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Yb-40 Flying FortressThe Boeing YB-40 Flying Fortress was a modification of the B-17 Flying Fortress bomber aircraft, converted to act as a heavily-armed escort for other bombers during World War II. At the time of its development, long-range fighter aircraft such as the P-51 Mustang were not yet available to accompany bombers all the way from England to Germany and back. The aircraft differed from the standard B-17 in that a second dorsal turret was installed between the top turret and the waist guns; and the single 0.50-calibre (12.7 mm) machine gun at each waist station was replaced by a pair of 0.5-calibre (12.7 mm) guns. In addition, the bombardier's equipment was replaced with two 0.50-calibre (12.7 mm) machine guns in a 'chin' turret to augment the existing 'cheek' machine guns, and the bomb bay itself was converted to a magazine. The concept was twofold. First, the YB-40 would provide a heavily-gunned escort capable of accompanying the bombers all the way to the target and back. Second, they were used as decoys; a YB-40 would leave the bomber stream with one engine feathered, apparently in distress. Enemy fighters would close for the kill and discover that the 'cripple' was nothing of the kind. The aircraft was used with some success in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, but was overall a failure because it could not keep up with standard B-17Fs once they had dropped bombs. It was withdrawn from service after less than ten missions. Some 25 were built. Operational units were stationed with the 92nd Bomb Group (H) at their base in Poddington, England. The first mission flown by a YB-40 took place on May 29 1943, against Saint Nazaire. In the nine missions flown by the planes, five kills and two likely kills were claimed, and one YB-40 was lost. Despite the obvious failure of the project as an operational aircraft, it did provide insight that led to the addition of a chin turret on the B-17G variant of the original Flying Fortress Specifications (YB-40) General Characteristics - Crew: 10
- Length: 74 ft 4 in (22.7 m)
- Wingspan: 103 ft 10 in (31.6 m)
- Height: 19 ft 1 in (5.8 m)
- Wing area: 1,527 ft² (141.9 m²)
- Empty: 54,900 lb (24,900 kg)
- Loaded: 72,134 lb (32,720 kg)
- Maximum takeoff: 74,000 lb (34,000 kg)
- Powerplant: 4× Wright R-1820-65 turbo-superchared radials, 1,200 hp (895 kW) each
Performance - Maximum speed: 292 mph (470 km/h)
- Cruise speed: 196 mph (315 km/h)
- Range: 2,260 miles (3,640 km)
- Service ceiling: 29,200 ft (8,900 m)
- Rate of climb: ft/min ( m/min)
- Wing loading: 47.2 lb/ft² (231 kg/m²)
- Power/Mass: .0655 hp/lb (.110 kW/kg)
Armament Links Related Content Related development: B-17 Flying Fortress - XB-38 Flying Fortress Comparable aircraft: XB-41 Liberator Designation sequence: B-37 - XB-38 - XB-39 - YB-40 - XB-41 - XB-42 - XB-43 B-40 Flying Fortress
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