Category Archives: Fighter

Fighter

Fighter

Curtiss XP-55 Ascender (MPM)

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TYPE: Interceptor fighter

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only

POWER PLANT: One Allison V-1710-95 liquid-cooled engine, rated at 1,250 hp

PERFORMANCE: 390 mph at 19,300 ft

COMMENT: One of the most radical fighter designs to fly during WW II, the Curtiss XP-55 was evolved as a result of Circular Proposals R-40C which called for a fighter powered by the Pratt & Whitney X-1800-A3G engine which, by employing an conventional design, offered enhanced pilot visibility and armament installation, and a considerable reduction in overall drag by comparison with similar powered single-seaters of conventional configuration. An US Army Air Corps specification issued on November 1939 set forth performance requirements and, in addition to Curtiss-Wright, the Vultee and Northrop companies submitted design proposals, these eventually appearing as Vultee XP-54 and Northrop XP-56 and also employing unorthodox configurations. On July 1943 a contract was issued for three XP-55 fighters powered by the Allison V-1710, which engine was selected in preference to the Pratt &N Whitney X-1800 on the basis of reliability and availability. The first XP-55 was completed on July 1943, and flight testing began immediately. This aircraft was destroyed on November 1943 during stall tests. While the second prototype began flight test on January 1944 under restricted conditions, extensive modifications were incorporated in the third XP-55 that began flight test on September 1944. The results of these trials indicated that, in general, the handling characteristics of the XP-55 were satisfactory. A serious handicap was engine cooling which was critical during all phases of operation. The XP-55 attained a maximum speed of 377.5 mph at 16,900 ft. The official conclusions were that the performance did not compare favourably with standard production fighters and further development was abandoned (Ref.: 13)

Fighter

Northrop XP-56 Black Bullet (MPM)

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TYPE: Interceptor fighter

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only

POWER PLANT: One Pratt & Whitney R-2800-29 radial engine, rated at 2,000 hp

PERFORMANCE: 465 mph at 25,000 ft (estimated)

COMMENT: After the accident of the first XP-56 prototype it was decided to re-balance the second prototype and move the center of gravity forward. Other changes included a major increase in the size of the upper vertical surface, and the incorporation of a novel form of rudder control which made use of air bellows to operate wingtip split flaps for directional control. The control of the bellows was achieved by valving air to or from the bellows by means of wingtip venturis. On March 1944 the second XP-56 was flows for the first time. Nose heaviness, relative low speeds, high fuel consumption and control instability led the N.A.C.A. to test the aircraft in the wind tunnel at Moffett field. Meanwhile, some more flight test have been performed but proved not satisfactory. It was decided that further flight test were too hazardous and after the project had been inactive for more than a year the decision was taken to abandon the project (Ref.: 13).

Fighter

Northrop XP-56 (MPM)

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TYPE: Interceptor fighter

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only

POWER PLANT: One Pratt & Whitney R-2800-29 radial engine, rated at 2,000 hp

PERFORMANCE: 465 mph at 25,000 ft (estimated)

COMMENT: One of the most radical American wartime experimental fighters was Northrop’s XP-56, a unique tailless interceptor built entirely of magnesium. It was designed around the projected Pratt & Whitney X-1800 liquid cooled engine which, installed as a pusher, was to drive contra-rotating airscrews. A prototype was ordered on September 1940, but shortly after development began, Pratt & Whitney requested authority to abandon further work on the X-1800 engine. So, on July 1941, it was decided that the Pratt & Whitney R-2800-29 should be installed. In the meantime, flight trials with the Northrop N1M Flying Wing, which had an essentially similar wing of the XP-56 fighter, had confirmed the stability of the radical configuration about all three axis, and, realizing the impracticability of having only one prototype under construction, on February 1942, the U.S.A.A.F. ordered a second XP-56. Taxi trials with the first XP-56 were undertaken in April 1943 but due to many problems with the power plant the first flight was not made until September 1943. Further flights at low altitudes were completed, but during taxiing the port tire blew out and the first XP-56 was destroyed (Ref.:13).

