# Boeing Model 15 > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Boeing_Model_15 > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Boeing_Model_15.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_Model_15 > Source revision: 1330416182 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) American fighter aircraft PW-9/FB USMC Naval variant, Boeing FB-5 of VM-3M VMFA-232 General information Type Pursuit fighter (PW-9) Carrier Fighter (FB series) Manufacturer Boeing Primary users United States Army Air Service United States Navy United States Marine Corps Number built 158 History Introduction date 1923 First flight 2 June 1923 Variant Boeing XP-4 The **Boeing Model 15** is a [United States](/source/United_States) single-seat open-cockpit [biplane](/source/Biplane) [fighter aircraft](/source/Fighter_aircraft) of the 1920s, manufactured by the [Boeing](/source/Boeing) company. The Model 15 saw service with the [United States Army Air Service](/source/United_States_Army_Air_Service) (as the **PW-9** series) and with the [United States Navy](/source/United_States_Navy) as a [carrier-based](/source/Aircraft_carrier) fighter (as the **FB** series). ## Design and development The design of the Model 15 was based on studies of the [Fokker D.VII](/source/Fokker_D.VII),[1] of which 142 were brought back to the U.S. for evaluation as part of the [Armistice](/source/Armistice_with_Germany_(Compi%C3%A8gne)) Agreement ending [World War I](/source/World_War_I). Many of the features were similar. The Model 15 had a [fuselage](/source/Fuselage) of welded steel tubing braced with piano wire, while the tapered single bay wings were fabric on a wooden frame, with spruce and mahogany wing spars and three-ply wood ribs. Wing struts were changed from the normal wood used in Boeing designs to streamlined steel tubes. The landing gear had a straight axle, streamlined into a small 16 in (410 mm) [chord](/source/Chord_(aircraft)) wing.[2] The original engine was a 300 [hp](/source/Horsepower) (220 kW) Wright-Hispano, but when the 435 hp (324 kW) [liquid-cooled](/source/Radiator_(engine_cooling)) [Curtiss D-12](/source/Curtiss_D-12) became available the aircraft was redesigned, moving the [radiator](/source/Radiator_(engine_cooling)) from the nose to a "tunnel" under the engine.[1] Along with some other minor design changes to the wings, the design was finalized on January 10, 1922.[2] The Army expressed interest in the new design, and agreed to provide armament, powerplants, and test the aircraft, while leaving Boeing the rights to the aircraft and design. The contract was signed on April 4, 1923[1] and the first prototype, designated *XPW-9* for "Experimental Pursuit, Water-cooled engine", flew on June 2, 1923.[3] The XPW-9 competed with the [Curtiss Model 33](/source/Curtiss_P-1_Hawk) for contracts for a pursuit aircraft to replace the [Thomas-Morse MB-3](/source/Thomas-Morse_MB-3)A in the [United States Army Air Service](/source/United_States_Army_Air_Service).[3] Ultimately, both models were accepted; the Curtiss aircraft was designated **PW-8** and the Model 15 **PW-9**. The Air Service preferred the PW-9, which outperformed the PW-8 in all performance aspects except speed, and was built on a more rugged and easier to maintain design, ordering 113 aircraft (only 25 PW-8s were procured).[1] A naval version was also developed, designated **FB**, and 44 aircraft produced. ## Operational history Deliveries of the first 25 PW-9s began on October 30, 1925.