Cold War, Experimental

Martin XB-48 – The Forgotten Innovator

Although it may not be the most famous, the XB-48 bomber, an experimental jet bomber designed and built by the Glenn L. Martin Company during the late 1940s, represents a significant leap in the advancement of jet-powered aircraft.

It reflects the transitional era from propeller-driven aircraft to high-speed, jet-powered machines in the post-World War II era.

Contents

Development

The XB-48 was born out of the need to revolutionise the realm of military aviation in the wake of the Second World War.

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With the advent of jet propulsion technology, the U.S. Army Air Force recognised the need for a new generation of jet-powered bombers to replace their fleet of propeller-driven bombers.

The Glenn L. Martin Company, among others, was selected for this ambitious project in 1944. Design and development were undertaken at the company’s Middle River facility in Maryland.

This new venture into jet-powered aviation was laden with challenges.

Martin's venture into jet bomber design.
Martin’s venture into jet bomber design.

The first obstacle lay in the fact that jet technology was still in its early stages, and there was much that was unknown or uncertain about harnessing this new form of propulsion for an aircraft of the scale required.

To compound this issue, early jet engines were notorious for their high fuel consumption rates.

This trait, while a minor inconvenience for smaller aircraft, presented a significant limitation for a bomber that needed to have a substantial operational range.

Furthermore, these engines had a lower power-to-weight ratio compared to their piston counterparts, so the bomber required more engines to meet the necessary performance specifications.

Engineers at Martin sought to overcome these limitations through innovation.

The XB-48’s design incorporated a total of six jet engines, arranged in pairs in three separate pods housed beneath the wings.

This unique configuration was designed to maximise the available thrust while minimizing the aerodynamic drag that larger, individual engine nacelles would produce.

The development process was not without delays.

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The XB-48 made its first flight on June 22, 1947, almost three years after the contract was awarded. Despite promising results from nearly 100 flights in the testing phase, the XB-48 was ultimately passed over in favour of the more efficient and faster Boeing B-47 Stratojet.

The B-47 won the competition over the XB-48.
The B-47 won the competition over the XB-48.

The Martin XB-48 represents a significant chapter in the broader story of the evolution of jet-powered aviation.

Design

The XB-48 was an all-metal, medium-sized jet bomber. The aircraft’s body was sleek and aerodynamic, a necessity to reduce drag and make the most of the jet engines’ power.

The design adopted a swept-wing configuration, a major innovation at the time that would later become a staple for high-speed jet aircraft. The wings had a significant span of 106 feet, while the overall length of the aircraft was 85 feet 5 inches.

One of the most distinctive design elements of the XB-48 was the placement of its jet engines.

Martin XB-48 in flight.
Martin XB-48 in flight.

The aircraft housed six turbojet engines, grouped in pairs into three pods located beneath the wings. This design choice was made to optimize the available thrust while minimising the drag that larger, individual engine nacelles would have produced.

Each J35-GE-7 engine was capable of producing a thrust of approximately 4,000 pounds-force (lbf).

This was a significant improvement over earlier jet engines and allowed the XB-48 to achieve a top speed of about 520 miles per hour.

However, these engines were known for their high fuel consumption, which presented a significant challenge for the aircraft’s operational range, a critical factor for a bomber.

The choice of using six engines was a strategic one.

The unusual configuration of six engines is not common on modern aircraft.
The unusual configuration of six engines is not common on modern aircraft.

At the time of the XB-48’s development, jet engines were still relatively new and less powerful compared to their piston-engine counterparts.

By using multiple engines, the aircraft designers hoped to compensate for the individual engines’ limitations, maximizing the available thrust and thereby enabling the bomber to meet its performance requirements.

Despite the challenges they presented, the J35 engines were an integral part of the XB-48’s design and were key to its performance.

The aircraft had a tricycle landing gear configuration, with the main gear retracting into the fuselage and the nose gear into the nose.

This was another innovative aspect of the design as most bombers of the period still used tailwheel configurations.

