vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
That is one I've never heard of, excellent!
Frustated Projects
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Good stuff!
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- #183
On November 8, 1938 the U.S. Navy placed a contract with the Bell Aircraft Corporation for a single prototype of the company's Model 12 fighter (which was developed for the Army Air Corps as the XP-39). The Navy was not yet ready to consider the use of aircraft with tricycle-landing gear (such as was found on the XP-39) on its aircraft carriers, and the prototype (designated the XFL-1) was therefore to have a tailwheel undercarriage. Other changes included the use of underwing radiators, installation of an arrestor hook, enlarged vertical surfaces and restressing of the airframe for carrier operations. First flight of the XFL-1 took place on May 13, 1940. Problems with the Allison engine delayed delivery of the Airabonita to the U.S. Navy until February 1941, and then undercarriage trouble caused the aircraft to fail its carrier qualification trials. By December 1941, the XFL-1 was back with Bell in New York for modifications, but Navy interest in the type waned quickly after the start of the war and further development of the type was cancelled.
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Interesting stuff!
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- #186
The Vultee engineering team decided early in the design process to build the XA-41 (company Model 90) around the 3,000 hp Pratt Whitney R-4360 Wasp Major four-row, 28-cylinder radial engine. The Model 90's large wing resembled the earlier A-31 Vengeance wing, with its straight leading edge, forward-tapered trailing edge and pronounced dihedral on the outer wing panels. Designed to carry both a large internal load and external stores, the XA-41 was large for a single-engine aircraft. The single-place cockpit, set in line with the wing root, was 15 ft (4.6 m) off the ground when the airplane was parked. As operational priorities shifted during its development phase, the original order for two XA-41 prototypes was cancelled, although the USAAF pressed for the completion of one prototype as an engine testbed for the R-4360 (the same engine used by the Boeing B-50).
Flying for the first time on 11 February 1944, the sole XA-41 (S/N 43-35124) proved to have good performance with a maximum speed of 354 mph reached in testing and "superb maneuverability, being able to out-turn a P-51B Mustang." However, with the reduction in military orders due to the approaching end of the war, no production contract was placed, and the aircraft was used as an engine testbed for the USAAF as well as being evaluated by the U.S. Navy in comparison with other contemporary attack aircraft, especially the Douglas AD-1 Skyraider and Martin AM-1 Mauler. After its Navy trials, the XA-41, bearing civil registration NX60373N, was consigned to the Pratt Whitney division of United Aircraft to continue engine tests. These continued until 1950 before the XA-41 was scrapped.
Flying for the first time on 11 February 1944, the sole XA-41 (S/N 43-35124) proved to have good performance with a maximum speed of 354 mph reached in testing and "superb maneuverability, being able to out-turn a P-51B Mustang." However, with the reduction in military orders due to the approaching end of the war, no production contract was placed, and the aircraft was used as an engine testbed for the USAAF as well as being evaluated by the U.S. Navy in comparison with other contemporary attack aircraft, especially the Douglas AD-1 Skyraider and Martin AM-1 Mauler. After its Navy trials, the XA-41, bearing civil registration NX60373N, was consigned to the Pratt Whitney division of United Aircraft to continue engine tests. These continued until 1950 before the XA-41 was scrapped.
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- #187
The Fiat BGA (Bombardamento Genio Aeronautico) was an airplane designed by Aldo Guglielmetti of the Italian Air Force. It was built at Pisa by the Fiat subisdary Costruzioni Meccaniche Aeronautiche SA (CMASA), hence it was also called the CMASA BGA. It was not ordered into production and only one was built. Designed by Aldo Guglielmetti to meet a 1934 Italian Air Force requirement for a medium bomber it first flew in 1936 powered by two Fiat A.80 radial engines. It had a retractable tailwheel landing gear with the main gear retracting into the engine nacelles.[1] It had twin elliptical fins and rudders and had a cut-down fuselage to the rear of a ventral and dorsal gun positions. It did nor perform well during testing and was removed from the contest with only the prototype being built.
