Development of U.S. Bombers in the Interwar Years

From OnAirpower.org

In September, 1919 the U.S. Air Service adopted a new aircraft naming scheme that reflects the service's attitudes towards bombers and their missions at the time. The scheme defined fifteen aircraft categories, three of which applied to bombers: category XI for Day Bombardment (DB) aircraft, category XII for Night Bombardment Short Distance (NBS) aircraft, and category XIII for Night Bombardment Long Distance (NBL) aircraft^[1].

The Air Service's requirements for category XII, "Night Bombardment Short Distance", were met by the MB-2 bomber (later redesignated the NBS-1 in accordance with the new naming scheme), which was essentially an improved and slightly enlarged version of the MB-1. The Air Service placed an initial order for twenty MB-2s in June, 1920, with subsequent orders leading to a total of 130 aircraft being built. Despite its categorization as a short distance night bomber, the MB-2/NBS-1 served as the primary multi-engine bomber for the U.S. Air Service until the late 1920s^[2].

The Air Service had less success developing and fielding bombers in the Day Bombardment and Night Bombardment Long Distance categories. The Service's sole example of a day bomber was the Gallaudet DB-1, which was a technologically forward-looking design (a fast, low-wing monoplane) that ultimately failed to make it into production. Its single-engine design would have made it suitable primarily for short-range tactical work. Only two prototypes were produced, one of which never made it off the ground. The Air Service's design for a long-range night bomber, the XNBL-1 or "Barling Bomber", was almost the polar opposite of the DB-1: a monster six-engined triplane with a crew of seven and a relatively impressive bomb load of 5,000 kg, but a maximum speed of only 96 mph and a limited range of 170 miles. Its payload would have made it a potent strategic bomber for the time, but its lack of speed and short range crippled it. Only a single example of the aircraft was produced, at the hefty cost of over a half million dollars plus another $700,000 for a custom hangar to house it.

[edit] Sources

• Introduction to Early U.S. Bombers  at National Musuem of the U.S. Air Force

[edit] References

1. ↑ Introduction to Early U.S. Bombers Fact Sheet at the National Museum of the US Air Force
2. ↑ Martin MB-2 Fact Sheet and Martin NBS-1 Fact Sheet, both at the National Museum of the US Air Force