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Curtiss-Wright XP-55 Ascender

29.0k Supermini555  8.4 years ago

One of the unique concepts made by the Curtiss-Wright Corporation, the XP-55 had a unique pusher prop design

Controls ar as any conventional plane, with the addition of VTOL down for landing

Tips for landing: Go at an angle between 0* degrees and -10* degrees

______________________________________Wikipedia________

The Curtiss-Wright XP-55 Ascender (company designation CW-24) was a 1940s United States prototype fighter aircraft built by Curtiss-Wright. Along with the Vultee XP-54 and Northrop XP-56, it resulted from United States Army Air Corps proposal R-40C issued on 27 November 1939 for aircraft with improved performance, armament and pilot visibility over existing fighters; it specifically allowed for unconventional aircraft designs. A highly unusual design for its time, it had a canard configuration, a rear mounted engine, swept wings and two vertical tails. Because of its pusher design, it was sarcastically referred to as the "Ass-ender". Like the XP-54, the Ascender was initially designed for the Pratt & Whitney X-1800 engine and had to be redesigned when that engine project was cancelled. It was also the first Curtiss fighter aircraft to use tricycle landing gear

General Characteristics

  • Created On iOS
  • Wingspan 42.4ft (12.9m)
  • Length 40.6ft (12.4m)
  • Height 11.4ft (3.5m)
  • Empty Weight 6,840lbs (3,103kg)
  • Loaded Weight 17,001lbs (7,711kg)

Performance

  • Horse Power/Weight Ratio 0.117
  • Wing Loading 46.2lbs/ft2 (225.6kg/m2)
  • Wing Area 368.0ft2 (34.2m2)
  • Drag Points 3376

Parts

  • Number of Parts 118
  • Control Surfaces 12
  • Performance Cost 489