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Douglas XP-48

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Light fighter project for U.S. Air Force, cancelled 1940

XP-48

General information
Type	Fighter aircraft
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Douglas Aircraft Company
Status	Cancelled 1940
Primary user	United States Army Air Corps
Number built	None

TheDouglas XP-48 was a small, lightweightfighter aircraft, designed byDouglas Aircraft in 1939 for evaluation by theU.S. Army Air Corps. Intended to be powered by a smallinline 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

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In the years before the outbreak ofWorld 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 ofracing aircraft. Following the consideration of a modified FrenchCaudron 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 theirModel 312 design in 1939.^[2]

Design and cancellation

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Intended to be powered by aRanger XV-770 inverted V-12 engine equipped with asupercharger, 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 thePursuit category.^[3]

Closely resembling the laterBell XP-77,^[4] the design of the XP-48 featured a wing of remarkably highaspect ratio, and was equipped with a pair ofsynchronized 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)

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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 (560 km/h, 300 kn)

Armament

Guns: 1 .30 in (7.62 mm) and 1 .50 in (12.7 mm)machine guns.

References

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Citations

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^"Douglas XP-48"Archived May 15, 2010, at theWayback Machine. National Museum of the United States Air Force. Accessed May 9, 2010.
^^a ^b ^cNorton 2008, p. 156
^^a ^b ^c ^d ^eNorton 2008, p. 157
^AAHS Journal, Volume 28, Number 2. Summer 1983.American Aviation Historical Society
^^a ^b ^cAngelucci 1987, p. 183.
^Adcock 1991, p. 45
^Brown et al. 1961, p. 64
^Francillon 1979

Bibliography

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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

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Wikimedia Commons has media related toDouglas XP-48.

Douglas XP-48

v t e 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 Invader A-33 A-1 Skyraider A-3 Skywarrior A-4 Skyhawk/A-4AR Fightinghawk/A-4SU Super Skyhawk AC-47 "Spooky" DT T2D XT3D TBD Devastator SBD Dauntless BD XBTD Destroyer XTB2D Skypirate AD Skyraider XA2D Skyshark A3D Skywarrior A4D Skyhawk
Bombers	YB-7 YB-11 B-18 Bolo XB-19 XB-22 B-23 Dragon B-26 Invader XB-31 XB-42 Mixmaster XB-43 Jetmaster B-66 Destroyer Model 423 Model 1211-J 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 Skytrain (Dakota I/III/IV) C-48 C-49 C-50 C-51 C-52 C-53 Skytrooper C-54 Skymaster C-58 UC-67 C-68 C-74 Globemaster C-84 C-110 XC-112/YC-112 XC-114 YC-116 C-117 C-117D C-118 C-124 Globemaster II YC-129 C-132 C-133 Cargomaster C-9 (Nightingale/Skytrain II) C-24 RD R2D R3D R4D-1/-3/-5/-6/-7 R4D-8 R5D JD R6D CC-129 LXD1 PD.808 Skymaster I
Gliders	XCG-17
Training aircraft	BT-1 BT-2 XT-30
Experimental	World Cruiser D-558-1 Skystreak D-558-2 Skyrocket X-3 Stiletto

USAAS/USAAC/USAAF/USAF fighter designations 1924–1962, andTri-Service post-1962 systems

1924 sequences
(1924–1962)

Pursuit (1924–1948)	P-1 P-2 P-3 P-4³ Curtiss P-4 Boeing P-4 P-5 P-6 P-7 P-8 P-9 P-10 P-11 P-12 P-13 P-14 P-15 P-16 P-17 P-18 P-19 P-20 P-21 P-22 P-23 P-24 P-25 P-26 P-27 P-28 P-29 P-30 P-31 P-32 P-33 P-34 P-35 P-36 P-37 P-38 P-39 P-39E P-40 P-41 P-42 P-43 P-44 P-45 P-46 P-47 P-48 P-49 P-50 P-51 P-52 P-53 P-54 P-55 P-56 P-57 P-58 P-59³ XP-59 P-59 P-60 P-61 P-62 P-63 P-64 P-65 P-66 P-67 P-68 P-69 P-70 P-71 P-72 P-73² P-74¹ P-75 P-76 P-77 P-78 P-79 P-80 P-81 P-82 P-83 P-84 P-85 P-86 P-87 P-88 P-89 P-90 P-91 P-92
Fighter (1948–1962)	F-38 F-39 F-40 F-47 F-51 F-59 F-61 RF-61C F-63 F-80 F-81 F-82 F-83 F-84 F-84F/J F-84H F-85 F-86 F-86C F-86D/G/K/L F-87 F-88 F-89 F-90 F-91 F-92 F-93 F-94 F-95 F-96 F-97 F-98 F-99 F-100 F-100B F-101 F-102 F-102B F-103 F-104 XF-104 F-104S NF-104A F-105 F-106³ XF-106 F-106 F-107 F-108 F-109² F-110 F-111 F-111B F-111C F-111K AFTI/F-111A EF-111A
Pursuit, biplace	PB-1 PB-2 PB-3
Fighter, multiplace	FM-1 FM-2
Non-sequential	F-24 P-322 P-400

Tri-service sequence
(1962–present)

Main sequence	F-1 F-1C/D F-1E/F F-2 F-3 F-4 F-4J(UK)/K/M F-5 F-5G F-6 F-7 F-8 F-8E(FN) F-9 F-9F–J F-10 F-11 F-12 F-12C² F-13¹ F-14 F-15 F-15E F-15EX F-15J F-15 STOL/MTD F-16 F-16XL NF-16D F-17 F/A-18 F/A-18E/F EA-18G F-19¹ F-20 F-21 F-22 YF-22 FB-22 F-23
Non-sequential	F-35 F-47 F-117

Covert designations

Related designations

¹ Not assigned • ² Unofficial • ³ Assigned to multiple types
See also: "F-19" • X-32 • X-35 • 1919–1924 sequence

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