The Huff-Daland XB-1 was a prototype
bomber aircraft built for the
United States Army Air Corps.The first aircraft named using just a B- designation. Prior to
1926, the U.S. Army used LB- and HB- prefixes, signifying 'Light Bomber' and 'Heavy Bomber'. The first XB-1, called the Super-Cyclops by
Huff-Daland, was an extension of the earlier Huff-Daland XHB-1 'Cyclops'. It was essentially the same in size, but sported a twin tail and twin engines. Its gunnery arrangement was new for an American bomber, but it had been previously used by the British and the Germans near the end of
World War I. The Army Air Corps had decided that single engined bombers such as the XHB-1 performed more poorly and with less safety than the more traditional twin-engined bomber. The aircraft flew for the first time in
1927 September.
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