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Home > Fact Sheets > Convair XB-46
CONVAIR XB-46
The Convair (Consolidated-Vultee) XB-46 was approved in late 1944 by the Army Air Forces and developed to use the General Electric J35 axial-flow turbo jet engine. The XB-45, XB-47 and XB-48 were also developed in response to the Army requirement for a jet-powered bomber capable of 500-mph 1,000-mile combat radius and a service ceiling in excess of 40,000 feet. Three prototypes were ordered in early 1945, but the Army decided to purchase the North American B-45 before the XB-46 was completed. This effectively killed the XB-46 program; however, a single aircraft was finished and tested. Funding for the other two (canceled) XB-46s was diverted to the Convair XA-44 jet attack aircraft project. The XA-44 mission was modified during development and the designation was changed to XB-53. The XB-53 project was canceled before either aircraft was completed.
The XB-46 was powered by four Allison (which took over production from General Electric) J35-A-3 turbojets housed in pairs in two wing nacelles similar to the XB-45 arrangement. The fuselage was long and narrow and was partly to blame for the project's cancellation -- the Army felt the aircraft would not be able to carry all the required avionics and radar equipment. Estimated performance figures also showed the aircraft to be inferior to the XB-45 design, in part because the estimated gross weight was 25,000 pounds higher for the Convair design.
The single XB-46 first flew on April 2, 1947, and continued in a test program into the early 1950s. The XB-46 was scrapped in early 1952.
| Type |
Number built/
converted |
Remarks |
| XB-46 |
1 |
Four-engine jet bomber; lost to XB-45 |
TECHNICAL NOTES:
Armament: Two radar directed .50-cal. machine guns with 600 rounds each in the tail (proposed) and up to 22,000 lbs. of bombs (proposed)
Engines: Four Allison J35-A-3 axial flow turbojets of 4,000 lbs. thrust each
Maximum speed: 545 mph at 15,000 ft.
Cruising speed: 439 mph
Range: 2,870 miles with 8,000 lbs. Of bombs (estimated)
Service ceiling: 43,000 ft.
Span: 113 ft. 0 in.
Length: 105 ft. 9 in.
Height: 27 ft. 11 in.
Weight: 95,600 lbs. (maximum takeoff weight)
Crew: Three (pilot, copilot-radio operator, bombardier-navigator)
Serial numbers: 45-59582 to 45-59584 (three ordered; only the first was completed)
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