[4] Boeing delivered a total of 114 PW-9s of all variants including prototypes to the [United States Army Air Corps](/source/United_States_Army_Air_Corps) between 1925 and February 1931. Virtually all PW-9s served with overseas units, in [Hawaii](/source/Hawaii) with the 5th Composite Group at [Luke Field](/source/Ford_Island) and later the 18th Pursuit Group at [Wheeler Field](/source/Wheeler_Army_Airfield),[5] and in the [Philippines](/source/Philippines) with the 4th Composite Group at [Clark Field](/source/Clark_Air_Base), [Luzon](/source/Luzon). PW-9s equipped the 3rd, 6th, and 19th Pursuit Squadrons between 1925 and 1931. The FB-1, of which the Navy ordered 16 but received only ten between December 1 and 22, 1924,[6] was not modified for naval operations (for instance, no [arresting hook](/source/Arresting_hook)), and was assigned to Marine Corps squadrons [VF-1M](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=VF-1M&action=edit&redlink=1), [VF-2M](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=VF-2M&action=edit&redlink=1), and [VF-3M](/source/VF-3M), being deployed to [China](/source/China) in support of the Marine Expeditionary Force.[7] Two additional planes—designated FB-2—were altered to operate on the carrier [*Langley*](/source/USS_Langley_(CV-1)) with the addition of arresting gear and a straight-across axle for the landing gear. These went into service with [VF-2](/source/VF-2_(1927%E2%80%931942)) in December 1925. Generally satisfactory results led to an order for 27 FB-5s, which became the Navy's first fighters intended specifically for carrier operation. They were upgraded to 525 hp (391 kW) [Packard 2A-1500](/source/Packard_2A-1500) engines, and sported a row of hooks on the bottom of the axle, used to guide the plane via cables on the deck. The FB-5 first flew October 7, 1926 and was delivered to the Navy beginning in the following January, carried on barges in [Puget Sound](/source/Puget_Sound) from Boeing's factory to *Langley* anchored in Seattle's harbor. Hoisted aboard, their first official flights were from the carrier's deck.[8] ## Production history Of the 158 aircraft built, 147 were standard production aircraft and the remaining were aircraft developed for specific interests.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] The production runs are shown below with the PW designations for Army aircraft and the FB designations being for the Navy. Number Built Model Years Built Engine 30 PW-9 1925-1926 Curtiss D-12 24 PW-9A 1926-1927 Curtiss D-12C 40 PW-9C 1927-1928 Curtiss D-12D 16 PW-9D 1928-1934 Curtiss D-12D 10 FB-1 1924 Curtiss D-12 27 FB-5 1927- Packard 2A-1500 ## Variants **XPW-9** - Three prototypes built for Air Service evaluation. First aircraft scrapped at McCook Field on February 21, 1925, second static tested in October 1928 and the third was still flying in December 1928.[4] **PW-9** - 30 produced 1925-26, first production variant, D-12 engine.[1] **PW-9A** - 24 produced 1926-27, D-12C engine.[1] **PW-9B** - One modified PW-9A, delivered as PW-9B in 1927.[1] **PW-9C** - 40 produced 1927-28, D-12D engine.[1] **PW-9D** - 16 produced 1928-34, final production variant.[1] **[XP-4](/source/Boeing_XP-4)** - Designation of one PW-9 (ser no. 25-324) re-engined with a 510 hp (380 kW) Packard 1A-1500 engine. Boeing Model 58. **AT-3** - Designation of one PW-9A (ser no. 26-374) converted to single-seat trainer with a Wright-Hispano engine.[1] FB-1 **FB-1** - Ten built as FB-1s from initial order of 16, remaining six modified to other sub-types (FB-2, FB-3, FB-4). Powered by a 435 hp (324 kW) Curtiss D-12. Initial Navy delivery, shore-based only. **FB-2 (Model 53)** - Two FB-1s modified for carrier operation, 510 hp (380 kW) Packard 1A-1500 engine. Later converted to FB-1 standard. A Boeing FB-5 preserved at the [Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center](/source/Steven_F._Udvar-Hazy_Center). **FB-3 (Model 55)** - Three built to evaluate the 510 hp (380 kW) Packard 1A-1500 engine. Like the FB-4, the FB-3 was fitted with floatplanes. Following a crash in December 1925, the remaining two were converted to conventional landing gear. **FB-4 (Model 54)** - One built, experimental model with a 450 hp (340 kW) [Wright P-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wright_P-1&action=edit&redlink=1) radial engine and fitted with floatplanes. Later converted to FB-6 standard. **FB-5 (Model 67)** - 27 built, production version. Powered by a 520 hp (390 kW) Packard 2A-1500 engine. **FB-6** - FB-4 re-engined with a 450 hp (340 kW) [Pratt & Whitney R-1340](/source/Pratt_%26_Whitney_R-1340)-B Wasp engine. **FB-7 (Model 67A)** - Development of FB-5, powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-1340-A Wasp engine, not built. **XFB-5 (Model 97)** - Designation for one FB-5 (*A-7101*) used for development tests in 1927. ## Operators **[United States](/source/United_States)** - [United States Army Air Corps](/source/United_States_Army_Air_Corps) - [United States Navy](/source/United_States_Navy) - [United States Marine Corps](/source/United_States_Marine_Corps) ## Aircraft on Display **FB-5** FB-5 on display at Planes of Fame Air Museum - A-7114 on display at the [Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center](/source/Steven_F._Udvar-Hazy_Center), [Dulles International Airport](/source/Dulles_International_Airport), [Chantilly, Virginia](/source/Chantilly%2C_Virginia). - A-7123 in storage at the [National Museum of the Marine Corps](/source/National_Museum_of_the_Marine_Corps), [Quantico, Virginia](/source/Quantico%2C_Virginia). - A-7126 on display at [Planes of Fame Air Museum](/source/Planes_of_Fame_Air_Museum), [Chino, California](/source/Chino%2C_California). - Reproduction on display at [San Diego Air and Space Museum](/source/San_Diego_Air_and_Space_Museum) Gillespie Field Annex, [El Cajon, California](/source/El_Cajon%2C_California). ## Specifications (PW-9) *Data from* Boeing Aircraft since 1916 [9] **General characteristics** - **Crew:** one - **Length:** 23 ft 5 in (7.14 m) - **Wingspan:** 32 ft (9.8 m) - **Height:** 8 ft 2 in (2.49 m) - **Wing area:** 260 sq ft (24 m2) - **[Airfoil](/source/Airfoil):** Göttingen 436 [2] - **Empty weight:** 1,936 lb (878 kg) - **Gross weight:** 3,120 lb (1,415 kg) - **Powerplant:** 1 × [Curtiss D-12](/source/Curtiss_D-12) water-cooled V-12, 435 hp (324 kW) **Performance** - **Maximum speed:** 159 mph (256 km/h, 138 kn) - **Cruise speed:** 142 mph (229 km/h, 123 kn) - **Range:** 390 mi (630 km, 340 nmi) - **Service ceiling:** 18,925 ft (5,768 m) - **Rate of climb:** 1,630 ft/min (8.3 m/s) - **Wing loading:** 12.0 lb/sq ft (58.7 kg/m2) - **[Power/mass](/source/Power-to-weight_ratio):** 0.14 hp/lb (0.22 kW/kg) **Armament** - **Guns:** 2 × fixed .30 in (7.62 mm) [machine guns](/source/Machine_gun) - **Bombs:** 1 × 244 lb (111 kg) bomb ## See also **Related development** - [Boeing XP-8](/source/Boeing_XP-8) - [Boeing F2B](/source/Boeing_F2B) **Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era** - [Curtiss P-1](/source/P-1_Hawk) - [Fokker PW-7](/source/Fokker_D.XI) ## References ### Notes 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Baugher_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Baugher_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Baugher_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Baugher_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Baugher_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-Baugher_1-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-Baugher_1-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-Baugher_1-7) [***i***](#cite_ref-Baugher_1-8) [***j***](#cite_ref-Baugher_1-9) Baugher, Joe. ["Boeing PW-9"](http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_fighters/pw9.html). *www.joebaugher.com*. Retrieved 2014-07-01. