saturncanuck
Any landing you can walk away from, is a good one.
Ok, so, we all know the Boeing XB-15 was originally designated as XBLR-1, and then changed to XB-15 when the BLR designation was discontinued in July 1936. However, I have a theory that the aircraft was "originally" the XB-15, then the XBLR-1, then back again to XB-15.
There was an XB-16, the Martin Model 145, submitted to the same specification as the XB-15 in May 1934. In June 1934, the USAAC concluded the XB-16 was to big and expensive, and so concentrated on the Boeing design. Boeing was awarded a contract for one XLBR-1 on June 29, 1935.
Now, consider this. The Martin Model 145 was designated as XB-16 in 1934 "before" the BLR designation was allocated in 1935. If the Boeing submission "wasn't" originally designated as XB-15, then why the jump? Conclusion, the XB-15 was originally XB-15 "before" being redesignated as XBLR-1.
Further, there were two submissions to "Project D" in June 1935, these being the Douglas XBLR-2 and Sikorsky XBLR-3. The XBLR-3 was dropped, and the Douglas design was continued, as the XBLR-2. However, when the BLR designation was dropped in July 1936, the XBLR-2 was redesignated XB-19. Being as, at this point, there was an XBLR-1 and an XBLR-2 that both needed redesignation, should they not have been designated sequentially in the next two open numbers, as in XB-18 and XB-19 or XB-19 and XB-20? Being as they were not, it again seems logical that the XBLR-1 was originally XB-15 while the XBLR-2 was allocated the next open designation.
Thoughts anyone? Can this be confirmed?
There was an XB-16, the Martin Model 145, submitted to the same specification as the XB-15 in May 1934. In June 1934, the USAAC concluded the XB-16 was to big and expensive, and so concentrated on the Boeing design. Boeing was awarded a contract for one XLBR-1 on June 29, 1935.
Now, consider this. The Martin Model 145 was designated as XB-16 in 1934 "before" the BLR designation was allocated in 1935. If the Boeing submission "wasn't" originally designated as XB-15, then why the jump? Conclusion, the XB-15 was originally XB-15 "before" being redesignated as XBLR-1.
Further, there were two submissions to "Project D" in June 1935, these being the Douglas XBLR-2 and Sikorsky XBLR-3. The XBLR-3 was dropped, and the Douglas design was continued, as the XBLR-2. However, when the BLR designation was dropped in July 1936, the XBLR-2 was redesignated XB-19. Being as, at this point, there was an XBLR-1 and an XBLR-2 that both needed redesignation, should they not have been designated sequentially in the next two open numbers, as in XB-18 and XB-19 or XB-19 and XB-20? Being as they were not, it again seems logical that the XBLR-1 was originally XB-15 while the XBLR-2 was allocated the next open designation.
Thoughts anyone? Can this be confirmed?
