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The Beechcraft XA-38 "Grizzly" was a World War II-era ground attack aircraft, developed by Beechcraft, but never put into production. The Grizzly was to have been fitted with a forward-firing 75 mm cannon, to penetrate heavily armored targets.

XA-38 Grizzly
Role Ground attack
National origin United States
Manufacturer Beechcraft
First flight 7 May 1944
Status Canceled
Primary user United States Army Air Forces
Number built 2

While the first prototype flew on 7 May 1944, testing established that the type would not be ready for the projected invasion of Japan. It also featured the Wright R-3350 engines already in use with the Boeing B-29 Superfortress—which had priority. Consequently, the XA-38 was canceled after a second prototype had been completed.


Design and development


The United States Army Air Forces awarded the Beech Aircraft Corporation a contract in December 1942 for two prototypes for their Model 28 "Destroyer".[1] Initially the Model 28 had been a bomber-destroyer design but shifted[citation needed] to give a powerful ground attack aircraft to replace the Douglas A-20 Havoc, with the ability to hit "hardened" targets like tanks and bunkers and to attack coastal shipping.[1] This capability was achieved through a 75 mm cannon with 20 rounds, mounted in a fixed position on the nose as well as two .50 cal (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns firing forward. Defensive armament consisted of remotely controlled ventral and dorsal turrets, each armed with twin .50 cal (12.7 mm) machine guns. There were to be two crew members, a pilot and an observer/gunner in the rear cabin, using periscope sights to aim the guns.


Testing


On 7 May 1944, Beech test pilot Vern Carstens flew the XA-38 on its maiden flight from the company's Wichita airfield.[2] The aircraft proved satisfactory in all respects and better than expected in some, including top speed.

During testing, the XA-38 prototypes were flown by USAAF pilots and serviced by military personnel, proving to be reliable and establishing a high level of serviceability.[3]

The armament proved especially effective; if not for a shift in wartime priorities in 1944, the aircraft would most likely have been ordered in quantity[citation needed] even though the B-29 had priority for the Wright R-3350 engines. Instead, one prototype was scrapped and the other, intended for the USAF Museum, had an unknown fate.


Specifications


Data from Plane Facts: The big gun Beech[4]

General characteristics

Performance

Armament


See also


Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists


References


  1. Pelletier 1995, p. 86
  2. Pelletier 1995, p. 88
  3. Trimble, Robert L.. (August 1983). "Beech Grizzly". Air Classics. 9 (7): 24.
  4. "Plane Facts: The big gun Beech". Air International. Vol. 30, no. 6. June 1986. p. 300. ISSN 0306-5634.

Further reading





На других языках


[de] Beechcraft XA-38

Die Beechcraft XA-38 Grizzly war ein schwer bewaffneter US-amerikanischer Erdkampfbomber-Prototyp. Er war mit einer nach vorn feuernden 75-mm-Kanone ausgestattet.
- [en] Beechcraft XA-38 Grizzly

[fr] Beechcraft XA-38 Grizzly

Le Beechcraft XA-38 Grizzly est un avion bimoteur d’attaque au sol et de bombardement léger. Extrêmement puissant, cet appareil arrive trop tard pour participer à la phase finale de la Seconde Guerre mondiale, deux prototypes seulement étant achevés.

[it] Beechcraft XA-38

Il Beechcraft XA-38 fu un aereo da attacco al suolo bimotore, biposto e monoplano ad ala bassa, sviluppato dall'azienda aeronautica statunitense Beechcraft nei primi anni quaranta del XX secolo e rimasto allo stadio di prototipo.

[ru] Beechcraft XA-38 Grizzly

Beechcraft XA-38 Grizzly − прототип американского штурмовика времен Второй Мировой войны компании «Beechcraft», серийно не производился[1].



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