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Bowersp81_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Bowersp81_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Bowersp81_2-2) Bowers 1989, p. 81. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-bowersp82_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-bowersp82_3-1) Bowers 1989, p.82. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-bowersp69_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-bowersp69_4-1) Bowers 1966, p.69. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Ed Phillips (Spring 1985). "Woolaroc!". *AAHS Journal*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-bowersp84_6-0)** Bowers 1989, p. 84. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Swan&bowersp55_7-0)** Swanborough and Bowers 1976, p.55. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Swan&Bowersp56_8-0)** Swanborough and Bowers 1976, p.56 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Bowersp84-85_9-0)** Bowers 1989, pp. 84–85. ### Bibliography - Bowers, Peter M. (1966). *Boeing aircraft since 1916* (First ed.). London: Putnam Aeronautical Books. - Bowers, Peter M. (1989). *Boeing aircraft since 1916* (Second ed.). London: Putnam Aeronautical Books. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-85177-804-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-85177-804-6). - Jones, Lloyd S. (1977). *U.S. Naval Fighters*. Fallbrook, CA: Aero Publishers. pp. 35–38. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-8168-9254-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-8168-9254-7). - Swanborough, Gordon; Bowers, Peter M. (1976). *United States Navy Aircraft since 1911* (Second ed.). London: Putnam. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-370-10054-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-370-10054-9). ## External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Boeing PW-9/FB](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Boeing_PW-9/FB). - Baugher, Joe. ["Boeing PW-9"](http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_fighters/pw9.html). *Joe Baugher's U.S. Military Aircraft page*. - [Instructions for the Assembly and Maintenance of the Boeing Single Seat Pursuit and Fighter Airplanes](https://digitalcollections.museumofflight.org/nodes/view/2804) – manual for the PW-9 and FB-1/FB-5 v t e Boeing military aircraft Fighters/attack aircraft PW-9/FB F2B F3B F4B XF5B XF6B XF7B XF8B XP-4 XP-7 XP-8 XP-9 P-12 XP-15 P-26 P-29 XP-32 818 F-15E F-15EX YF-22 F-22 AV-8B F/A-18E/F EA-18G F-47 Bombers YB-9 XB-15 B-17 Y1B-20 B-29 XB-38 XB-39 YB-40 XB-44 B-47 B-50 B-52 B-54 XB-55 XB-56 XB-59 B-1 Piston-engined transports C-73 C-75 C-97 C-98 XC-105 C-108 Jet transports C-135 C-137 CC-137 YC-14 C-17 C-22 VC-25 VC-25B Bridge C-32 C-40 CT-43 Tanker-transports KB-29 KB-50 KC-97 KC-135 KC-137 KC-10 KC-46 KC-767 Trainers PT-13 PT-17 PT-18 PT-27 XAT-15 T-43 T-45 T-7 Patrol and surveillance XPB XPBB XP3B P-8 EC-135 EC-18 E-3 E-4 E-6 E-7 E-8 E-10 E-767 Reconnaissance NC-135 OC-135B RC-135 WC-135 Drones/UAVs YQM-94 CQM-121 MQ-18 RQ-21 MQ-25 MQ-27 MQ-28 X-50 Experimental/prototypes AFTI/F-111A Bird of Prey Phantom Eye Phantom Ray Skyfox X-20 