0.30 caliber and 4 x 0.50 caliber in nature.

At any rate, like the XB-15 before it, the Y1B-20 helped Boeing to lay the foundation for its stable of important bombers serving during World War 2 and beyond.©MilitaryFactory.com

Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.

Specifications

Service Year

1938

Origin

United States

Status

CANCELLED
Development Ended.

Crew

10

Production

0
UNITS

Boeing Company - USA

(View other Aviaton-Related Manufacturers)

United States

(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)

✓ Ground Attack (Bombing, Strafing)
Ability to conduct aerial bombing of ground targets by way of (but not limited to) guns, bombs, missiles, rockets, and the like.

✓ X-Plane (Developmental, Prototype, Technology Demonstrator)
Aircraft developed for the role of prototyping, technology demonstration, or research / data collection.

Length

109.3 ft
(33.30 m)

Width/Span

156.8 ft
(47.80 m)

Height

23.3 ft
(7.10 m)

Empty Wgt

87,524 lb
(39,700 kg)

MTOW

105,160 lb
(47,700 kg)

Wgt Diff

+17,637 lb
(+8,000 kg)

(Showcased structural values pertain to the base Boeing Y1B-20 production variant)

Installed: 4 x Wright GR-2600-A73 radial piston engines developing 1,350 horsepower each driving three-bladed propeller units.

Max Speed

258 mph
(415 kph | 224 kts)

Range

3,977 mi
(6,400 km | 11,853 nm)

♦ MACH Regime (Sonic)

Sub

Trans

Super

Hyper

HiHyper

ReEntry

♦

(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the base Boeing Y1B-20 production variant. Performance specifications showcased above are subject to environmental factors as well as aircraft configuration. Estimates are made when Real Data not available. Compare this aircraft entry against any other in our database or View aircraft by powerplant type)

STANDARD:
3 x 0.50 caliber Browning M2 heavy machine guns.
3 x 0.30 caliber Browning M1919 machine guns.

OPTIONAL:
Up to 17,600lb of internal stores (conventional drop bombs).

Supported Types

Graphical image of an aircraft medium machine gun

Graphical image of an aircraft heavy machine gun

Graphical image of an aircraft conventional drop bomb munition

(Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above)

Hardpoint Mountings: 0

Y1B-20 - Base Series Designation

Model 316 - Boeing Company Model Designation

Military lapel ribbon for Operation Allied Force

Military lapel ribbon for the Arab-Israeli War

Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Britain

Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Midway

Military lapel ribbon for the Berlin Airlift

Military lapel ribbon for the Cuban Missile Crisis

Military lapel ribbon for pioneering aircraft

Military lapel ribbon for the Falklands War

Military lapel ribbon for the French-Indochina War

Military lapel ribbon for the Golden Age of Flight

Military lapel ribbon for the 1991 Gulf War

Military lapel ribbon for the Indo-Pak Wars

Military lapel ribbon for the Iran-Iraq War

Military lapel ribbon for the Korean War

Military lapel ribbon for the 1982 Lebanon War

Military lapel ribbon for the Malayan Emergency

Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft

Military lapel ribbon for the attack on Pearl Harbor

Military lapel ribbon for the Six Day War

Military lapel ribbon for the Soviet-Afghan War

Military lapel ribbon for the Spanish Civil War

Military lapel ribbon for the Suez Crisis

Military lapel ribbon for the Ukranian-Russian War

Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War

Military lapel ribbon for Warsaw Pact of the Cold War-era

Military lapel ribbon for the WASP (WW2)

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2

Military lapel ribbon for the Yom Kippur War

Military lapel ribbon for experimental x-plane aircraft

Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods.

Advertisements

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2023 Military Pay Chart Military Ranks DoD Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons.

View day-by-day actions of the American Civil War with CivilWarTimeline.net. View day-by-day actions of World War II with SecondWorldWarHistory.com.

©2023 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2023 (20yrs)