Fighter

McDonnell XP-67 Moonbat (Anigrand, Resin)

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TYPE: Long-range fighter

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only

POWER PLANT: Two Continental XI-1430-17/19 liquid-cooled engines, rated at 1,350 hp each

PERFORMANCE: 405 mph at 25,000 ft

COMMENT: In 1939 the McDonnnell Aircraft Corporation submitted the Army Air Corps proposals for a long-range fighter with an unconventional design. The engine, an Allison V-3420-B2 or Pratt and Whitney H-3130, both with two-stage superchargers, was buried in the fuselage aft of the pilot, and driving two pusher airscrews aft of the wings by means of an extension shaft and right-angle gear drives. After further changes in the design studies in 1941 the project received the designation XP-67, and two prototypes were ordered. McDonnell design team attempted to maintain true aerofoil sections throughout the entire fighter, the centre fuselage and the rear portions of the engine nacelles merging to give the aircraft a unique appearance. Power was provided by two Continental XI-1430-1 engines fitted with General ElectricD-2 turbo-superchargers driving four-blade airscrews and using the exhaust to augment thrust. By December 1943 the first XP-67 was completed and ground trials began immediately. The aircraft eventually flew the first time on January 6, 1944, but after a few minutes the flight was terminated in an emergency landing due to difficulties with the experimental engines. Flight trials continued throughout the summer 1944 resulting in several changes in the design and on September 1944 the XP-67 was irreparably damaged by fire resulting in the termination of the development contract (Ref.: 13).

Fighter, Glider

Northrop MX-324 (Unicraft, Resin)

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TYPE: Experimental rocket-powered flying-wing aircraft

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only, in prone position

POWER PLANT: One Aerojet XCARL-2000A-1 rocket engine, rated at 920 kp thrust

PERFORMANCE: 348 mph

COMMENT: In 1942, Northrop Company was working an ambitious design for a rocked driven flying wing fighter aircraft under the designation Northrop XP-79. To test the radical design, rocket-powered glider prototypes were built under the designation MX-324. Positioned on a trolley the first aircraft was towed into the air on 5 July 1944 by a Lockheed P-38 Lightning. Once released towline the rocket engine was ignited for three minutes, making the Northrop MX-324 the first US-built rocket-powered aircraft. After successful flight the aircraft landed on skids. In late 1944 the MX-324 was retrofit with a tricycle landing gear enabling take-off and landing on runways. Results from flight tests were incorporated in the final aircraft, the Northrop XP-79B (Ref.: 23)

Fighter, Fighterbomber

Republic P-47N-5-RE Thunderbolt, 19 FS, 318 FG (Heller)

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TYPE: Long-range escort fighter, fighter bomber,

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only

POWER PLANT: One Pratt & Whitney R-2800-57C radial engine, rated at 2,800 hp

PERFORMANCE: 460 mph at 30,000 ft

COMMENT: The main role for the Republic P-47N was as an escort fighter for the Boeing B-29 Superfortress bombers flying raids on the Japanese home islands. But in the final stage of the war the P-47N was used very successfully as a ground attacker. App. 1.100 P-47N’s were equipped with zero-length rocket launchers for six or 10 rockets, depending on whether or not bombs or drop tanks were carried under the wings.  In April 1945, the 318 Fighter Group was re-equipped on P-47N’s and operated from Ie Shima island, off the coast of Okinawa. Bombing and strafing missions were flown until the end of the hostilities (Ref.: 9).

Fighter, Fighterbomber

Bell P-39D “Airacobra”, 36th FS, 8th FG (Airfix)

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TYPE: Fighter, fighter bomber

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only

POWER PLANT: One Allison V-1710-35 liquid-cooled Vee engine with single-stage supercharger, rated at 1,150 hp

PERFORMANCE: 360 mph at 15,000 ft

COMMENT: The Bell P-39 “Airacobra” was one of the main American fighter aircraft in service when the United States of America entered the World War II. Designed by Bell Aircraft, it had an innovative layout, with the engine installed in the center fuselage, behind the pilot, and driving a tractor propeller via a long shaft. It was also the first fighter fitted with a tricycle undercarriage.  Although its mid-engine placement was innovative, the P-39 design was handicapped by the absence of an efficient turbo-supercharger, limiting it to low-altitude work. The XP-39 made its maiden flight on 6 April 1938 achieving 390 mph at 20,000 ft, reaching this altitude in only five minutes. A production order was placed and by the time of the Pearl Harbor attack, nearly 600 P-39s had been built. When P-39 production ended in August 1944, Bell had built 9,558. Most important variants were Bell P-39N and P-30Q, if which 4,773 have been built. The “Airacobra” saw combat throughout the world, particularly in the Southwest Pacific, Mediterranean and Russian theaters. But the “Airacobra” found itself outclassed as an interceptor and the type was gradually relegated to other duties. It often was used at lower altitudes for such missions as ground strafing (Ref.: 23).