X-32 X-36 X-37 X-40 X-45 X-48 X-50 X-51 X-53 YAL-1 v t e Boeing aircraft model numbers Aircraft 1 2 3 4 5 6 6D/E 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 311 312 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 334 335 336 337 338 339 340 341 342 343 344 345 345-2/4/31 346 348 349 350 351 352 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 361 362 363 364 365 366 367 -76 367-80 368 369 370 371 372 373 374 375 377 378 379 380 381 382 383 384 385 386 387 388 389 390 391 392 393 394 395 396 397 398 399 400 401 402 403 404 405 406 407 408 409 410 411 412 413 414 415 416 417 418 419 420 421 422 423 424 425 426 427 428 429 431 432 433 434 435 436 437 439 440 441 442 443 444 445 446 447 448 449 450 451 452 453 454 455 456 457 458 459 460 461 462 463 464 465 466 467 468 469 470 471 472 473 474 475 479 480 481 482 483 484 485 486 490 493 495 497 498 701 707 -020 717 (I) -100/146/148/166 717 (II) 720 727 733 737 -253 Classic Next Generation -700W -800A MAX 739 747 SP -2G4B -400 -4G4F -8 757 -2G4 767 777 X 787 814 815 818 820 831 844 853-21 953 1041 1044 1046 1074 1080 2000 2020 2707 Turbine engines 8C 500 502 520 550 Missiles 600 601 602 621 624 631 641 Vessels 929 Other Boeing customer codes v t e USAAS fighter (pursuit) designations 1919–1924 Pursuit, air-cooled PA-1 Pursuit, ground-attack PG-1 Pursuit, night PN-1 Pursuit, special PS-1 Two-seat pursuit TP-1 Pursuit, water-cooled PW-1 PW-2 PW-3 PW-4 PW-5 PW-6 PW-7 PW-8 PW-9 v t e United States Navy fighter designations pre-1962 General Aviation Brewster FA FA2 F2A F3A Boeing FB F2B F3B F4B F5B F6B F7B F8B Curtiss FC F2C F3C F4C F5C1 F6C F7C F8C F9C F10C F11C F12C F13C F14C F15C Douglas McDonnell FD F2D2 F3D F4D F5D F6D FD F2D Grumman FF F2F F3F F4F F5F F6F F7F F8F F9F -1 to -5 -6 to -8 -9 F10F F11F -1F/2 F12F (I) F12F (II)3 Eberhart Goodyear FG F2G FG F2G Hall McDonnell FH FH F2H F3H F4H Berliner-Joyce North American FJ F2J F3J FJ -1 -2/3 -4 -53 Loening Bell FL FL F2L-14 F2L-1K F3L3 General Motors FM F2M F3M Naval Aircraft Factory FN Lockheed FO (I) FO (II) Ryan FR F2R F3R Supermarine FS Northrop FT F2T Vought FU F2U F3U F4U F5U F6U F7U F8U -3 Canadian Vickers Lockheed FV FV Wright CC&F WP F2W F3W FW2 F2W2 F3W2 F4W Convair FY F2Y 1 Not assigned • 2 Assigned to a different manufacturer's type • 3 Unofficial • 4 Unconfirmed See also: Aeromarine AS • Vought VE-7 v t e United States trainer aircraft designations, Army/Air Force and Tri-Service systems Advanced trainer (1925–1948) AT-1 AT-2 AT-3 AT-4 AT-5 AT-6 AT-7 AT-8 AT-9 AT-10 AT-11 AT-12 AT-13 AT-14 AT-15 AT-16 AT-17 AT-18 AT-19 AT-20 AT-21 AT-22 AT-23 AT-24 Basic combat (1936–1940) BC-1 BC-2 BC-3 Basic trainer (1930–1948) BT-1 BT-2 BT-3 BT-4 BT-5 BT-6 BT-7 BT-8 BT-9 BT-10 BT-11 BT-12 BT-13 BT-14 BT-15 BT-16 BT-17 Primary trainer (1924–1948) PT-1 PT-2 PT-3 PT-4 PT-5 PT-6 PT-7 PT-8 PT-9 PT-10 PT-11 PT-12 PT-13 PT-14 PT-15 PT-16 PT-17 PT-18 PT-19 PT-20 PT-21 PT-22 PT-23 PT-24 PT-25 PT-26 PT-27 Main sequence (1948–present) 1948 redesignations T-6 T-7 T-11 T-132 T-13A T-13B/D T-17 T-19 New designations T-28 T-29 T-30 T-31 T-32 T-33 T-34 T-35 T-36 T-37 T-38 T-39 T-40 T-412 Grumman T-41 Cessna T-41 T-42 T-43 T-44 T-45 T-46 T-472 T-47A OT-47B T-482 YT-48 T-48TS T-49 T-50 T-51 T-52 T-53 T-54 Alternate sequences 1962 redesignations T-1 T-2 Since 1990 T-1 T-21 T-3 T-41 T-51 T-6 T-7 1 Not assigned • 2 Assigned to multiple types --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Boeing Model 15](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_Model_15) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_Model_15?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.