Keystone B-3
From Free net encyclopedia
The Keystone B-3 was a bomber aircraft developed for the United States Army Air Corps in the late 1920s. It was originally ordered as the LB-10A (a single-tail modification of the Keystone LB-6), but the Army dropped the LB- 'light bomber' designation in 1930.
Though the performance of the B-3 was hardly better than that of the bombers flown at the end of World War I, it had come a long way. In terms of its safety, it was far superior to its oldest predecessors.
The B-3A was the last biplane disbanded by the Army; it remained in service until 1940. A few years after it was first produced, a revolution in airplane design rendered it almost completely obsolete.
Units using the B-3
United States Army Air Corps
- 4th Composite Group
- 6th Composite Group
- 19th Bombardment Group
Specifications (B-3A)
{{airtemp
|plane or copter?=plane |jet or prop?=prop
|crew=5 |length main=48 ft 10 in |length alt=14.9 m |span main=74 ft 8 in |span alt=22.8 m |height main=15 ft 9 in |height alt=4.8 m |area main=1,145 ft² |area alt=106.4 m² |empty weight main=7,705 lb |empty weight alt=5,875 kg |loaded weight main=12,952 lb |loaded weight alt=5,875 kg |max takeoff weight main= lb |max takeoff weight alt= kg
|number of props=2 |engine (prop)=Pratt & Whitney R-1690-3 |type of prop=radial engines |power main=525 hp |power alt=392 kW
|max speed main=114 mph |max speed alt=98 kt, 183 km/h |cruise speed main=98 mph |cruise speed alt=85 kt, 158 km/h |range main=860 mi |range alt=760 kt, 1,400 km |ceiling main=12,700 ft |ceiling alt=3,870 m |climb rate main=530 ft/min |climb rate alt=2.7 m/s |loading main=11.31 lb/ft² |loading alt=55.42 kg/m² |power/mass main=0.0811 hp/lb |power/mass alt=133 W/kg
|guns=3× .30-calibre (7.62 mm) Browning machine guns |bombs=2,500 lb (1,100 kg); 4,000 lb (1,800 kg) on short runs
}}
External links
- Encyclopedia of American Aircraft
- Photograph of B-3 in flight
- USAF Museum article on LB-10
- USAF Museum article on B-3
Related content
{{aircontent
|related=
|sequence=
- LB-series: LB-7 - LB-8 - LB-9 - LB-10 - LB-11 - XLB-12 - LB-13
- B-series: XB-1 - B-2 - B-3 - B-4 - B-5 - B-6
|lists=
}}