Piper PA-48 Enforcer

Piper PA-48 Enforcer
Страна	Сащ
Роля	Въздухоплавателни средства за борба с бунтовниците
Първи полет	29 април 1971 г.
Построен	4

1. Пайпър PA-48 Enforcer е американски турбовитлов самолет за лека въздушна поддръжка, построен от Piper през 70-те години на миналия век. Това е разработка на северноамериканския изтребител P-51 Mustang от епохата на Втората световна война. Концепцията Enforcer първоначално е създадена и летяла като Cavalier Mustang от Дейвид Линдзи, собственик на Cavalier Aircraft, в отговор на програмата PAVE COIN на ВВС на САЩ, но Cavalier не е имал производствените способности за масово производство на Enforcer, така че програмата е продадена на Piper от Lindsay през 1970 г.

Източник: Piper PA-48 Enforcer в Уикипедия

Piper Pa-48 Enforcer Walk Around
Photographers	Vladimir Yakubov, John Heck
Localisation	National Museum of the USAF, Dayton
Photos	98

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The “Mustang” That Wasn’t

1. Пайпър PA-48 Enforcer is often mistaken for a modified P-51 Mustang, but it was essentially a new aircraft. Developed in the 1970s and early 80s, it was Piper’s entry into the Counter-Insurgency (COIN) market. While it shared the general silhouette of the legendary WWII fighter, only about 10% of its parts were compatible. It was designed to provide a low-cost, high-performance ground attack platform for the U.S. Air Force, utilizing a powerful turboprop engine instead of the original piston engine.

Attribute	Technical Specification (PA-48 Enforcer)
Роля	Counter-Insurgency (COIN) / Close Air Support
Екипажа	1 (Pilot)
Силова установка	1 × Lycoming T55-L-9 turboprop
Horsepower	2,445 shp (1,823 kW)
Maximum Speed	555 km/h (345 mph) / Mach 0.45
Hardpoints	10 (Up to 2,585 kg / 5,700 lbs of ordnance)
Empty Weight	3,266 kg (7,200 lb)
Combat Radius	740 km (460 miles)

Design Innovations: From Piston to Turbine

Turboprop Conversion: The most significant change from the P-51 was the replacement of the Rolls-Royce Merlin with the Lycoming T55 (the same engine used in the CH-47 Chinook). This required a much longer nose to maintain the center of gravity and provided significantly more torque and reliability.
The “Yankee” Extraction System: Because the PA-48 operated at low altitudes where traditional ejection seats might fail, it was equipped with the Stanley Yankee extraction system, which used a small rocket to pull the pilot out of the cockpit.
Structural Reinforcement: The fuselage was lengthened by 19 inches, and the tail surfaces were enlarged to handle the increased power of the turboprop. The wings were also reinforced to carry a massive array of bombs, rockets, and gun pods across 10 hardpoints.
Fixed Tip Tanks: To extend its loiter time over the battlefield, the Enforcer featured permanent wing-tip fuel tanks, giving it a distinctive silhouette compared to the WWII Mustang.

A Short-Lived Legacy

USAF Evaluation: Two prototypes were built and tested by the Air Force in 1984. While the aircraft performed well and met all requirements, the USAF ultimately decided not to put it into production, preferring to invest in the A-10 Thunderbolt II and dedicated jet platforms.
The Kavala Connection: The project originally started with David Lindsay and his company, Cavalier Aircraft, who built the “Turbo Mustang III” before selling the rights to Piper.
Survivors: Both prototypes still exist. One is at the Air Force Flight Test Museum at Edwards AFB, and the other is at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio.