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| XA-38 Grizzly | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Attack aircraft |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Beechcraft |
| Status | Canceled |
| Primary user | United States Army Air Forces |
| Number built | 2 |
| History | |
| First flight | 7 May 1944 |
TheBeechcraft XA-38 "Grizzly" was a World War II-era groundattack aircraft, developed byBeechcraft, but never put into production. The Grizzly was to have been fitted with a forward-firing75 mm cannon to penetrate heavily armored targets.
While the first prototype flew on 7 May 1944, testing established that the type would not be ready for the projectedinvasion of Japan. It also featured theWright R-3350 engines already in use with theBoeing B-29 Superfortress—which had priority. Consequently, the XA-38 was canceled after a second prototype had been completed.
TheUnited States Army Air Forces awarded the Beech Aircraft Corporation a contract in December 1942 for two prototypes for their Model 28 "Destroyer".[1]Initially the Model 28 had been a bomber-destroyer design but shifted[citation needed] to give a powerful ground attack aircraft to replace theDouglas A-20 Havoc, with the ability to hit "hardened" targets liketanks andbunkers and to attack coastal shipping.[1] This capability was achieved through a 75 mm cannon with 20 rounds, mounted in a fixed position on the nose as well as two .50 cal (12.7 mm)M2 Browning machine guns firing forward. Defensive armament consisted of remotely controlled ventral and dorsal turrets, each armed with twin .50 cal (12.7 mm) machine guns. There were to be two crew members, a pilot and an observer/gunner in the rear cabin, using periscope sights to aim the guns.
On 7 May 1944, Beechtest pilot Vern Carstens flew the XA-38 on its maiden flight from the company'sWichita airfield.[2] The aircraft proved satisfactory in all respects and better than expected in some, including top speed.
During testing, the XA-38 prototypes were flown by USAAF pilots and serviced by military personnel, proving to be reliable and establishing a high level of serviceability.[3]
The armament proved especially effective; if not for a shift in wartime priorities in 1944, the aircraft would most likely have been ordered in quantity[citation needed] even though the B-29 had priority for theWright R-3350 engines. Instead, one prototype was scrapped and the other, intended for theUSAF Museum, had an unknown fate.
Data from Plane Facts: The big gun Beech[4]
General characteristics
Performance
Armament
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
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