North American XB-28 (Dragon)

High-Altitude, Medium Fast Bomber Prototype

United States | 1942

"The North American XB-28 Dragon was initially developed for the USAAC for the high-altitude bombing role until the need was no longer apparent for the new USAAF."

Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one aircraft design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the North American XB-28 (Dragon) High-Altitude, Medium Fast Bomber Prototype.

2 x Pratt & Whitney R-2800-7 turbosupercharged, air-cooled, 18-cylinder radial piston engines developing 2,000 horsepower each driving four-bladed propeller units.
Propulsion

373 mph
600 kph | 324 kts
Max Speed

34,793 ft
10,605 m | 7 miles
Service Ceiling

2,041 miles
3,285 km | 1,774 nm
Operational Range

1,111 ft/min
339 m/min
Rate-of-Climb

Structure
The nose-to-tail, wingtip-to-wingtip physical qualities of the North American XB-28 (Dragon) High-Altitude, Medium Fast Bomber Prototype.

5
(MANNED)
Crew

56.3 ft
17.17 m
O/A Length

72.5 ft
(22.10 m)
O/A Width

22.0 ft
(6.71 m)
O/A Height

25,574 lb
(11,600 kg)
Empty Weight

39,132 lb
(17,750 kg)
MTOW

Armament
Available supported armament and special-mission equipment featured in the design of the North American XB-28 (Dragon) High-Altitude, Medium Fast Bomber Prototype .

STANDARD:
2 x 0.50 caliber Browning machine guns in remote-controlled dorsal turret.
2 x 0.50 caliber Browning machine guns in remote-controlled ventral turret.
2 x 0.50 caliber Browning machine guns in remote-controlled tail turret.

OPTIONAL:
Internal bomb load (conventional drop bombs) maximum of up to 4,000lb.

Variants
Notable series variants as part of the North American XB-28 (Dragon) family line.

XB-28 "Dragon" - Base Series Designation; initial prototype form.

XB-28A - Fast Reconnaissance Prototype; single example.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 04/02/2019 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

North American, the U.S. aviation concern fondly remembered for its World War 2 contributions through the B-25 Mitchell medium bomber and P-51 Mustang fighter, responded to an early-war United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) requirement calling for a medium-class bomber with high-altitude capabilities. The result of this endeavor - based largely on North American's preceding work on the prewar B-25 - produced the XB-28 "Dragon" which flew in prototype form on April 26th, 1942. Despite the promising nature of the design, it was not selected for serial production with only two prototypes ever completed.

Design of the XB-28 incorporated much of the B-25's design form - a glazed over nose section, stepped cockpit, a tricycle undercarriage, high-mounted wings, and twin-engine configuration. One of the chief differences lay in adoption of a single vertical tail fin instead of the B-25's iconic twin-rudder layout. Power was served through 2 x Pratt & Whitney R-2800-27 turbosupercharged 18-cylinder, air-cooled radial piston engines delivering 2,000 horsepower each. Maximum speed reached 372 miles per hour with cruising speeds around 255 miles per hour. The design's service ceiling was 34,800 feet with a range out to 2,040 miles. Rate-of-climb was a useful 1,111 feet per minute. The operating crew of the new aircraft numbered five.

Intended armament was to include up to 6 x 0.50 caliber Browning defensive-minded heavy machine guns fitted to three remote-controlled turrets - one dorsal, another ventral, and the final turret at the tail with two guns to be fitted to each turret emplacement. The internal bomb load was to reach 4,000lbs of conventional drop stores.

Performance-wise, the XB-28 did not disappoint. Its streamlined shape no doubt added to the aircraft's strong flying characteristics and its 30,000 foot-plus service ceiling made use of cabin pressurization for the crew. Overall qualities were, indeed, much improved over North American's preceding medium bomber offering but, as was the case with other wartime developments, the quickening pace of the war generally rewrote requirements and the XB-28 was now being pursued by the now-United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) for the fast reconnaissance role - the thinking being that current-generation medium bombers were highly suitable as bombing platforms for low-to-medium attack altitudes - a medium-class bomber bombing at high altitudes would have present operational problems all its own.

As such, the XB-28 was briefly considered for the reconnaissance role through the "XB-28A" prototype which was completed by North American. However, this airframe was lost during testing on August 4th, 1943 leading to no further pursuit by the USAAF of the product beyond the two completed aircraft.

Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the North American XB-28 (Dragon). Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national aircraft listing.

Total Production: 2 Units
Contractor(s): North American Aviation - USA

[ United States (cancelled) ]

1 / 2

Image of the North American XB-28 (Dragon)

Image from the Public Domain.

2 / 2

Image from the Public Domain.

❮ ❯

Going Further...
The North American XB-28 (Dragon) High-Altitude, Medium Fast Bomber Prototype appears in the following collections:

HOME

AVIATION INDEX

AIRCRAFT BY COUNTRY

AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURERS

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Scale Military Ranks of the World U.S. Department of Defense Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols Breakdown U.S. 5-Star Generals List WWII Weapons by Country World War Next

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. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

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. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.

©2024 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2024 (21yrs)