Douglas XP-48

XP-48
Role	Fighter aircraft
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Douglas Aircraft Company
Status	Cancelled 1940
Primary user	United States Army Air Corps
Number built	None

The Douglas XP-48 was a small, lightweight fighter aircraft, designed by Douglas Aircraft in 1939 for evaluation by the U.S. Army Air Corps. Intended to be powered by a small inline piston engine, the contract was cancelled before a prototype could be constructed, due to the Army's concerns about the projected performance of the aircraft.^[1]

Inspiration

In the years before the outbreak of World War II, a number of countries became intrigued by the idea of developing a very light fighter aircraft,^[2] with these proposals often being derived from the design of racing aircraft. Following the consideration of a modified French Caudron racer by the U.S. Army Air Corps, a proposition that was considered uneconomical,^[2] Douglas Aircraft made an unsolicited proposal to the Army Air Corps of their Model 312 design in 1939.^[2]

Design and cancellation

Intended to be powered by a Ranger XV-770 inverted V-12 engine equipped with a supercharger, Douglas' proposal was considered as being worth pursuing by the Army Air Corps, and on 5 August 1939 a single prototype was ordered. The Model 312 was given the Army designation XP-48, the 48th aircraft type in the Pursuit category.^[3]

Closely resembling the later Bell XP-77,^[4] the design of the XP-48 featured a wing of remarkably high aspect ratio, and was equipped with a pair of synchronized machine guns for armament,^[3] Douglas touted the XP-48 as offering outstanding performance, with a top speed of at least 350 miles per hour (560 km/h),^[3] and, according to Douglas' estimates, possibly as high as 525 miles per hour (845 km/h).^[5]

However, this very aspect of its design was regarded by suspicion by the Army Air Corps.^[3] The Ranger engine was suffering from development difficulties and delays and would never prove truly reliable.^[6] At the same time, Douglas' performance estimates were becoming increasingly regarded as being over-optimistic.^[7] Accordingly, in February 1940 the Army cancelled the XP-48 contract,^[3] and without the government funding, Douglas ceased development of the aircraft.^[5]

Specifications (XP-48)

Data from ^[5][8]

General characteristics

• Crew: 1 (pilot)
• Length: 21 ft 9 in (6.63 m)
• Wingspan: 32 ft (9.8 m)
• Height: 9 ft (2.7 m)
• Wing area: 92 sq ft (8.5 m²)
• Empty weight: 2,675 lb (1,213 kg)
• Gross weight: 3,400 lb (1,542 kg)
• Fuel capacity: 50 US gallons (190 l; 42 imp gal)
• Powerplant: 1 × Ranger SGV-770 inverted V-12 liquid-cooled piston engine, 525 hp (391 kW)
• Propellers: 3-bladed, 9.5 ft (2.9 m) diameter

Performance

• Maximum speed: 525 mph (845 km/h; 456 kn)

Armament

• Guns: 1 .30-caliber and 1 .50-caliber machine guns.

See also

	Aviation portal
	United States Army portal

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• Bell XP-77
• Caudron C.714
• Miles M.20
• Tucker XP-57
  

Related lists

• List of fighter aircraft
• List of military aircraft of the United States
  

References

Notes

1. ^ "Douglas XP-48". National Museum of the United States Air Force. Accessed May 9 2010.
2. ^ ^{a b c} Norton 2008, p. 156
3. ^ ^{a b c d e} Norton 2008, p. 157
4. ^ AAHS Journal, Volume 28, Number 2. Summer 1983. American Aviation Historical Society
5. ^ ^{a b c} Angelucci 1987, p. 183.
6. ^ Adcock 1991, p. 45
7. ^ Brown et.al. 1961, p. 64
8. ^ Francillon 1979

Bibliography

• Adcock, Al. OS2U Kingfisher in action. Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1991. ISBN 0-89747-270-5.
• Angelucci, Enzo. The American Fighter from 1917 to the present. New York: Orion, 1987. ISBN 0-517-56588-9.
• Brown, Kimbrough et. al. U.S. Army and Air Force Fighters, 1916-1961. Letchworth, UK: Harleyford Publications, 1961. ASIN B001YTWMPC
• Francillon, René J. McDonnell Douglas Aircraft since 1920. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1979. ISBN 0-370-00050-1.
• Norton, Bill. U.S. Experimental & Prototype Aircraft Projects: Fighters 1939–1945. North Branch, Minnesota: Specialty Press, 2008. ISBN 978-1-58007-109-3.

External links

• Douglas XP-48