Curtiss-Wright XP-55 Ascender

Curtiss-Wright XP-55 Ascender
Krajiny	Spojené štáty americké
Úlohu	Bojovník
Vyrobené	19. júla 1943
Postavený	3

Komisia Curtiss-Wright XP-55 Ascender (firemné označenie CW-24) je prototyp amerického stíhacieho lietadla zo 40. rokov 20. storočia, ktorý postavila spoločnosť Curtiss-Wright. Spolu s Vultee XP-54 a Northrop XP-56 bol výsledkom návrhu letectva armády Spojených štátov amerických R-40C vydaného 27. novembra 1939 pre lietadlá so zlepšeným výkonom, výzbrojou a viditeľnosťou pilotov oproti existujúcim stíhačkám; Konkrétne umožňoval nekonvenčné konštrukcie lietadiel. Na svoju dobu veľmi nezvyčajný dizajn, mal konfiguráciu canard, motor umiestnený vzadu, šípové krídla a dva vertikálne chvosty. Kvôli svojmu dizajnu tlačidla bol sarkasticky označovaný ako "Ass-ender". Rovnako ako XP-54, aj Ascender bol pôvodne navrhnutý pre motor Pratt & Whitney X-1800 a musel byť prepracovaný, keď bol tento projekt zrušený. Bolo to tiež prvé stíhacie lietadlo Curtiss, ktoré používalo trojkolový podvozok.

Zdrojový: Curtiss-Wright XP-55 Ascender na Wikipédii

XP-55 Ascender Walk Around
Fotograf	Michael Benolkin
Lokalizácia	Neznáme
Fotografie	39

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General Characteristics and Role

The Curtiss XP-55 Ascender (Curtiss-Sperry Model 24) was an experimental fighter prototype developed for the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) during World War II. It was the product of the 1940 “R-40C” proposal for unconventional aircraft designs, alongside the Northrop XP-56 Black Bullet and Vultee XP-54 Swoose Goose. The Ascender featured a highly radical and futuristic design for its time: a tailless canard configuration with the engine mounted at the rear, driving a pusher propeller. This layout was intended to improve aerodynamics and provide an unobstructed forward field of fire. Despite the design’s potential, the XP-55 suffered from stability issues, poor low-speed performance, and did not live up to performance expectations, leading to its cancellation after three prototypes were built.

Property	Typical Value (XP-55)
Úlohu	Experimental Fighter Prototype
National Origin	Spojené štáty americké
Výrobca	Curtiss-Wright Corporation
First Flight	13 July 1943
Číslo vytvorené	3
Posádky	1 (Pilot)
Dĺžka	9.0 m (29 ft 6 in)
Rozpätie krídel	12.4 m (40 ft 8 in)
Výška	3.45 m (11 ft 4 in)
Empty Weight	2,884 kg (6,358 lb)
Max Takeoff Weight	3,792 kg (8,360 lb)

Powerplant and Design

Engine: One Allison V-1710-95 (F23R) liquid-cooled V12 engine.
Power Output: 954 kW (1,275 hp).
Propulsion: 3-bladed propeller in a pusher configuration (at the rear).
Maximum Speed: 628 km/h (390 mph; 339 kn) at 5,800 m (19,000 ft).
Range: 1,040 km (650 mi; 560 nmi).
Design Layout: Canard (small horizontal surface in the nose) and a mid-set wing with twin tail booms supporting the rudders. The main wings were swept back slightly.
Pilot Safety: Due to the rear-mounted propeller, the pilot was equipped with a system to jettison the propeller assembly before bailing out in an emergency.

Armament (Intended) and Service

Intended Armament: 2 x 20 mm cannon and 2 x .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns, all mounted in the nose. (Prototypes often flew with reduced or no armament).
Service History: The first prototype crashed due to a stall/spin in a test flight. Despite modifications to the second and third prototypes, they were ultimately outclassed by conventional and early jet fighters.
Legacy: The XP-55’s radical configuration helped advance research into canard aerodynamics, a concept later successfully used in aircraft like the Saab Viggen and Eurofighter Typhoon.

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