Keystone LB-5

Last updated
LB-5
Huff-Daland XLB-5.jpg
XLB-5 prototype
Role Light bomber
National originUnited States
Manufacturer Keystone Aircraft Corporation
First flight1927
Primary user United States Army Air Corps
Number built36

The Keystone LB-5 (originally ordered under the Huff-Daland name) was a bomber aircraft produced in the United States in the late 1920s. Its manufacturer nicknamed it the Pirate, but this name was not officially adopted by the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC).

Contents

Design and development

The LB-5 was a member of the family of closely related bomber designs that had debuted with the XLB-1 in 1923, and as such, was a large, single-bay, conventional biplane. Like most of the family, it was a twin-engine machine, with engines mounted in nacelles on the lower wing. The prototype XLB-5 had a single tail fin like the XLB-1, the 10 LB-5 production machines were designed with a triple-finned tail under the Huff-Daland name, but the final batch of 25 was redesigned with twin tails and designated LB-5A.

Operational history

Its Liberty L-12 engines featured duralumin adjustable-pitch propellers built by the Standard Steel Propeller Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, (forerunner of the Hamilton Standard Propeller Company). At least nine tests of tensile strength were made of its propeller blades between 1925 and 1927, one of which reported failure after 34 hours of flying time and 10 hours of testing. [1]

On 28 May 1927, while at 1,200 ft (370 m) altitude near Reynoldsburg, Ohio, the XLB-5 prototype (AC serial 26-208) experienced catastrophic failure of its right engine when a blade separated from the hub with explosive power, tearing the engine apart. Shrapnel sprayed the five-man crew, which included 2nd Bombardment Group commander Major Lewis H. Brereton, flying co-pilot, and all except the nosegunner immediately parachuted. The nosegunner died in the crash, and the gasoline-soaked wreckage subsequently exploded and burned on the ground. [1]

Variants

LB-5 with triple tail fins Keystone LB-5 rear right quarter 060417-F-1234P-004.jpg
LB-5 with triple tail fins
XLB-5
Prototype (1 built from LB-1) with single tail fin
LB-5
first production batch with triple tail fins (10 built)
LB-5A
second production batch with twin tails (25 built)

Operators

Flag of the United States.svg  United States

Specifications (LB-5)

Keystone XLB-5 3-view drawing from L'Air February 15,1928 Keystone XLB-5 3-view L'Air February 15,1928.png
Keystone XLB-5 3-view drawing from L'Air February 15,1928

Data fromNational Museum of the United States Air Force [2]

General characteristics

Performance

Armament

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Curtiss Falcon</span> American multirole aircraft

The Curtiss Falcon was a family of military biplane aircraft built by the American aircraft manufacturer Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company during the 1920s. Most saw service as part of the United States Army Air Corps as observation aircraft with the designations O-1 and O-11, or as the attack aircraft designated the A-3 Falcon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin P5M Marlin</span> US Navy/Coast Guard patrol seaplane (1952–1967)

The Martin P5M Marlin, built by the Glenn L. Martin Company of Middle River, Maryland, was a twin piston-engined flying boat that entered service in 1951, and served into the late 1960s with the United States Navy performing naval patrols. It also served with the United States Coast Guard and the French Navy. 285 were produced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Douglas XB-42 Mixmaster</span> American experimental bomber aircraft, 1944

The Douglas XB-42 Mixmaster was an experimental American bomber aircraft, designed for a high top speed. The unconventional approach was to mount the two engines within the fuselage driving a pair of contra-rotating propellers mounted at the tail in a pusher configuration, leaving the wing and fuselage clean and free of drag-inducing protrusions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Huff-Daland XB-1</span> American bomber prototype

The Huff-Daland XB-1 was a prototype bomber aircraft built for the United States Army Air Corps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Curtiss B-2 Condor</span> 1929 bomber aircraft family by Curtiss

The Curtiss B-2 Condor was a 1920s United States bomber aircraft. It was a descendant of the Martin NBS-1, which was built by the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company for the Glenn L. Martin Company. There were a few differences, such as stronger materials and different engines, but they were relatively minor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keystone B-3</span> Bomber aircraft family by Keystone

The Keystone B-3A was a bomber aircraft developed for the United States Army Air Corps by Keystone Aircraft in the late 1920s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keystone B-5</span> Type of aircraft

