Curtiss-Wright XP-55 Ascender

Curtiss-Wright XP-55 Ascender
Državi	Zda
Vlogo	Borec
Proizvaja	19. julij 1943
Zgrajena	3

V Curtiss-Wright XP-55 Ascender (oznaka podjetja CW-24) je prototip ameriškega lovskega letala iz leta 1940, ki ga je zgradil Curtiss-Wright. Skupaj z Vultee XP-54 in Northrop XP-56 je bil rezultat predloga letalskega korpusa Združenih držav Amerike R-40C, ki je bil izdan 27. novembra 1939 za letala z izboljšano zmogljivostjo, oborožitvijo in vidljivostjo pilotov nad obstoječimi lovci; Posebej je dovoljeval nekonvencionalne modele letal. Zelo nenavadna zasnova za svoj čas, je imela konfiguracijo, motor nameščen zadaj, zapletena krila in dva navpična repa. Zaradi svoje potisne zasnove so ga sarkastično imenovali "Ass-ender". Tako kot XP-54 je bil tudi Ascender prvotno zasnovan za motor Pratt & Whitney X-1800 in ga je bilo treba preoblikovati, ko je bil projekt motorja preklican. To je bilo tudi prvo lovsko letalo Curtiss, ki je uporabljalo triciklno podvozje.

Vir: Curtiss-Wright XP-55 Ascender na Wikipediji

XP-55 Ascender Walk Around
Fotograf	Michael Benolkin
Lokalizacijo	Neznano
Fotografije	39

XP-55 Ascender 01

XP-55 Ascender 02

XP-55 Ascender 03

XP-55 Ascender 05

XP-55 Ascender 04

XP-55 Ascender 06

XP-55 Ascender 07

XP-55 Ascender 08

XP-55 Ascender 09

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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)
Vlogo	Experimental Fighter Prototype
National Origin	Združene države Amerike
proizvajalec	Curtiss-Wright Corporation
First Flight	13 July 1943
Število zgrajeno	3
Posadke	1 (Pilot)
Dolžina	9.0 m (29 ft 6 in)
Peruti	12.4 m (40 ft 8 in)
Višina	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.