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Home > Fact Sheets > Martin XB-68
MARTIN XB-68
Posted 7/8/2009
Printable Fact Sheet
Standard Aircraft Characteristics (Sept. 12, 1956)
Mission and Description: The principal mission of the XB-68 is the destruction of surface objects while in support of tactical operations.
The crew of pilot-radio operator and navigator-bombardier defense systems operator are located in a pressurized compartment that is cooled by filtered air bled from the engines, and a refrigeration unit for evaporative cooling at high Mach numbers.
The XB-68 is a conventional aircraft designed to operate at supersonic speeds in all-weather conditions and at low and high altitudes. The basic structure is primarily of steel with design for skin temperature of 350° F.
Other features are: boundary-layer diverter, windshield defogging, detachable aerial refueling probe, single-point ground refueling, integral fuel tanks, rotary bomb bay door serving as weapon carrier combination, tip ailerons and short cord spars, dive brakes, liquid oxygen system, variable horizontal tail and two deceleration chutes.
Development: The current program requires construction of two prototype aircraft and one static test article.
The intended use of this weapon system is to satisfy the requirements for a tactical bomber during the (1962-1965) time period.
| Type |
Number built/
converted |
Remarks |
| XB-68 |
0 |
Project canceled |
TECHNICAL NOTES (as designed):
Guns: One Type T-171E-2 20mm cannon tail turret with 1100 rounds of ammunition; four tail cones are interchangeable in the field for optimum defense capability
Bombs: One Class D of 3500 lbs. or one Class C of 8500 lbs.
Cameras: One P-2 Vertical and one O-20 Scope Camera
Engines: Two Pratt & Whitney J75 (JT4B-21) axial flow turbojets of 27,500 lbs. static sea level thrust each with afterburner and ISEC (Induction System Evaporative Cooling of engine air by water injection), 18,150-lbs. static sea level thrust each at military power (no afterburner), 16,350 lbs. static sea level thrust each at normal power
Maximum speed: 1,380 knots at 54,700 ft. altitude at maximum power
Combat speed: 1,333 knots at 42,200 ft. altitude at maximum power
Basic speed: 1,212 knots at 35,000 ft. altitude at maximum power
Stalling speed: 148 knots, power-off, landing configuration, takeoff weight
Combat radius: 1,086 nautical miles with 3,700-lb. payload at 526 knots average in 4.15 hours
Ferry range: 2642 nautical miles with 7138 gallons fuel at 531 knots average in 4.98 hours at 102,720 lb. takeoff weight.
Ceiling: 40,950 ft., 100 fpm, takeoff weight, military power; 44,800 ft. 500 fpm, combat weight, military power
Span: 53 ft. 0 in.
Incidence: (Root) 2° (Tip) 2°
Sweepback (LE): 26° 24'
Length: 109 ft. 8 in.
Height: 25 ft. 6 in.
Tread: 3 ft. 2 in.
Tread with outriggers: 53 ft. 0 in.
Weight: 102,720 lbs. maximum take-off weight (limited by space), 74,180 lbs. for basic mission (subsonic), 53,925 lbs. empty (estimated)
Crew: Two (pilot-radio operator and navigator-bombardier defense systems operator)
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