The Keystone B-5 is a light bomber made by the Keystone Aircraft company for the United States Army Air Corps in the early 1930s. The B-5A was a Keystone B-3A with Wright Cyclone rather than Pratt & Whitney engines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Curtiss-Wright X-19</span> Experimental VTOL tiltrotor quadcopter airplane

The Curtiss-Wright X-19, company designation Model 200, was an American experimental tiltrotor aircraft of the early 1960s. It was noteworthy for being the last aircraft of any kind manufactured by Curtiss-Wright.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fisher P-75 Eagle</span> 1943 fighter aircraft series by General Motors Fisher Body Division

The Fisher P-75 Eagle was an American fighter aircraft designed by the Fisher Body Division of General Motors. Development started in September 1942 in response to United States Army Air Forces requirement for a fighter possessing an extremely high rate of climb, using the most powerful liquid-cooled engine then available, the Allison V-3420. The program was cancelled after only a small number of prototypes and production aircraft had been completed, as it was no longer required in its original role, could not be quickly deployed, and possessed no significant advantages over aircraft already in production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boeing XB-55</span> Strategic bomber project, U.S. Air Force, cancelled 1949

Boeing XB-55 was a proposed Boeing aircraft designed to be a strategic bomber. The XB-55 was intended to be a replacement for the Boeing B-47 Stratojet in United States Air Force (USAF) service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Handley Page Hinaidi</span> Type of aircraft

The Handley Page Hinaidi was one of two twin-engine bombers built by Handley Page that served with the Royal Air Force between 1925 and 1935. The aircraft was developed from the Handley Page Hyderabad and named after Hinaidi, an RAF station in Iraq.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Douglas XB-43 Jetmaster</span> American bomber prototype

The Douglas XB-43 Jetmaster is an American 1940s jet-powered prototype bomber. The XB-43 was a development of the XB-42, replacing the piston engines of the XB-42 with two General Electric J35 engines of 4,000 lbf (17.8 kN) thrust each. Despite being the first American jet bomber to fly, it suffered stability issues and the design did not enter production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Supermarine Scapa</span> Type of aircraft

The Supermarine Scapa was a British general reconnaissance flying boat built by Supermarine that was used by the Royal Air Force between 1935 and 1939. It was developed from the Southampton and formed the basis of the Supermarine Stranraer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keystone LB-6</span> 1927 bomber aircraft family by Keystone

The Keystone LB-6 and LB-7 were 1920s American light bombers, built by the Keystone Aircraft company for the United States Army Air Corps, called Panther by the company, but adoption of the name was rejected by the U.S. Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Huff-Daland LB-1</span> Type of aircraft

The Huff-Daland LB-1 was an American biplane light bomber aircraft operated by the United States Army Air Service in the 1920s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin NBS-1</span> American bomber aircraft in service 1920-1929

The Martin NBS-1 was a military aircraft of the United States Army Air Service and its successor, the Army Air Corps. An improved version of the Martin MB-1, a scout-bomber built during the final months of World War I, the NBS-1 was ordered under the designation MB-2 and is often referred to as such. The designation NBS-1, standing for "Night Bomber-Short Range", was adopted by the Air Service after the first five of the Martin bombers were delivered.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kellett XR-8</span> Type of aircraft

The Kellett XR-8 was a helicopter built in the United States during World War II. It was a two-seat machine intended to demonstrate the feasibility of a twin-rotor system and, while it accomplished this, it also demonstrated a number of problems that prevented further development of this particular design.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keystone XLB-3</span> Prototype Biplane Bomber

The Keystone XLB-3 was a prototype bomber biplane developed in the United States in the late 1920s. It was a twin-engine development of the single-engine LB-1, brought about by a change in policy by the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Huff-Daland XHB-1</span> Military plane

The Huff-Daland XHB-1 "Cyclops" was a 1920s American prototype heavy bomber designed and built by the Huff-Daland company.

The Martin XLB-4 was a 1920s proposal for a light bomber by the Glenn L. Martin Company.

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 Miller, Dr. Roger G. "Four 'Caterpillars' and a funeral documents on the crash of the Huff-Daland XLB-5." Air Power History, Fall 2002.
  2. "LB-5 fact sheet." National Museum of the United States Air Force. Retrieved: 14 July 2017.

Bibliography

  • Taylor, Michael J. H. Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions, 1989, p. 559.
  • World Aircraft Information Files. London: Bright Star Publishing, File 899 Sheet 09.