The Elzer Aircraft Company object 3013 (P.191) is a tailless fighter project that was submitted to the Procurement Competition P.34/2 for a fighter powered by an Allison V-1710 engine. The design was rejected due to possible stability issues and high takeoff and landing speed before any were built.

Development

(fictional. All fictional. Work of fiction)

Development of the Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire (there was an earlier Spitfire - Model 224) meant the United States is lacking a high-speed fighter interceptor for service.
The Corps opened an international-wide competition known as the Requirement P.34/2 for a fighter powered by an Allison V-1710 engine that is capable to reach 500 km/h TAS at 2,000 meters above mean sea level. 14 firms had their entries sent, 5 of them are of foreign origin before deadline and testing phase started.

The Elzer Aircraft Company developed the concept P.191 as an entry powered by the required engine for service as a fighter to replace the Curtiss P-6 and P-19 and to complement the Consolidated P-25 lineage and the upcoming Seversky P-35 and Curtiss P-36.

Design review, and general testing were initiated. The P.191 has a speed potential of more than 477 km/h at altitude, but, it showed a critical problem on stability especially when making an aerobatic turn and high takeoff speed despite the presence of flaps were shown contributing to the cancellation of the aircraft project. The P.34/2 were won by the Autumn (which will become the 'Collei' in service), Durin-Naslund (Model 46 - which will become the 'Albedo' in service) and Rochefort-Clement (P.4K), two of them had to be license-manufactured by Vultee (Durin Model 46) and Lockheed (Rochefort-Clement P.4K).

Design

The P.191 as designed is a tailless aircraft resembling a flying wing with a tailfin attached at the underside. The engine was of pusher configuration, making the plane resembling the Northrop XP-56 'Flying Bullet'. Armament was of 3 machine guns and 2 cannons.

Specifications

Crew: 1
Length: 4.5 meters
Wingspan: 9.9 meters
Height:
Empty weight: 1,632 kg.
Gross weight: 2,195 kg.
Fuel capacity:
Powerplant: Allison V-1710, 1,000 hp.
Propeller: Hamilton

Maximum speed: 521 km/h at 2,500 meters TAS
Cruise speed: ~460 km/h at 2,500 meters TAS
Take-off speed: 241 km/h TAS flaps down
Stall speed: ~<192 km/h TAS
Climb rate:
Service ceiling:
Range:

Armament
3x Browning machine guns
2x cannons