The XB-38 Flying Fortress was a single example conversion of a production B-17E Flying Fortress, testing whether the Allison V-1710 V type engine could be substituted for the standard Wright R-1820 radial engine during early World War II .
6-498: The XB-38 was the result of a modification project undertaken by Vega (a subsidiary of Lockheed ) on a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress to fit it with liquid-cooled Allison V-1710 -89 V-12 engines . It was to be an improved B-17, and an alternative if the normally fitted air-cooled Wright R-1820 radial engines became scarce. Completing the modifications took less than a year, and the XB-38 made its first flight on May 19, 1943. Only one
12-635: A Menasco Unitwin 2-544 engine, which featured two engines driving a single shaft. The AiRover Model 2 was a new design named the Vega Starliner . One Starliner prototype was built and tested, but the design did not go into production. In 1940, with World War II already underway in Europe, Vega changed its focus from light aircraft to military aircraft. The company began by producing five North American NA-35 trainers under license with North American Aviation . Production by Vega really got underway with
18-799: The Hudson , a patrol bomber designed for use by the Royal Air Force . Vega entered a partnership between three companies (the other two being Boeing and Douglas ) (abbreviated BVD) to produce the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress . Of over 12,000 B-17s produced by war's end, 2,750 were built by Vega. The company also built two experimental B-17 variants, the Boeing XB-38 Flying Fortress and the Boeing YB-40 Flying Fortress . By
24-453: The project was canceled, in part because the V-1710 engines were in high demand for Lockheed P-38 Lightning , Curtiss P-40 Warhawk and North American P-51A Mustang fighters . Data from Lockheed Aircraft since 1913. General characteristics Performance Armament Related development Related lists Vega Aircraft Company The Vega Aircraft Corporation
30-813: Was a subsidiary of the Lockheed Aircraft Company in Burbank, California responsible for much of its parent company's production in World War II . The company was first formed in August 1937 as the AiRover Company to produce a new light aircraft design. It was renamed in May 1938 to honor Lockheed's first aircraft design, the Vega . The AiRover Model 1 was a Lockheed Altair fitted with
36-404: Was built, and it was modified from a regular production aircraft. The XB-38 delivered a higher top speed, but its ceiling was lower. After a few flights it was grounded due to exhaust gas leaks from the engine manifolds. Once this had been fixed, testing resumed until the ninth flight on June 16, 1943 when the inboard starboard engine caught fire and the crew bailed out. The XB-38 was destroyed and
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