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- #188
The AUT.18 was a prototype fighter aircraft developed in Italy by Aeronautica Umbra shortly before the outbreak of World War II. It was designed in 1934 by Ing Felice Trojani, who at that time was collaborating with Umberto Nobile on the Arctic flights of the airships Norge and Italia. The aircraft's designation came from initials of the manufacturer, the surname of the designer, and the aircraft's wing area (18 m²), the sole prototype receiving the serial no. M.M.363. The fighter had an all-metal structure, covered in duralumin. It featured inwardly-retracting undercarriage, and a retractable tailwheel. Unlike other Italian fighters of the period, its two machine guns were mounted in the wings, rather than in the fuselage. The aircraft made its first flight, un-painted, on 22 April 1939 and was then transferred to Guidonia to participate in comparative tests with other fighters built to the Progetto R ("Project R") specification. On 20 February 1940, the aircraft was returned to Foligno for modifications, including a more streamlined cowling for the radial engine, returning to Guidonia on 21 June. The AUT.18 had in fact embodied the aims of Progetto R - the modernisation (riammodernamento) of the Regia Aeronautica. However, due to bureaucratic delays in the delivery of the aircraft (the Macchi MC.200 had already completed its first flight in 1937), the fact that the fighter did not offer performance significantly greater than others already available, and above all, for political reasons, the Regia Aeronautica did not order the aircraft into series production when the prototype was delivered to them on 5 November. Of the destiny of the prototype, little is known. Trojani thought that it had been transferred to Germany for evaluation trials after the Armistice, but it is believed more likely that it was destroyed in a raid after its transfer to Orvieto. Others think that it was captured by the Allies for study. It is noted that the British Royal Air Force were already aware of the aircraft in 1936 and numbered it amongst known Italian types.
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Good stuff!
vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
I agree!
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- #191
Almost certainly the first aircraft built specifically as an engine test bed. Folland, General Aircraft and Percival submitted proposals to the Air Ministry complying with Specification 43/37, Folland won the contract and 12 aircraft were produced in 1940, s/n P1774 to P1785. A pilot and two observers were accommodated in a large cabin with complete instrumentation for monitoring engine performance in flight.
Nicknamed the "Folland Frightful" the test beds were fitted with a vast range of high-powered engines, including the 24-cylinder Napier Sabre, the 14-cylinder Bristol Hercules (pictured here), the 18-cylinder Bristol Centaurus, the 12-cylinder Rolls-Royce Griffon, and their sub-versions. Five aircraft were lost between April 28, and September 18, 1944, while the last surviving aircraft was struck off charge on March 17, 1945.
Source: Folland 43/37 - engine testbed Folland Fo.108
Nicknamed the "Folland Frightful" the test beds were fitted with a vast range of high-powered engines, including the 24-cylinder Napier Sabre, the 14-cylinder Bristol Hercules (pictured here), the 18-cylinder Bristol Centaurus, the 12-cylinder Rolls-Royce Griffon, and their sub-versions. Five aircraft were lost between April 28, and September 18, 1944, while the last surviving aircraft was struck off charge on March 17, 1945.
Source: Folland 43/37 - engine testbed Folland Fo.108
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midget77
Recruit
Thank you. You share lots of interesting information.
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- #194
The Curtiss A-18 Shrike was the service-test version of the XA-14 twin-engined ground attack aircraft. Like the XA-14 it was of all-metal construction apart from fabric covers on the movable control surfaces and the rear of the wing. The two crewmen were carried in rather widely separated cockpits. On the XA-14 part of the reason for the gap had been to make space for the internal fuselage bomb bay, but on the A-18 the bombs were carried in two bomb bays in the wings, each capable of carrying 200lb of bombs, while more bombs could be carried under the wings. The main change made to the A-18 was the use of Wright Cyclone R-1820-47 engines and three-bladed propellers. The more powerful engines compensated for an increase in gross weight of over 1,000lb and gave the A-18 a top speed of 247mph, 4mph faster than the XA-14.
The US Army placed an order for thirteen Y1A-18 service test machines on 23 July 1936 (Y1 indicating the use of F-1 funding to pay for the aircraft). These aircraft were delivered in July-October 1937, and were tested by the 8th Attack Squadron of the Third Attack Group. In tests against the single-engined Northrop A-17 the A-18 proved to be slightly faster and have a higher service ceiling, but lacked the range of the A-17, and so did not receive a production contract. The existing Y1A-18s were transferred to the Third Bombardment Group in 1940, to be used for operational training, and as the service test period was over were redesignated as plain A-18s. They remained in use until 1940. Although the A-18 Shrike was not a success itself, the concept of a twin-engined attack aircraft had impressed the Air Corps, and late in 1937 they invited companies to submit designs for an aircraft with twice the range and bomb load of the A-18. Out of this contest came the Martin Maryland, Douglas A-20 Havoc/ Boston and the North American B-25 Mitchell.
