One of the Museum's aircraft has a very special tie to the Langley.  In fact, parts of this aircraft flew off the Langley! Built in 1927, the Museum’s FB-5 came to us as a donation, consisting of a few miscellaneous parts, an engine shell and a cooling radiator. The remainder of the aircraft components have been created by museum volunteers in the restoration and machine shops at Gillespie Field and Balboa Park. When completed in 2022, this very rare fighter will take its place as one of the dozen or so built from scratch aircraft in the collection.

Boeing FB-5 fighters at North island from VF-1B which was assigned to USS Langley (CV-1).

The first flight of the Boeing FB-5, (the first Navy fighter designed specifically for carrier operation), occured on October 7, 1926.   Twenty seven of the type were delivered to the Navy the following January, carried on barges in Puget Sound from Boeing's factory to Langley anchored in Seattle's harbor. Hoisted aboard the Langley, their first official flights were from the carrier's deck. The Boeing FB-5 aircraft is based on the PW-9 designed by Boeing's Claire Egivelt in 1922. FB-5s with VF-6 flew off the Langley. The FB-5 only served in carrier service for a little over a year, because in late 1928 the Navy decided to use only air-cooled radial-engine aircraft for shipboard operations. The advantages of better power-to-weight ratios, easier maintenance, and the enhanced reliability of the new radial engines ended the use of water-cooled engines (like the Packard Engine used in the FB-5)  in aircraft for fleet service.

The Museum's FB-5 under restoration at Gillespie Field.

Proposed paint scheme for the Museum's FB-5.

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