Naval Aircraft Factory SBN

SBN

An SBN-1 of Torpedo Squadron Eight, 1941
Role	Scout bomber
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Brewster Naval Aircraft Factory
First flight	1936
Introduction	1941
Primary user	United States Navy
Number built	1 (SBA) 30 (SBN)

A SBN-1 of VT-8 at Norfolk in 1941

The Naval Aircraft Factory SBN was a United States three-seat mid-wing monoplane scout bomber/torpedo aircraft designed by the Brewster Aeronautical Corporation and built under license by the Naval Aircraft Factory in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The landing gear was similar to that on the Brewster F2A Buffalo fighter aircraft. The SBN had non-folding wings with perforated flaps.

Development

The United States Navy issued a specification for a scout-bomber in 1934 and the competition was won by Brewster. One prototype designated the XSBA-1 was ordered on October 15, 1934. The prototype first flew on April 15, 1936,^[1] and was delivered to the Navy for testing. Some minor problems were found during testing and the aircraft was given a more powerful engine. Because of the pressures of producing and developing the Brewster F2A Buffalo the company was unable to produce the aircraft and the Navy acquired a license to produce the aircraft itself at the Naval Aircraft Factory. In September 1938, the Navy placed an order for 30 production aircraft. Due to pressures of work at the NAF, it did not deliver the first aircraft, now designated the SBN, until 1941; the remaining aircraft were delivered between June 1941 and March 1942.

Operational history

A SBN-1 in 1941.

Obsolete before their delivery in 1941, some of the early production aircraft were used for operation carrier trials with Torpedo Squadron Eight in 1941 and then passed on for use as trainers. With lack of spare parts, the aircraft were withdrawn from service from August 1942.

Variants

XSBA-1: Brewster-built prototype, one built.
SBN-1: NAF license-built production aircraft, 30 built.

Operators

United States

United States Navy

Specifications (SBN-1)

General characteristics

Crew: 3 (pilot, navigator, gunner)
Length: 27 ft 8 in (8.43 m)
Wingspan: 39 ft 0 in (11.89 m)
Height: 8 ft 7 in (2.64 m)
Wing area: 259 ft² (24.1 m²)
Gross weight: 3759 lb (3066 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Wright XR-1820-22 Cyclone radial engine, 950 hp (709 kW)

Performance

Maximum speed: 254 mph (409 km/h)
Range: 1015 miles (1633 km)
Service ceiling: 28,300 ft (8600 m)

Armament

1 × rearward-firing, flexible .30 in (7.62 mm) machine gun
Up to 500 lb (230 kg) of bombs

References

↑ Swanborough and Bowers 1976, p.417.

Swanborough, Gordon and Peter M. Bowers. United States Navy Aircraft since 1911. London: Putnam, Second edition 1976. ISBN 0-370-10054-9.

USN scout aircraft designations

Scout

Aeromarine	AS

Curtiss	CS S2C S3C S4C SC³

Dayton-Wright	SDW

Bellanca	SE

Edo Aircraft	SE² S2E

Grumman	SF

Great Lakes	SG

Loening	SL S2L

Martin	MS

Sikorsky	SS

Vought	SU

Cox-Klemin	XS

Scout Bomber

Brewster	SBA SB2A

Curtiss-Wright	SBC SB2C SB3C

Douglas	SBD SB2D

Grumman	SBF

Fairchild	SBF

Naval Aircraft Factory	SBN

Vought	SBU SB2U SB3U

Canadian Car and Foundry	SBW

Scout Observation

Curtiss	SOC SO2C SO3C

Bellanca	SOE

Edo Aircraft	SOE² SO2E

Fairchild	SOK

Naval Aircraft Factory	SON

Ryan	SOR

Vought	SOU¹ SO2U

Scout Trainer

Beechcraft	SNB

Curtiss-Wright	SNC

North American	SNJ SN2J

Vultee	SNV

¹ Not assigned • ² Assigned to a different manufacturer's type • ³ Sequence restarted

Aircraft produced by Brewster Aeronautical Corporation

Attack types	SBA SB2A XA-32 A-34

Fighters	F2A F3A

Names	Bermuda Buccaneer Buffalo Corsair

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