BTD Destroyer

Infobox Aircraft
name=BTD Destroyer


caption=
type=Torpedo/dive bomber
manufacturer=Douglas Aircraft Corporation
designer=
first flight=8 April 1943
introduced=1944
retired=1945
status=
primary user=United States Navy
more users=
produced=
number built=28
unit cost=
variants with their own articles=

Douglas BTD Destroyer was an American torpedo bomber developed for the United States Navy during World War II. It was the first Navy aircraft to have tricycle landing gear.Dave's Warbirds 2006]

Development

BTD was designed as a replacement for the SBD Dauntless dive bomber. The initial two-seat design was subsequently reworked into a single-seat torpedo/dive bomber. The prototype first flew on 8 April 1943, and the Navy ordered 358 BTD-1s.

Operational history

The first production BTD-1s were completed in June 1944. By the time Japan surrendered in August 1945, only 28 aircraft had been delivered and none saw combat action.

Variants

;BTD-1:First production version, 28 built.;XBTD-2:Two prototypes with mixed propulsion, the additional Westinghouse WE-19XA turbojet with 1,500 lbf (6.7 kN) of thrust did not sufficiently improve performance. First flight May 1945.

Operators

;flag|United States|1912
*United States Navy

urvivor

* BTD-1, Serial No. 4959, Wings of Eagles Discovery Center, Elmira-Corning Regional Airport, Elmira, New York [ [http://www.aero-web.org/specs/douglas/btd-1.htm AeroWeb: "BTD on display"] ] [ [http://www.wingsofeagles.com/collection.cfm Wings of Eagles: BTD in Restorations] Official site]

pecifications (BTD-1)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop
ref=Dave's Warbirds
crew=One
length main=38 ft 7 in
length alt=11.76 m
span main=45 ft 0 in
span alt=13.72 m
height main=13 ft 7 in
height alt=4.14 m
area main=
area alt=
airfoil=
empty weight main=11,561 lb
empty weight alt=5 244 kg
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main=19,000 lb
max takeoff weight alt=8 618 kg
more general=

engine (prop)=Wright R-3350-14 Cyclone 18
type of prop=radial engine
number of props=1
power main=2,300 hp
power alt=1 715 kW
power original=
max speed main=290 knots
max speed alt=334 mph, 538 km/h
max speed more=at 16,100 ft (4 900 m)
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
range main=
range alt=
ceiling main=23,600 ft
ceiling alt=7 195 m
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=
loading alt=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=
armament=
*2× 20 mm cannon
*Up to 3,200 lb (1 450 kg) of bombs in the bomb bay or a single torpedo
avionics=

References

;Notes;Bibliography
* [http://www.daveswarbirds.com/usplanes/aircraft/destroyr.htm Dave's Warbirds]
* Donald, David and Lake, Jon. "Encyclopedia of World Military Aircraft". London: AIRtime Publishing, 1996. ISBN 1-88058-824-2.

External links

ee also

aircontent
related=
similar aircraft=
*Blackburn Firebrand - BTM Mauler
lists=
see also=