Stearman XA-21 on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
The Stearman XA-21 (Model X-100) was a competitor in a
Museum of the United States Air Force. Retrieved: 17 July 2017. Its initial design featured an unusual " stepless cockpit" arrangement, much like those on most German
"Swift Attack Bombers Race For Jobs In Army Air Corps."
''Popular Mechanics,'' June 1939. Although this change in the cockpit did not significantly affect performance, the XA-21 was not ordered into production.' The sole XA-21 had serial number ''40-191''.
"Stearman XA-21"
{{USAF attack aircraft A-21, Stearman A-21 Shoulder-wing aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1938 Twin piston-engined tractor aircraft
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was the aerial warfare service component of the United States Army between 1926 and 1941. After World War I, as early aviation became an increasingly important part of modern warfare, a philosophical r ...
competition for a twin-engined attack aircraft which (after redesigns) led to the Douglas A-20 Havoc
The Douglas A-20 Havoc (company designation DB-7) is an American medium bomber, attack aircraft, night intruder, night fighter, and reconnaissance aircraft of World War II.
Designed to meet an Army Air Corps requirement for a bomber, it was o ...
, Martin A-22 Maryland and North American B-25 Mitchell
The North American B-25 Mitchell is an American medium bomber that was introduced in 1941 and named in honor of Major General William "Billy" Mitchell, a pioneer of U.S. military aviation. Used by many Allied air forces, the B-25 served in ...
.
Design and development
The X-100, designated XA-21 following purchase by the Army Air Corps, was a twin-engined high-wingedmonoplane
A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple planes.
A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing con ...
of all-metal construction."Stearman XA-21 (Stepped Cockpit)."Museum of the United States Air Force. Retrieved: 17 July 2017. Its initial design featured an unusual " stepless cockpit" arrangement, much like those on most German
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
bombers designed during the war years from the He 111P onwards, with a streamlined, well-framed greenhouse canopy enclosing both the pilot and bombardier stations.Bowers 1989, p. 273.
Operational history
The XA-21 was first tested with the streamlined cockpit but this configuration was found to restrict the pilot's forward vision, and the aircraft was rebuilt with a conventional (stepped) nose and cockpit structure.''Popular Mechanics,'' June 1939. Although this change in the cockpit did not significantly affect performance, the XA-21 was not ordered into production.' The sole XA-21 had serial number ''40-191''.
Operators
; *United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was the aerial warfare service component of the United States Army between 1926 and 1941. After World War I, as early aviation became an increasingly important part of modern warfare, a philosophical r ...
Specifications (XA-21)
See also
References
Notes
Bibliography
* Bowers, Peter M. ''Boeing Aircraft since 1916''. London: Putnam, Second edition, 1989. . * Wagner, Ray. ''American Combat Planes of the 20th Century, Third Enlarged Edition.'' New York: Doubleday, 1982. .External links
"Stearman XA-21"
{{USAF attack aircraft A-21, Stearman A-21 Shoulder-wing aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1938 Twin piston-engined tractor aircraft