On this day in aviation history, June 2, 1923—102 years ago—the Boeing Model 15 took to the skies for its maiden flight. Designed as a single-seat biplane fighter, the Model 15 marked a significant step forward in American military aviation. It was adopted by both the United States Army Air Service (USAAS) and the United States Navy. The Army designated the aircraft as the PW-9, while the Navy referred to it as the FB. Deliveries to the U.S. military began in October 1925.
The PW-9s were primarily stationed overseas, with units based in Hawaii and the Philippines. The Navy’s FB-1s, meanwhile, served in China in support of the Marine Expeditionary Forces. A number of FB-1s were modified for carrier operations aboard the USS Langley. The success of these early naval variants led to the development of the FB-5, the Navy’s first purpose-built carrier fighter. The FB-5 featured arresting gear for carrier landings and was powered by an upgraded 525-horsepower Packard 2A-1500 engine.
The original Boeing PW-9 was powered by a Curtiss D-12 water-cooled V-12 engine, producing 435 horsepower. It could reach a top speed of 159 miles per hour, with a service ceiling of 18,925 feet and a range of 390 miles—respectable performance for its era. Armament included two fixed .30-caliber machine guns, and the aircraft could carry a single 244-pound bomb under its fuselage. In total, 158 Boeing Model 15 airframes were produced. Today, a rare example of the FB-5 variant is preserved and on display at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia.