The US Army placed an order for thirteen Y1A-18 service test machines on 23 July 1936 (Y1 indicating the use of F-1 funding to pay for the aircraft). These aircraft were delivered in July-October 1937, and were tested by the 8th Attack Squadron of the Third Attack Group. In tests against the single-engined Northrop A-17 the A-18 proved to be slightly faster and have a higher service ceiling, but lacked the range of the A-17, and so did not receive a production contract. The existing Y1A-18s were transferred to the Third Bombardment Group in 1940, to be used for operational training, and as the service test period was over were redesignated as plain A-18s. They remained in use until 1940. Although the A-18 Shrike was not a success itself, the concept of a twin-engined attack aircraft had impressed the Air Corps, and late in 1937 they invited companies to submit designs for an aircraft with twice the range and bomb load of the A-18. Out of this contest came the Martin Maryland, Douglas A-20 Havoc/ Boston and the North American B-25 Mitchell.
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Mmmm...interesting!
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- #196
The FR-1 "Fireball" was designed in early 1943 for the US Navy, from a proposal by Admiral J McCain for a composite powered fighter in December 1942. At the time this was seen as the way ahead for the US Navy as early the jet engines had sluggish acceleration which required a long take off run, which was fine on dry land, but understandably gave rise to some concern when using aircraft from carriers. On the 1/2/1943 The Ryan Aeronautical Company was awarded a contract for three prototypes and one static airframe for testing. The first aircraft was ready for it's maiden flight on the 25/6/1944, however it was only powered by it's piston engine for the first two flights with the General Electric I-16 turbojet engine being fitted a few days later. The XFR-1 had excellent performance from it's first flight, with few serious problems being encountered at first. But a shadow fell over the aircraft when on the 13/10/1944 the first prototype disintegrated in midair, when in it's final phase of testing. The problem was traced to the wing rivets, this was over come by doubling the amount of rivets. But the other two prototypes also crashed in testing before they could be modified. On the 2/12/1943 the US Navy ordered 100 FR-1" Fireballs" and later in 1944 ordered an additional 600 aircraft, but after VJ day after only 66 aircraft had been made the order was canceled. Before that and due to the urgency of the Pacific war and the planned invasion of Japan in 1946. On the 1/1/1945 a new squadron was formed VF-66 of carefully selected personnel headed by Lt.Comdr J.F. Gray, with the aim of working up the new FR-1 to operational status ASP for the fleet. Three FR-1s were hoisted aboard the carrier USS Ranger on the 1/5/1945 for tests and by July 1945 the squadron was making preparations for deployment to the Pacific combat zone, this was put on hold when on the 15/8/1945 the war ended. The Navy officially unveiled the Ryan FR-1 to the public on the 26/9/1945.With the end of the war and the cancellation of the order for the FR-1, the Navy continued to test the "Fireball" and Ryan went on to improve the design with the XFR-4, this was done by fitting of a in place of the GE I-16 and reallocating the air intakes from the wing roots to the fuselage sides, just in front of the cockpit, the outcome of this was an increase of around 100 mph in the top speed, only one prototype was made and the Navy were not interested.
Ryan however were not easily put off and started work on the XF2R-1 "Dark Shark" replacing the piston engine with the General Electric XT-31 turboprop engine but keeping the General Electric I-16 in the tail, this made the aircraft around 5' longer than the "Fireball", with it's new nose and increased tail surface the XF2R-1 looks very different from the FR-1, but in essence it was a modified FR-1. The XF2R-1 took to the air in November 1946, it was soon apparent that the g new turboprop engine and 8' Hamilton propellers made a huge differences in performance for carrier operations, but once again the Navy were not interested, having decided by that time that pure jet power would fulfill there needs for the late 1940's and beyond. The USAAF were impressed by the testing of the "Darkshark" at Muroc Dry Lake air base in late 1946, seeing that it could possibly fulfill the specifications for the Convair XP-81, which was then under going evaluation testing at Muroc Dry Lake. The Army asked Ryan to build a aircraft based on the XF2R-1 but with an Westinghouse J-34 turbojet engine instead of the General Electric I-16. The aircraft Ryan designed, the XF2R-2 was a major redesign of the "Darkshark" incorporating the intakes from the XFR-4
Considered by many to be the pinnacle of the mixed-power concept, over coming all the problems with the use of two different types of engine. The XF2R-2 had long range, good performance and a large ordnance capacity it however along with the other American mixed powered aircraft such as the Convair XP-81, Grumman,s XTB3F-1 "Guardian" and the Curtiss XF-15, it would end up being an evolutionary dead end.
Source: Ryan
Ryan however were not easily put off and started work on the XF2R-1 "Dark Shark" replacing the piston engine with the General Electric XT-31 turboprop engine but keeping the General Electric I-16 in the tail, this made the aircraft around 5' longer than the "Fireball", with it's new nose and increased tail surface the XF2R-1 looks very different from the FR-1, but in essence it was a modified FR-1. The XF2R-1 took to the air in November 1946, it was soon apparent that the g new turboprop engine and 8' Hamilton propellers made a huge differences in performance for carrier operations, but once again the Navy were not interested, having decided by that time that pure jet power would fulfill there needs for the late 1940's and beyond. The USAAF were impressed by the testing of the "Darkshark" at Muroc Dry Lake air base in late 1946, seeing that it could possibly fulfill the specifications for the Convair XP-81, which was then under going evaluation testing at Muroc Dry Lake. The Army asked Ryan to build a aircraft based on the XF2R-1 but with an Westinghouse J-34 turbojet engine instead of the General Electric I-16. The aircraft Ryan designed, the XF2R-2 was a major redesign of the "Darkshark" incorporating the intakes from the XFR-4
Considered by many to be the pinnacle of the mixed-power concept, over coming all the problems with the use of two different types of engine. The XF2R-2 had long range, good performance and a large ordnance capacity it however along with the other American mixed powered aircraft such as the Convair XP-81, Grumman,s XTB3F-1 "Guardian" and the Curtiss XF-15, it would end up being an evolutionary dead end.
Source: Ryan
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- #197
The Short Shetland was a British high-speed, long-range, four-engined flying-boat built by Short Brothers at Rochester, Kent for use in the Second World War. It was designed to meet an Air Ministry requirement (defined in Specification R.14/40) for a very-long range reconnaissance flying boat. The design used the company's experience with large scale production of the Short Sunderland. The end of WWII prevented the Shetland from entering production, though it does have the distinction of being the first aircraft designed with a 110 Volt electrical system. Specification R.14/40 replaced an earlier specification R.5/39 which was an up-armed revision of specification R.3/38 for a faster flying boat than the Short Sunderland. Shorts, among others, had tendered a design for R.5/39 but the Ministry had changed their minds about the need for an immediate replacement for the Sunderland. R.5/39 had considered a maximum weight up to 84,000 lb (38,102 kg) - R.14/40 allowed for a maximum takeoff of nearly 100,000 lb (45,359 kg) with a bomb load of 20,000 lb (9,072 kg). The projected engines were the Bristol Centaurus radial or the Napier Sabre inline. Shorts and the other British manufacturer of big flying boats, Saunders-Roe (Saro), were involved in the competitive tender for R.14/40; Saro proposed the Saunders-Roe S.41. Rather than selecting either company's design, the Air Ministry asked the companies to submit a combined project, stipulating the terms under which the work was to be shared between them. The detailed design was performed by Saro, their experience with the "Shrimp" contributing to the hull shape, as well as building the wing. Shorts built the hull and tail and did the final assembly.
The first prototype and what was to be the only Shetland I (Serial Number DX166) first flew on 14 December 1944, piloted by Shorts' Chief Test Pilot John Lankester Parker as captain and Geoffrey Tyson as co-pilot. The aircraft flew without gun turrets (its role having been revised to that of unarmed transport before its maiden flight; it was delivered to the Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment (MAEE) at Felixstowe in October 1945. Testing indicated satisfactory water handling but the stabilising floats were mounted too low and did not offer sufficient clearance for takeoffs with maximum load. Flight testing revealed problems with the harmonization of controls and marginal longitudinal stability. Before the trials were complete, the aircraft burnt out at its moorings on 28 January 1946 as a result of a galley fire. With the end of the war, the second prototype (Serial Number DX171) was completed as a civil transport and designated Shetland II. It was designed to carry 70 passengers but only 40 seats were fitted. Registered "G-AGVD," the Shetland Mk.II's first flight took place on 17 September 1947. After trials, it was delivered to Short's factory at Belfast, but no orders were forthcoming and it performed only limited flight trials before being scrapped in 1951.
Source: Short Shetland Flying Boats - Dieselpunks
The first prototype and what was to be the only Shetland I (Serial Number DX166) first flew on 14 December 1944, piloted by Shorts' Chief Test Pilot John Lankester Parker as captain and Geoffrey Tyson as co-pilot. The aircraft flew without gun turrets (its role having been revised to that of unarmed transport before its maiden flight; it was delivered to the Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment (MAEE) at Felixstowe in October 1945. Testing indicated satisfactory water handling but the stabilising floats were mounted too low and did not offer sufficient clearance for takeoffs with maximum load. Flight testing revealed problems with the harmonization of controls and marginal longitudinal stability. Before the trials were complete, the aircraft burnt out at its moorings on 28 January 1946 as a result of a galley fire. With the end of the war, the second prototype (Serial Number DX171) was completed as a civil transport and designated Shetland II. It was designed to carry 70 passengers but only 40 seats were fitted. Registered "G-AGVD," the Shetland Mk.II's first flight took place on 17 September 1947. After trials, it was delivered to Short's factory at Belfast, but no orders were forthcoming and it performed only limited flight trials before being scrapped in 1951.
Source: Short Shetland Flying Boats - Dieselpunks
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- #199
The Fl 282 Kolibri was an improved version of the Flettner Fl 265 announced in July 1940 which had the same intermeshing rotor configuration as the earlier helicopter. It had a Siemens-Halske Sh 14 radial engine of 150-160 hp mounted in the center of the fuselage, with a transmission mounted on the front of the engine from which a driveshaft ran to an upper gearbox which then split the power to a pair of opposite driveshafts to turn the rotors. The Sh 14 engine was a tried and tested design with a proven track record which only required servicing every 400 hours as opposed to the Focke Achgelis Fa 223 which needed maintenance every 25 hours. The Fl 282's fuselage was constructed from steel tube covered with doped fabric, and it was fitted with a fixed undercarriage.
The German Navy was impressed with the Kolibri and wanted to evaluate it for submarine spotting duties, ordering an initial 15 examples to be followed by 30 production models. Flight testing of the first two prototypes was carried out through 1941, including repeated takeoffs and landings from a pad mounted on the German cruiser Köln. The first two "A" series prototypes had enclosed cockpits; all subsequent examples had open cockpits and were designated "B" series. In case of an engine failure, the switch from helicopter to autorotation was automatic. Three-bladed rotors were installed on a test bed and found smoother than the vibrating 2-bladed, but the concept was not pursued further.
Intended roles of Fl 282 included ferrying items between ships and reconnaissance. However, as the war progressed, the Luftwaffe began considering converting the Fl 282 for battlefield use. Until this time the craft had been flown by a single pilot, but now a position for an observer was added at the very rear of the craft, resulting in the B-2 version.[3] The B-2 proved a useful artillery spotting aircraft and an observation unit was established in 1944 comprising three Fl 282 and three Fa 223 helicopters. Good handling in bad weather led the German Air Ministry to issue a contract in 1944 to BMW to produce 1,000 units. However, the company's Munich plant was destroyed by Allied bombing raids after producing just 24 machines. Towards the end of World War II most of the surviving Fl 282s were stationed at Rangsdorf, in their role as artillery spotters, but gradually fell victim to Soviet fighters and anti-aircraft fire.
Source: Flettner Fl 282 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The German Navy was impressed with the Kolibri and wanted to evaluate it for submarine spotting duties, ordering an initial 15 examples to be followed by 30 production models. Flight testing of the first two prototypes was carried out through 1941, including repeated takeoffs and landings from a pad mounted on the German cruiser Köln. The first two "A" series prototypes had enclosed cockpits; all subsequent examples had open cockpits and were designated "B" series. In case of an engine failure, the switch from helicopter to autorotation was automatic. Three-bladed rotors were installed on a test bed and found smoother than the vibrating 2-bladed, but the concept was not pursued further.
Intended roles of Fl 282 included ferrying items between ships and reconnaissance. However, as the war progressed, the Luftwaffe began considering converting the Fl 282 for battlefield use. Until this time the craft had been flown by a single pilot, but now a position for an observer was added at the very rear of the craft, resulting in the B-2 version.[3] The B-2 proved a useful artillery spotting aircraft and an observation unit was established in 1944 comprising three Fl 282 and three Fa 223 helicopters. Good handling in bad weather led the German Air Ministry to issue a contract in 1944 to BMW to produce 1,000 units. However, the company's Munich plant was destroyed by Allied bombing raids after producing just 24 machines. Towards the end of World War II most of the surviving Fl 282s were stationed at Rangsdorf, in their role as artillery spotters, but gradually fell victim to Soviet fighters and anti-aircraft fire.
Source: Flettner Fl 282 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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- #200
After designing the S.38 four-engined patrol flying-boat to Specification R.5/39, Saro built, as a private venture, a half-scale model as the Saro A.37, often called the Shrimp. The R.5/39 programme did not go ahead, but the Saro A.37 was completed in time to make its first flight in October 1939. Powered by four 63kW Pobjoy Niagara III engines, it was later modified to have a single fin and rudder, and other features representative of the Shetland flying-boat jointly developed by Shorts and Saro. In this guise, it acquired the serial TK580, and was tested from early 1944 until after the war had ended.
Source: Saunders-Roe A.37 - flying boat
Source: Saunders-Roe A.37 - flying boat
