Puneet Varma (Editor)

Convair XB 53

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Top speed
  
933 km/h

Length
  
24 m

Wingspan
  
25 m

Manufacturer
  
Convair

Convair XB-53 Convair XB53 by Fantastic Plastic

The Convair XB-53 was a proposed jet-powered medium bomber aircraft, designed by Convair for the United States Army Air Forces. With a radical tailless, forward-swept wing design, the aircraft appeared futuristic; however, the project was canceled before either of the two prototypes were completed.

Contents

Convair XB-53 Convair XB53 by Fantastic Plastic

Design and development

Convair XB-53 CONVAIR XA44 XB53 Attack Platform Medium Bomber Proposal

The project was originally designated XA-44 in 1945 under the old "attack" category. An unusual forward-swept wing-design powered by three J35-GE turbojets, the project was developed in parallel with Convair's XB-46. It would have a wing with a 30° forward-sweep and 8° dihedral that was borrowed from German wartime research. The swept-forward configuration would give the aircraft a greater climb rate and maneuverability. It looked promising enough at one point for the Army Air Force to consider canceling the XB-46 in favor of the XA-44, since there was not enough funding for both.

Convair XB-53 The Convair XA44 amp XB53

Classified as a medium bomber, the XB-53 would have carried up to 12,000 pounds of bombs as well as 40 High Velocity Aerial Rockets (HVAR) mounted on underwing pylons.

Convair XB-53 Convair XB53 forwardswept wing tailless bomber

Convair argued for completion of the XB-46 prototype as a flying testbed, without armament and other equipment, and with the substitution of two XA-44s for the other two B-46 airframes on contract. The Air Force ratified this in June 1946 but the project did not progress, nor were additional B-46s built. The XA-44 was redesignated XB-53 in 1948 when the "attack" category was dropped, but the project was canceled before the two prototypes were completed. The XA-44 program was reinstated in February 1949 but only for a short while.

Specifications (XB-53 estimated)

Data from

General characteristics

Convair XB-53 httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonsthu

  • Crew: four
  • Length: 79 ft 5 in (24.2 m)
  • Wingspan: 80 ft 9 in (24.6 m)
  • Height: 23 ft 8 in (7.22 m)
  • Wing area: 1,370 sq ft (127 m2)
  • Empty weight: 31,760 lb (14,406 kg)
  • Max takeoff weight: 60,000 lb (27,216 kg)
  • Powerplant: 3 × General Electric J35 turbojets, 4,000 lbf (18 kN) thrust each

    • Performance

  • Maximum speed: 504 kn; 933 km/h (580 mph)
  • Service ceiling: 44,000 ft (13,000 m)

    • Armament

  • Bombs: 12,000 lb (5,443 kg)

    • Convair XB-53 SimplePlanes Convair XB53

    References

    Convair XB-53 Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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