Berliner-Joyce XF3J

The Berliner-Joyce XF3J was an American biplane fighter, built by Berliner-Joyce Aircraft. It was submitted to the United States Navy for their request for a single-seat carrier-based fighter powered by a 625 hp (466 kW) Wright R-1510-26 engine.

XF3J
Role	Fighter
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Berliner-Joyce Aircraft
First flight	23 January 1934
Primary user	United States Navy
Number built	1

Development and design

The XF3J had elliptical fabric covered wings which gave it the appearance of a butterfly. The fuselage was semimonocoque metallic with an aluminum skin. The undercarriage was fixed, and would be the last biplane fighter without a retractable gear that the U.S. Navy would test. The aircraft performed satisfactorily in testing, but more promising aircraft had been developed and, in September 1935, the program was terminated.

Specifications (XF3J)

Data from

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 22 ft 11 in (6.99 m)
• Wingspan: 29 ft 0 in (8.84 m)
• Height: 10 ft 9 in (3.28 m)
• Wing area: 240 sq ft (22.3 m²)
• Empty weight: 2,717 lb (1,232 kg)
• Gross weight: 4,016 lb (1,822 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × Wright XR-1510-26 , 625 hp (466 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 209 mph (336 km/h, 182 kn)
• Range: 1,400 mi (2,253 km, 1,200 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 24,500 ft (7,468 m)

Armament

• 2 × .30 in (7.62 mm) machine guns
• 232 lb (105 kg) bombs

References

Bibliography

• Angelucci, Enzo (1987). The American Fighter from 1917 to the present. New York: Orion Books. pp. 61–62.