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 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 with 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 became increasingly regarded as being over-optimistic.^[7] Accordingly, in February 1940 the Army cancelled the XP-48 contract,^[3] and without government funding Douglas ceased development of the aircraft.^[5]

Specifications (XP-48)

Data from ^[5]^[8]

General characteristics

Crew: one (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: 350 mph (563 km/h; 304 kn)

Armament

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

References

Citations

↑ "Douglas XP-48". National Museum of the United States Air Force. Accessed May 9, 2010.
1 2 3 Norton 2008, p. 156
1 2 3 4 5 Norton 2008, p. 157
↑ AAHS Journal, Volume 28, Number 2. Summer 1983. American Aviation Historical Society
1 2 3 Angelucci 1987, p. 183.
↑ Adcock 1991, p. 45
↑ Brown et al. 1961, p. 64
↑ 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

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Douglas XP-48.

Douglas XP-48

Douglas military aircraft

Fighters	XFD XP-48 P-70 F3D Skyknight F4D Skyray F5D Skylancer XF6D Missileer

Ground attack	XA-2 A-20 A-24 A-26 A-33 A-1 Skyraider A-3 Skywarrior A-4 Skyhawk/A-4AR/A-4SU AC-47 DT T2D XT3D TBD Devastator SBD Dauntless BD XBTD XTB2D AD XA2D A3D A4D

Bombers	YB-7 YB-11 B-18 XB-19 XB-22 B-23 B-26 XB-31 XB-42 XB-43 B-66 DB-1 DB-2 DB-7 DB-8 DB-19 DB-73 Boston I/II/III/IV/V Digby I Havoc I/II DXD1

Observation	O-2 OD O2D O-31 O-35 O-38 O-43 YO-44 O-46 O-53 YOA-5

Patrol	PD P2D P3D

Reconnaissance	F-3

Transports	C-1 C-21 C-32 C-33 YC-34 C-38 C-39 C-41 C-41A C-42 C-47 C-48 C-49 C-50 C-51 C-52 C-53 C-54 C-58 UC-67 C-68 C-74 C-84 C-110 XC-112/YC-112 XC-114 YC-116 C-117 C-118 C-124 YC-129 C-133 C-9 C-24 RD R2D R3D R4D (R4D-2 & R4D-4) R5D JD R6D CC-129 Dakota I/III/IV Dakota II LXD1 PD.808 Skymaster I

Gliders	XCG-17

Training aircraft	BT-1 BT-2 XT-30

Experimental	DWC D-558-1 D-558-2 X-3

USAAS/USAAC/USAAF/USAF fighter designations 1924–1962

Pursuit (pre-1948) Fighter (post-1948)	P-1 P-2 P-3 XP-4 P-5 P-6 XP-7 XP-8 XP-9 XP-10 P-11 P-12 XP-13 XP-14 XP-15 P-16 P-17 YP-18 YP-19 YP-20 P-21 XP-22 P-23 YP-24 P-25 P-26 P-27 P-28 P-29 P-30 XP-31 P-32 P-33 XP-34 P-35 P-36 P-37 P-38 P-39 P-40 XP-41 P-42 P-43 P-44 P-45 XP-46 P-47 XP-48 XP-49 XP-50 P-51 XP-52 P-53 XP-54 XP-55 XP-56 XP-57 XP-58 P-59 P-60 P-61/C XP-62 P-63 P-64 P-65 P-66 XP-67 XP-68 P-69 P-70 XP-71 XP-72 P-73 P-74¹ P-75 XP-76 XP-77 P-78 XP-79 P-80 XP-81 F-82 XP-83 F-84 F-85 F-86/D XF-87 F-88 F-89 XF-90 XF-91 XF-92 YF-93 F-94 F-95 F-96 F-97 F-98 F-99 F-100 F-101 F-102 XF-103 F-104 F-105 F-106 F-107 XF-108 XF-109 F-110 F-111/B

Pursuit, Biplace	PB-1 PB-2 PB-3

Fighter, Multiplace	FM-1 FM-2

¹ Not assigned See also: F-24 • F-117 • P-400 • post-1962 sequence

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