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Boeing Model 294 XB-15 Very-Heavy Bomber Prototype Family

The Boeing XB-15 was a one-aircraft very-heavy bomber experiment that tested whether a 5,000-mile-range design could carry a substantial load with the engines available in the mid-1930s. Its enormous wing, internal passageways, flight engineer station, and long-range test work exposed the practical limits of early heavy-bomber propulsion while establishing a design and operational reference for later Boeing long-range aircraft; the sole prototype was later converted to the XC-105 transport.

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Identity

Aliases
Boeing Model 294XBLR-1XC-105Grandpappy
Family Name
Boeing XB-15
Full Name
Boeing Model 294 XB-15 Very-Heavy Bomber Prototype Family
Roles
militaryexperimentalresearchcargo
Status
retired
Type
aircraft

Details

Aircraft Specs
Configuration
fixed_wing
Crew Capacity
10
Operating Modes
land
Takeoff Landing Capabilities
conventional
Description
The Boeing XB-15 was a one-aircraft very-heavy bomber experiment that tested whether a 5,000-mile-range design could carry a substantial load with the engines available in the mid-1930s. Its enormous wing, internal passageways, flight engineer station, and long-range test work exposed the practical limits of early heavy-bomber propulsion while establishing a design and operational reference for later Boeing long-range aircraft; the sole prototype was later converted to the XC-105 transport.
First Flight Year
1,937
Manufacturer
Propulsion Configurations
  • Entries
    • Nested value
    Name
    XB-15 R-1830 installation
    Notes
    Boeing historical specifications identify four Pratt & Whitney R-1830-11 Twin Wasp engines; the canonical relationship is intentionally family-level because the propulsion node represents the R-1830 family.

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Creation Time
August 9, 2026 at 04:28:37 UTC
Updated Time
August 9, 2026 at 04:28:37 UTC