Subject: Bomber series--XNBL-1 "Barling" bomber

From: [email-masked] (joseph.f.baugher)
Date: 25 May 94 02:05:14 GMT

The XNBL-1 was the first really large bomber to be designed from the 
ground up in the USA.  It was initially designed by the US Army 
Engineering Division, which was based at McCook Field in Dayton, Ohio.  
The chief designer was Walter Barling, who had experience with 
aircraft design in England.  

The XNBL-1 (or "Barling Bomber", as it came to be known) was a rather 
clumsy-looking triplane powered by six 420 hp Liberty 12A liquid 
cooled engines.  Four of the engines were in tractor configuration, 
placed in mounts attached by struts underneath the middle wing.  Two 
more engines were placed in pusher configuration, mounted behind the 
inner tractor engines.  The boxlike tail had a biplane horizontal 
tailplane configuration and had four separate rudders.  The main 
landing gear had no less than ten wheels.  A crew of eight could be 
carried.  Armament consisted of seven 0.30-inch machine guns.  

The Witteman-Lewis Company of Teterboro, New Jersey won a competitive 
contract to build two examples of the design.  Serials were 64215 and 
64216.  

The second XNBL-1 was cancelled before it could be built.  The first 
example was built in parts at Teterboro and then trucked out in pieces 
to Wright Field for final assembly.  The last of the parts had arrived 
by July 22, 1922, but it took over a year before they could actually 
be assembled.  The XNBL-1 (64215) took to the air for the first time 
on August 22, 1923, Lt. H. R. Harris being at the controls.  

Colonel Billy Mitchell was an enthusiastic backer of the XNBL-1, but 
its performance was rather disappointing.  The speed, load and 
endurance were all well below expectations.  The maximum speed was 
less than 100 mph, and range with a 5000-pound bombload was only 170 
miles, not a very useful distance.  The operational ceiling of the 
XNBL-1 was so low that it could not safely cross the mountains to 
reach either Coast.  Consequently, the XNBL-1 was not ordered into 
production.  However, the XNBL-1 did manage to set some new records, 
including a record flight was made to an altitude of 6722 feet with a 
4400 pound load.  

The sole XNBL-1 was dismantled and scrapped in 1928.  It would not be 
until 1937 that the US Army would attempt to produce anything as 
large.  

Specification of XNBL-1: 

Six 420 hp Liberty 12A liquid-cooled engine, Maximum speed 96 mph at 
sea level, 93 mph at 5000 feet.  Cruising speed 61 mph, landing speed 
55 mph.  Service ceiling 7725 feet.  Absolute ceiling 10,200 feet.  
Initial climb rate 352 feet per minute.  Range was 170 miles with 5000 
pounds of bombs.  Maximum range was 335 miles.  Wingspan 120 feet, 
length 65 feet height 27 feet.  Wing area 4200 square feet.  Empty 
weight 27,703 pounds, gross weight 32,203 pounds, maximum weight 
42,569 pounds.  Armed with seven 0.30-inch machine guns.  A maximum 
bombload of 5000 pounds could be carried.  

Sources:

  United States Military Aircraft Since 1909, Gordon Swanborough and
  Peter M. Bowers, Smithsonian, 1989.

  American Combat Planes, Ray Wagner, Third Edition, Doubleday, 1982.

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