Fighter, Fighterbomber

Republic XP-47H Thunderbolt (Airmodel, Vacuformed, Parts from Matchbox, Pavla, and scratch built)

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TYPE: Fighter, fighter bomber

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only

POWER PLANT: One Chrysler XI-2220-11 inverted-Vee in-line engine, rated at 2,500 hp

PERFORMANCE: 414 mph

COMMENT: While the production of the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt had been emerging in ever-mounting quantities, Republic’s engineers had been investigating other ways in which the Thunderbolt could be improved. Two P-47D-15-RAs were assigned for testing the Chrysler XI-2220 engine, a 16 cylinder inverted-Vee liquid-cooled unit which transmitted its power to a propeller shaft by way of gears located midway along the crankshaft. The design was such as to produce an extremely finely-streamlined cowling of low frontal area, despite the engine’s ability to produce 2,500 hp. The converted aircraft were designated Republic XP-47H and remembered to a pre-war project, the Republic XP-69. Extensive redesign of the P-47 airframe was necessary to install the XI-2220-11 engine, with which was associated a General Electric CH-5 single-stage turbosupercharger in a modified installation in the rear fuselage. The first flight was not made until July 1945 and in one of the 27 flights a top speed of 414 mph had been recorded. The second XP-47H flew briefly after the war ended (Ref.: 9).

Fighter, Fighterbomber

Republic XP-47J Thunderbolt (Matchbox, Parts from Pavla, Parts scratch-built)

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TYPE: Fighter, fighter bomber

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only

POWER PLANT: One Pratt & Whitney R-2800-57 Double Wasp radial engine plus one General Electric CH-5 turbosupercharger, rated at 2,800 hp at 32,500 ft

PERFORMANCE: 505 mph at 34,500 ft

COMMENT: In 1942 studies made by Republic culminated in proposals for a “lightweight” P-47 with an improved engine installation. Construction of two prototypes was authorized, but within a few weeks it became clear to Republic and the USAAF that the more radical development of the P-47 powered by a 3,000 hp Pratt & Whitney R-4300 Wasp Major, than proceeding as the Republic P-72 held greater promise than the P-47J within a similar timescale, and work on the latter project was limited to a single XP-47J. This sole prototype had a lightened wing structure, a more powerful variant of the R-2800 radial engine, driving a four-bladed propeller with a large spinner and a fan to assist the flow of cooling air through a narrow annulus around the spinner. A separate intake scoop beneath and behind the engine cowling provided air for the General Electric CH-5 supercharger in the rear fuselage. The first flight was made in November 1943, and on August 1944 a speed of 505 mph was recorded, at 34,450 ft. This was the highest known speed achieved up to that time in level flight by a propeller driven aircraft and established the XP-47J as one of the few such aircraft to have broken through the 500-mph “barrier” (Lit.: 9).

Fighter, Fighterbomber

Curtis XP-60C (Anigrand, Resin)

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TYPE: Interceptor, Fighter, Fighter-bomber

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only

POWER PLANT: One Pratt & Whitney R-2800-53 engine, rated at 2,000 hp

PERFORMANCE: 414 mph

COMMENT: In 1940 the Curtiss Aircraft Company proposed a new design for the eventual replacement for the Curtiss P-40. The new aircraft, the Curtiss XP-60, went through a long series of prototype versions with different engines. Installation of the British Rolls-Royce Merlin engines led to the development of the XP-53, soon redesignated XP-60. Delayed deliveries of the Merlin engines necessitated the installation of Wright (XP-63C) as well as Chrysler (XP-60B) engines. To improve the performance of the XP-60C the engine was changed again, this time a Pratt & Whitney R-2800 with contra-rotating propellers was installed. During its first flight the results were generally satisfactory. Changing the contra-props into a four-bladed propeller led to the XP-60E. But the performance was poorly, too,  and further work on this design was abandonded. (Ref.: 8)