Curtiss XF15C-1 – Photos & Video

Foto-galerija a Curtiss XF15C-1, The Curtiss XF15C-1 was a mixed-propulsion fighter prototype of the 1940s. The first flight of the first prototype was on 27 February 1945, without the turbojet installed. When this was completed in April of the same year, the aircraft flew several mixed-power trials, however on May 8 it crashed on a landing approach. The second prototype flew for the first time on 9 July, again in 1945, and was soon followed by a third prototype. Both aircraft showed promise, however by October 1946 the Navy had lost interest in the mixed-power concept and cancelled further development.

Izvor: Curtiss XF15C-1 na Vikipediji

The Curtiss XF15C-1 was an experimental fighter aircraft designed by the Curtiss-Wright Corporation during World War II. It was intended to be a carrier-based fighter that could operate at high altitudes and speeds, using a combination of a propeller and a jet engine. The XF15C-1 was one of the first mixed-propulsion aircraft to fly in the United States, and the only one of its kind to be built by Curtiss.
XF15C-1 je imao konvencionalni trup sa krošnjom mehurića i opremom za sletanje repa. Krila su se vratila na 35 stepeni i imala su četiri topa od 20 mm postavljena u korenju krila. Propeler je vozio Pratt & Whitney R-2800-34W radijalni motor, dok je mlazni motor bio Allison J33-A-1 turbojet montiran u zadnjem delu trupa. Mlazni motor je imao povlačenje ispod trupa i izduvnu reznicu iznad repa. Propeler i mlazni motor mogli bi da rade samostalno ili zajedno, u zavisnosti od režima letenja.
KSFKSNUMKSC-KSNUMKS je svoj prvi let u februaru KSNUMKS, KSNUMKS, pilotirao Curtiss test pilot Harvei Grei. Testovi leta otkrili su neke probleme sa stabilnošću i kontrolom, kao i prekomerne vibracije i pregrevanje mlaznog motora. Avion je takođe patio od loših performansi pri malim brzinama i visinama, zbog otpora i težine propelera. KSF15C-1 dostigao maksimalnu brzinu od 414 mph (666 km / h) na 25.000 ft (7.600 m) sa oba motora rade, ali samo 314 mph (505 km / h) sa propelerom sama.
KSFKSNUMKSC-KSNUMKS program je otkazan u oktobru KSNUMKS, nakon što su izgrađena i leteo samo tri prototipa. Mornarica je odlučila da se fokusira na čiste mlazne borce umesto mešovitih pogonskih dizajna, koji su smatrani zastarelim i složenim. KSFKSNUMKSC-KSNUMKS je bio inovativan, ali neuspešan pokušaj da se stvori svestran borac koji bi mogao da kombinuje prednosti oba propelera i mlaznog pogona.