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Douglas XFD

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Top speed
  
335 km/h

Length
  
7.72 m

Wingspan
  
9.6 m

Manufacturer
  
Douglas Aircraft Company

Douglas XFD httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonsthu

The Douglas XFD was a carrier-based biplane fighter aircraft, the first fighter to be built by the Douglas Aircraft Company.

Contents

Development

The XFD was designed to the Bureau of Aeronautics Specification No. 311, requesting a carrier-based two-seater biplane fighter. On June 30, 1932, the Navy ordered the XFD, Vought XF3U, and Curtiss XF12C for testing. The XFD was all metal except for its fabric covering. The crew sat in tandem in a single bay, enclosed by a long canopy. It had fixed landing gear with a tailwheel. Powered by a Pratt & Whitney Wasp, it first flew in January 1933, and was evaluated by the Navy between June 18, 1933 and August 14, 1934. The XFD performed well, but the Navy had stopped using two-seater fighters; therefore, no orders were received.

Specifications

Data from Angelucci, 1987. pp. 182-183

General characteristics

  • Crew: two
  • Length: 25 ft 4 in (7.72 m)
  • Wingspan: 31 ft 6 in (9.60 m)
  • Height: 11 ft 1 in (3.37 m)
  • Wing area: 295 ft2 (27.40 m2)
  • Empty weight: 3,227 lb (1,464 kg)
  • Gross weight: 4,672 lb (2,119 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-1535-64 14-cylinder air-cooled radial engine, 700 hp ( kW) each

    • Performance

  • Maximum speed: 208 mph (335 km/h)
  • Cruise speed: 170 mph (274 km/h)
  • Range: 576 miles (927 km)
  • Service ceiling: 23,700 ft (7,224 m)
  • Rate of climb: 1,670 ft/min (8.48 m/s)

    • Armament

  • 3 × .30 in (7.62 mm) machine guns
  • 500 lb (230 kg) bombs

    • References

    Douglas XFD Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA