Grumman XP-50

infobox Aircraft
name =XP-50
type =Fighter
manufacturer =Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation



caption =Grumman XP-50 "Skyrocket"
designer =
first flight =14 May avyear|1941
introduced =
retired =
status =Cancelled
primary user =
more users =
produced =
number built =1
unit cost =
developed from = XF5F Skyrocket
variants with their own articles =

The Grumman XP-50 was a land-based development of the shipboard F5F-1 Skyrocket fighter, entered into a USAAC contest for a twin-engine heavy interceptor aircraft. The Army Air Corps placed an order for a prototype on 25 November 1939 designating it XP-50, but it lost the competition to the XP-38.

Design and development

First assigned Design 34, later G-46 by the builder, Grumman, the design was entered into competition alongside proposals from Bell, Brewster, Curtiss, Grumman, and Vought. [ [http://home.att.net/~jbaugher1/p50.html Grumman XP-50] ] The XP-50 design was similar to that of the XF5F-1 with modifications to the fuselage nose to house the nose-wheel of the tricycle landing gear and provisions for self-sealing fuel tanks and pilot armor. The planned armament was two 20 mm cannon and two .50 caliber (12.7 mm) machine guns.

Testing

The only flight of the XP-50 was on 14 May 1941, falling victim to a turbo-supercharger explosion that destroyed the aircraft.

Based upon experience with the XF5F-1 and the XP-50, Grumman had begun work on a more advanced fighter, designated model G-51. Thus, the A.A.C. decided to replace the XP-50 with the newer design and recommended procurement of two G-51s, designated XP-65, using the original XP-50 expenditure order to cover the development. Consideration was given to combining the Air Corps and Navy requirements into a common design, but the weight and performance penalties inherent in conflicting requirements were considered great enough that separate designs would be needed. But, since the Navy considered Grumman one of its major production sources and that producing two different model aircraft by Grumman would impede manufacture of aircraft types the U.S. Navy needed, it was decided that development of the XF7F-1 would continue, and the XP-65 as a parallel development was abandoned.

Variants

;XP-50:Version of the F5F for the United States Army Air Corps with two 1200hp (895kW) Wright R-1820-67/69 engines, one built.;XP-65:Improved version of the XP-50 with two R-2600-10 engines, none built project only.

pecifications (XP-50, estimated)

aircraft specifications

plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop
crew=One
length main=31 ft 11 in
length alt=9.73 m
span main=42 ft
span alt=12.80 m
height main=12 ft
height alt=3.66 m
area main=304 ft²
area alt=28.24 m²
empty weight main=8,310 lb
empty weight alt=3,770 kg
loaded weight main=10,560 lb
loaded weight alt=4,790 kg
max takeoff weight main=13,060 lb
max takeoff weight alt=5,925 kg
engine (prop)=Wright R-1820-67/69
type of prop=9-cylinder air-cooled radial engines
number of props=2
power main=1,200 hp
power alt=895 kW
max speed main=424 mph
max speed alt=680 km/h
max speed more=at 25,000 ft (7,620 m)
range main=1,250 mi
range alt=2,010 km
ceiling main=40,000 ft
ceiling alt=12,190 m
climb rate main=ft/min
climb rate alt=m/s
loading main=lb/ft²
loading alt=kg/m²
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
armament=
* Two 20 mm cannons
* Two 0.5 in (12.7 mm) machine guns
* Two 100 lb (45 kg) bombs

ee also

aircontent
related=
*XF5F Skyrocket
*F7F Tigercat
similar aircraft=
*Westland Whirlwind (fighter)
see also=
lists=

References

Notes

Bibliography

* Green, William. "War Planes of the Second World War, Volume Four: Fighters". London: MacDonald & Co. (Publishers) Ltd., 1961 (Sixth impression 1969). ISBN 0-356-01448-7.
* Lucabaugh, David and Bob Martin. "Grumman XF5F-1 & XP-50 Skyrocket, Naval Fighters Number Thirty-one". Simi Valley, CA: Ginter Books, 1995. ISBN 0-942612-31-0.

External links

* [http://home.att.net/~jbaugher1/p50.html Grumman XP-50]
* [http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=2255 Grumman XP-50 Skyrocket]