The Curtiss XP-62 was a

prototype A prototype is an early sample, model, or release of a product built to test a concept or process. It is a term used in a variety of contexts, including semantics, design, electronics, and Software prototyping, software programming. A prototyp ...

single-engine

interceptor aircraft An interceptor aircraft, or simply interceptor, is a type of fighter aircraft designed specifically for the defensive interception role against an attacking enemy aircraft, particularly bombers and reconnaissance aircraft. Aircraft that are cap ...

, that was built at the request of the

United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

, by the

Curtiss-Wright Corporation The Curtiss-Wright Corporation is a manufacturer and services provider headquartered in Davidson, North Carolina, with factories and operations in and outside the United States. Created in 1929 from the consolidation of Curtiss, Wright, and v ...

. It first flew in 1943. Relatively unusual objectives of the design, for its time, included superior high-altitude performance, which was to be assisted by a pressurized cockpit, heavier armament than contemporary USAAF fighter aircraft, in the form of four 20 mm

autocannon An autocannon, automatic cannon or machine cannon is a fully automatic gun that is capable of rapid-firing large-caliber ( or more) armour-piercing, explosive or incendiary shells, as opposed to the smaller-caliber kinetic projectiles (bull ...

s, and higher speeds, at all altitudes, than other contemporary fighters. A key physical feature of the XP-62, in terms of the above objectives, was its relatively large and powerful engine, an 18-cylinder

Wright R-3350 Duplex-Cyclone The Wright R-3350 Duplex-Cyclone is an American twin-row, supercharged, air-cooled, radial aircraft engine with 18 cylinders displacing nearly . Power ranged from 2,200 to over 3,700 hp (1,640 to 2,760 kW), depending on the model. ...

Design and development

The terms of the contract, in accordance with a proposal of 29 April 1941, called for the first flight within fifteen months of the award. The maximum level flight speed at 27,000 ft (8,230 m) had to be at least 468 mph (753 km/h). The aircraft was to feature an

air-conditioned Air conditioning, often abbreviated as A/C or AC, is the process of removing heat from an enclosed space to achieve a more comfortable interior environment (sometimes referred to as 'comfort cooling') and in some cases also strictly controlling ...

pressurized {{Wiktionary Pressurization or pressurisation is the application of pressure in a given situation or environment. Industrial Industrial equipment is often maintained at pressures above or below atmospheric. Atmospheric This is the process by ...

cockpit A cockpit or flight deck is the area, usually near the front of an aircraft or spacecraft, from which a Pilot in command, pilot controls the aircraft. The cockpit of an aircraft contains flight instruments on an instrument panel, and the ...

. Proposed armament was either eight 20 mm (.79 in) cannons or twelve 0.50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns, mounted in the wings. Two

s were ordered; the first designated XP-62 and the second designated XP-62A. On 2 August 1941, the specifications were submitted for the XP-62 reducing the maximum speed to 448 mph (721 km/h) with eight 20 mm (.79 in) cannon armament and increasing the loaded weight by 1,537 lb (697 kg). During a project review of 1 January 1942, the contract specification was again revised: the loaded weight would be reduced by eliminating four cannons and removing the

propeller A propeller (colloquially often called a screw if on a ship or an airscrew if on an aircraft) is a device with a rotating hub and radiating blades that are set at a pitch to form a helical spiral which, when rotated, exerts linear thrust upon ...

de-icing Deicing is the process of removing snow, ice or frost from a surface. Anti-icing is the application of chemicals that not only deice but also remain on a surface and continue to delay the reformation of ice for a certain period of time, or preve ...

equipment. On 25 May 1942 a contract for 100 P-62 fighters was awarded. However, on 27 July 1942, before production could begin, the contract for the P-62 was terminated (although not, apparently, the XP-62A). The reason given was the effect on deliveries of Curtiss-built

P-47 Thunderbolt The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt is a World War II-era fighter aircraft produced by the American company Republic Aviation from 1941 through 1945. It was a successful high-altitude fighter and it also served as the foremost American fighter-bombe ...

s. While work on the XP-62A continued, it progressed slowly, owing to its low priority; delays in delivery of the unique pressure-cabin supercharger and engine modifications delayed the first flight until 21 July 1943. Only a limited amount of flight testing was carried out before the XP-62A was canceled on 21 September 1943 and full performance characteristics were not obtained. In early 1944, the XP-62A prototype was scrapped.

Specifications (XP-62)

References

* Green, William. ''War Planes of the Second World War – Fighters, Volume 4''. London: Macdonald. 1961.

External links

Curtis XP-62
– National Museum of the USAF {{DEFAULTSORT:Curtiss Xp-62 Curtiss P-62 Single-engined tractor aircraft P-62 Aircraft with contra-rotating propellers Aircraft first flown in 1943

Design and development

Specifications (XP-62)

See also

References

External links