The Model 15 (PW-9) was the first successful Boeing-designed fighter and established the company as a major American builder of military aircraft.
Its internal bracing was arc-welded tubing rather than the spruce and wire used in older biplanes. It was designated PW-9 (for “pursuit water-cooled design 9) by the Army and designated FB-1 by the Navy.
Between 1923 and 1928, Boeing built 157 PW-9/FBs in different versions, as well as 77 derivatives as NBs (Navy training planes). The NBs were 4 feet longer than the PW-9/FBs and powered by either 180- or 200-horsepower engines. Boeing sold five NBs to Peru.
Specifications
| First flight: | June 2, 1923 |
| Model number: | 15 |
| Classification: | Fighter |
| Span: | 32 feet |
| Length: | 23 feet 5 inches |
| Gross weight: | 3,120 pounds |
| Top speed: | 159.1 mph |
| Cruising speed: | 142 mph |
| Range: | 390 miles |
| Ceiling: | 18,925 feet |
| Power: | 435-horsepower Curtiss D-12 engine |
| Accommodation: | 1 pilot |
| Armament: | One .30 cal. machine gun and one .55 cal. machine gun or two .30 cal. machine guns, two 122-pound bombs |