Boeing XPBB Sea Ranger

The Boeing XPBB-1 Sea Ranger, Boeing Model 344, was a prototype twin-engined patrol bomber flying boat built for the United States Navy. The Navy wanted a long-range flying boat to cover the Pacific and chose Boeing's design, with a contract for 57 aircraft awarded on 29 June 1940. To reach the range it became a very large aircraft, with a wingspan of about 42.6 metres and a crew of ten, yet it used just two Wright R-3350 Duplex Cyclone radial engines, making it the largest twin-engined flying boat flown during World War II. Its defensive armament was five powered turrets. The prototype first flew on 9 July 1942, but the order was cancelled to free production capacity for the B-29, so only one was completed; it flew trials until 1947 and was nicknamed the Lone Ranger.