1947. Taxi tests for Boeing Stratojet

 


Boeing's swept-wing six-jet bomber, the X13-47, is shown undergoing engine runs, taxi tests and field inspections by pilots and ground crew in preparation for actual flight tests, scheduled for late in the month. 

Weighing 62 tons and with a fuselage longer than the B-29, the XB-47 is powered by six General Electric J-35 turbo-jet engines providing 24,000 lb. of rated thrust. Auxiliary power for the jet engines is provided by two groups of nine Jato rocket units mounted on each side of the fuselage just aft of the wing. 

The first bomber with swept-back wings and the first airplane with radical sweepback in both wings and tail surfaces, the XB-47 is described by Boeing "as the world's first bomber designed specifically to utilize the tremendous speed possible with jet power plants." 

The 2,000.mile range of the bomber is attained by a "tremendous" fuel load. Estimates indicate that approximately 15.000 gal. of jet fuel would be required to attain this range. 



___________________
Aviation Week | November 24, 1947