Inspiration
In the years before the outbreak ofDesign and cancellation
Intended to be powered by a Ranger XV-770 inverted V-12 engine equipped with a supercharger, 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 the Pursuit category.Norton 2008, p. 157 Closely resembling the later Bell XP-77, the design of the XP-48 featured a wing of remarkably high aspect ratio, and was equipped with a pair of synchronized machine guns for armament, Douglas touted the XP-48 as offering outstanding performance, with a top speed of at least , and, according to Douglas' estimates, possibly as high as .Angelucci 1987, p. 183. However, this very aspect of its design was regarded with suspicion by the Army Air Corps. The Ranger engine was suffering from development difficulties and delays and would never prove truly reliable.Adcock 1991, p. 45 At the same time, Douglas' performance estimates became increasingly regarded as being over-optimistic.Brown et al. 1961, p. 64 Accordingly, in February 1940 the Army cancelled the XP-48 contract, and without government funding Douglas ceased development of the aircraft.Specifications (XP-48)
See also
References
Citations
Bibliography
* Adcock, Al. ''OS2U Kingfisher in action''. Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1991. . * Angelucci, Enzo. ''The American Fighter from 1917 to the present''. New York: Orion, 1987. . * Brown, Kimbrough et al. ''U.S. Army and Air Force Fighters, 1916-1961''. Letchworth, UK: Harleyford Publications, 1961. * Francillon, René J. ''McDonnell Douglas Aircraft since 1920''. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1979. . * Norton, Bill. ''U.S. Experimental & Prototype Aircraft Projects: Fighters 1939–1945''. North Branch, Minnesota: Specialty Press, 2008. .External links