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| During 1944 the US Army Air Force issued its first specification for a large jet bomber, the Martin Model 223 being one of the contenders to meet this requirement. Two XB-48 prototypes were ordered, the first of tivem flying on 14 June 1947 as a large shoulder-wing monoplane with the capability of carrying up to 9072kg of bombs. Power was provided by six 1701kg thrust Allison J35-A-5 turbo-jets, three mounted beneath each wing. The landing gear was of the new bicycle form with main units ahead of and behind the bomb bay. The 33.02m span Model 223 failed to win a production contract.
 | A three-view drawing (800 x 1112) |
| ENGINE | 6 x General Electric J35-C-7, 16.7kN |
| WEIGHTS |
| Take-off weight | 46539 kg | 102601 lb |
| Empty weight | 26578 kg | 58595 lb |
| DIMENSIONS |
| Wingspan | 33.02 m | 108 ft 4 in |
| Length | 26.14 m | 86 ft 9 in |
| Wing area | 120.77 m2 | 1299.96 sq ft |
| PERFORMANCE |
| Max. speed | 830 km/h | 516 mph |
| ARMAMENT | 9000kg of bombs |
| Ray Houghton`, e-mail, 20.05.2016 03:20 Unfortunately for Martin (and Convair), Boeing swept the wings back on its B-47 prototype, and the rest is history . . . reply | | Dick Boera, e-mail, 13.12.2013 03:18 I worked on the design of this one as a young junior aerodynamicist with the company in Baltimore. At that time, Mr. Martin owned the company outright with his mother. He was a great man to work for. He and Eddie Rickenbacker were good friends. Unfortunately the XB-48 never went into production as a B-48.
Dick Boera
Essex, Vermont
12 /12 /13 reply | | Dick Boera, e-mail, 13.12.2013 03:18 I worked on the design of this one as a young junior aerodynamicist with the company in Baltimore. At that time, Mr. Martin owned the company outright with his mother. He was a great man to work for. He and Eddie Rickenbacker were good friends. Unfortunately the XB-48 never went into production as a B-48.
Dick Boera
Essex, Vermont
12 /12 /13 reply |
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Greetings,
Did the Martin XB-48 receive a nickname by the company or the USAF?
Thanks,
Zane
Bay City, Michigan
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