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The XB-48 was designed to carry a substantial payload, with a bomb bay capable of accommodating up to 22,000 pounds of bombs. This was crucial, given the aircraft’s intended role as a medium bomber.

The XB-48 was large enough to carry a hefty amount of weaponary.
The XB-48 was large enough to carry a hefty amount of weaponry.

In terms of performance, the XB-48 had a maximum speed of approximately 520 miles per hour, and a cruising speed of 435 miles per hour.

The aircraft had an estimated range of 3,590 miles, albeit this was significantly reduced when carrying a full bomb load.

The crew accommodations consisted of a pressurised cabin that could house a three-person crew – a pilot, a co-pilot, and a bombardier.

The XB-48 also featured a remote-controlled, tail-mounted defensive gun turret, though this feature was later removed due to the advent of fighter aircraft capable of surpassing the bomber’s speed and altitude.

Operational Use

Following its maiden flight on June 22, 1947, the XB-48 underwent a series of extensive tests to evaluate its potential for operational use.

These included nearly 100 flights, during which the aircraft’s performance was assessed under various conditions and configurations.

The aircraft demonstrated satisfactory performance, particularly in terms of its top speed and payload capacity.

However, the XB-48 was developed in a period of intense competition among aircraft manufacturers, with several other experimental jet bombers, such as the North American B-45 Tornado and the Boeing B-47 Stratojet, vying for the same operational role.

The B-45 Tornado.
The B-45 Tornado.

These aircraft were also undergoing rigorous testing and evaluation processes.

Eventually, the U.S. Army Air Force selected the Boeing B-47 Stratojet over the Martin XB-48.

The B-47, while similar in many respects to the XB-48, offered several advantages, including superior speed, range, and handling characteristics, which made it a more appealing choice for the intended operational role.

As a result, the XB-48 was left out of the operational picture. Despite this, the lessons learned from its development and testing phases, as well as the innovative features it introduced, greatly contributed to the evolution of jet-powered aircraft design.

The aircraft taxiing with the outer wheels visible.
The aircraft taxiing with the outer wheels visible.

Conclusion

Although the XB-48 never saw operational service, it played a pivotal role in advancing jet-powered flight technology.

Its innovative engine configuration demonstrated a possible solution to the limitations of early jet engines, offering designers new ways to think about aircraft design.

The development process also highlighted the need for improved fuel efficiency in jet engines, a lesson that would guide future research and development in the field.

Moreover, the XB-48 development process showcased the importance of agility in military aircraft procurement. The rapid technological advancements of this era rendered many designs obsolete even before they could be deployed.

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It demonstrated the necessity of constant innovation and adaptability, lessons that continue to shape the development of military aircraft today.

It serves as a touchstone for the transitional phase between propeller-driven and jet-powered aircraft, encapsulating the challenges and potential that such a transition offered.

Even though it never entered operational service, the XB-48 contributed significantly to the development of jet-powered flight technology and taught important lessons about military aircraft design and procurement.

Its legacy continues to resonate in the designs of modern aircraft, underscoring the enduring relevance of this underappreciated piece of aviation history.

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Specifications

  • Crew: three (pilot, co-pilot, and bomber-navigator)
  • Length: 85 ft 9 in (26.14 m)
  • Wingspan: 108 ft 4 in (33.02 m)
  • Height: 26 ft 6 in (8.08 m)
  • Empty weight: 58,500 lb (26,535 kg)
  • Gross weight: 92,600 lb (42,000 kg)
  • Max takeoff weight: 102,600 lb (46,540 kg)
  • Powerplant: 6 × General Electric J35 axial flow turbojet, 3,820 lbf (17.0 kN) thrust each
  • Maximum speed: 454 kn (523 mph, 841 km/h) at 35,000 ft
  • Range: 1,566 nmi (1,802 mi, 2,900 km)
  • Combat range: 691 nmi (795 mi, 1,280 km)
  • Service ceiling: 39,400 ft (12,009 m)
  • Rate of climb: 4,200 ft/min (21.3 m/s)