Berliner-Joyce XFJ

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The Berliner-Joyce XFJ was a United States prototype biplane fighter aircraft that first flew in May 1930. Designed by Berliner-Joyce Aircraft for the United States Navy, its lower wing, placed below the fuselage and just two feet above the ground, apparently gave it a tendency to ground loop when landing, and it was never ordered for production.

Development and design

Berliner-Joyce had been formed in 1929, and had won a contract with the United States Army for the Berliner-Joyce P-16 aircraft. At the same time, they submitted a similar design to the Navy, modified to meet the differing requirements. The body was to be an all-metal monocoque, with the upper wing mounted on the top of the fuselage, and the lower wing slung on struts beneath the body.

The prototype, XFJ-1, was sent to Anacostia for testing after its initial flights, where the ground-looping habit was noted, and eventually resulted in a landing accident, necessitating return and repair. The company took the opportunity to add a Townend ring engine cowling, and upgraded the engine from a 450-hp Pratt & Whitney R-1340C to a 500-hp R-1340-92 Wasp. This and other improvements boosted speed from 177 to 193 mph, and the Navy gave the reconstructed aircraft the designation XFJ-2. However, improved performance came at the expense of stability, and the ground loop problem persisted, and there was no interest in continuing with this design. Nevertheless, the prototype continued to be used for other tests for several years.

pecifications (XFJ-1)

aerospecs
ref=Angelucci, 1987. pp. 59-60.
met or eng?=eng

crew=1
capacity=
length m=6.27
length ft=20
length in=7
span m=8.53
span ft=28
span in=0
height m=2.00
height ft=9
height in=10
wing area sqm=16.63
wing area sqft=179
empty weight kg=928
empty weight lb=2,046
gross weight kg=1,269
gross weight lb=2,797

eng1 number=1
eng1 type=Pratt & Whitney R-1340C
eng1 kw=
eng1 hp=450
eng2 number=
eng2 type=
eng2 kw=
eng2 hp=

max speed kmh=277
max speed mph=172
cruise speed kmh=
cruise speed mph=
stall speed kmh=
stall speed mph=
range km=650
range miles=404
endurance h=
endurance min=
ceiling m=7,254
ceiling ft=23,800
climb rate ms=6.5
climb rate ftmin=1282

armament1=2x .30in machine guns
armament2=
armament3=
armament4=
armament5=
armament6=

aircontent
see also=
related=
similar aircraft=
lists=

References

Biography

*
* Lloyd S. Jones, "U.S. Naval Fighters" (Fallbrook CA: Aero Publishers, 1977, ISBN 0-8168-9254-7), pp. 80–83.

External links

* [http://aeroweb.brooklyn.cuny.edu/specs/berljoyc/xfj-1.htm Berliner-Joyce XFJ-1 (includes an image)] —AeroWeb: The Aviation Enthusiast Corner