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The Douglas XP-48 was a small, lightweight fighter aircraft, designed by Douglas Aircraft in 1939 for evaluation by the U.S. Army Air Corps. Intended to be powered by a small inline piston engine, the contract was cancelled before a prototype could be constructed, due to the Army's concerns about the projected performance of the aircraft.[1]
| XP-48 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Role | Fighter aircraft |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Douglas Aircraft Company |
| Status | Cancelled 1940 |
| Primary user | United States Army Air Corps |
| Number built | None |
Inspiration
In the years before the outbreak of World War II, a number of countries became intrigued by the idea of developing a very light fighter aircraft,[2] with these proposals often being derived from the design of racing aircraft. Following the consideration of a modified French Caudron racer by the U.S. Army Air Corps, a proposition that was considered uneconomical,[2] Douglas Aircraft made an unsolicited proposal to the Army Air Corps of their Model 312 design in 1939.[2]
Design and cancellation
Intended to be powered by a Ranger XV-770 inverted V-12 engine equipped with a supercharger, Douglas' proposal was considered worth pursuing by the Army Air Corps, and on 5 August 1939 a single prototype was ordered. The Model 312 was given the Army designation XP-48, the 48th aircraft type in the Pursuit category.[3]
Closely resembling the later Bell XP-77,[4] the design of the XP-48 featured a wing of remarkably high aspect ratio, and was equipped with a pair of synchronized machine guns for armament,[3] Douglas touted the XP-48 as offering outstanding performance, with a top speed of at least 350 miles per hour (560 km/h),[3] and, according to Douglas' estimates, possibly as high as 525 miles per hour (845 km/h).[5]
However, this very aspect of its design was regarded with suspicion by the Army Air Corps.[3] The Ranger engine was suffering from development difficulties and delays and would never prove truly reliable.[6] At the same time, Douglas' performance estimates became increasingly regarded as being over-optimistic.[7] Accordingly, in February 1940 the Army cancelled the XP-48 contract,[3] and without government funding Douglas ceased development of the aircraft.[5]
Specifications (XP-48)
General characteristics
- Crew: one (pilot)
- Length: 21 ft 9 in (6.63 m)
- Wingspan: 32 ft (9.8 m)
- Height: 9 ft (2.7 m)
- Wing area: 92 sq ft (8.5 m2)
- Empty weight: 2,675 lb (1,213 kg)
- Gross weight: 3,400 lb (1,542 kg)
- Fuel capacity: 50 US gallons (190 l; 42 imp gal)
- Powerplant: 1 × Ranger SGV-770 inverted V-12 liquid-cooled piston engine, 525 hp (391 kW)
- Propellers: 3-bladed, 9.5 ft (2.9 m) diameter
Performance
- Maximum speed: 350 mph (560 km/h, 300 kn)
Armament
- Guns: 1 .30 in (7.62 mm) and 1 .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns.
See also
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Related lists
- List of fighter aircraft
- List of military aircraft of the United States
References
Citations
- "Douglas XP-48" Archived May 15, 2010, at the Wayback Machine. National Museum of the United States Air Force. Accessed May 9, 2010.
- Norton 2008, p. 156
- Norton 2008, p. 157
- AAHS Journal, Volume 28, Number 2. Summer 1983. American Aviation Historical Society
- Angelucci 1987, p. 183.
- Adcock 1991, p. 45
- Brown et al. 1961, p. 64
- Francillon 1979
Bibliography
- Adcock, Al. OS2U Kingfisher in action. Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1991. ISBN 0-89747-270-5.
- Angelucci, Enzo. The American Fighter from 1917 to the present. New York: Orion, 1987. ISBN 0-517-56588-9.
- Brown, Kimbrough et al. U.S. Army and Air Force Fighters, 1916-1961. Letchworth, UK: Harleyford Publications, 1961. ASIN B001YTWMPC
- Francillon, René J. McDonnell Douglas Aircraft since 1920. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1979. ISBN 0-370-00050-1.
- Norton, Bill. U.S. Experimental & Prototype Aircraft Projects: Fighters 1939–1945. North Branch, Minnesota: Specialty Press, 2008. ISBN 978-1-58007-109-3.
External links
На других языках
- [en] Douglas XP-48
[it] Douglas XP-48
Il Douglas XP-48 era il progetto per un aereo da caccia, realizzato nel corso del 1939 dalla statunitense Douglas Aircraft Company. Sottoposto alla valutazione degli United States Army Air Corps, non risultò completamente soddisfacente ed il suo sviluppo venne abbandonato prima ancora di arrivare allo stadio di prototipo.Другой контент может иметь иную лицензию. Перед использованием материалов сайта WikiSort.org внимательно изучите правила лицензирования конкретных элементов наполнения сайта.
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