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Today we're taking a look at the massive Douglas XB-19. This was the world's first intercontinental bomber, developed in the late 1930s. Though it never made it to series production, it provided invaluable data that was used in future projects for the B-29 and B-36 strategic bombers.

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Sources:
Douglas Aircraft (1941*), XB-19 Operations Manual.
Francillon.R.J (1979), McDonnel Douglas Aircraft Since 1920: Volume I.
Wolf.W (2021), Douglas XB-19: America's Giant World War II Intercontinental Bomber.
Wings & Airpower (Various Articles)
Flight Magazine (Various Articles)

0:00 Intro
06:06 Design Origins
08:59 XBLR-2 Project
13:37 XB-19 Construction Begins
16:38 XB-19 Specification and Details
24:13 XB-19's First Flight
30:23 The "Flying Laboratory"
34:17 Further Use At Wright Field
35:54 The XB-19's Unjust Fate