Samiksha Jaiswal (Editor)

Lockheed XP 49

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Top speed
  
653 km/h

Wingspan
  
16 m

Cruise speed
  
600 km/h

First flight
  
November 11, 1942

Range
  
1,093 km

Length
  
12 m

Engine type
  
Continental XI-1430

Lockheed XP-49 FileLockheed XP49 403055 Burbank Nov42 mfr via RJF 18166161000

Mcdonnell xp 67 lockheed xp 49 high altitude fighter 1942 tech details technical specs


The Lockheed XP-49 (company Model 522) was an advancement on the P-38 Lightning for a fighter in response to U.S. Army Air Corps proposal 39-775. Intended to use the new 24-cylinder Pratt & Whitney X-1800 engine, this proposal, which was for an aircraft substantially similar to the P-38, was assigned the designation XP-49, while the competing Grumman Model G-46 was awarded second place and designated XP-50.

Contents

Lockheed XP-49 The Lockheed XP49

History

Lockheed XP-49 Lockheed XP49 Catalog 00029846 Manufacturer Lockhee Flickr

Ordered in October 1939 and approved on January 8, 1940, the XP-49 would feature a pressurized cockpit and armament of two 20 mm (0.79 in) cannon and four .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns. Two months into the contract, a decision was made to substitute the Continental XI-1430-1 (or IV-1430) for the X-1800. The XP-49, 40-3055, first flew on 11 November 1942. The prototype force-landed on 1 January 1943, when the port landing gear failed to lock down due to combined hydraulic and electrical system failures. The XP-49 next flew 16 February 1943, after repairs were made. Preliminary flight data showed performance was not sufficiently better than the production P-38, especially given the questionable future of the XI-1430 engine, to warrant disruption of the production line to introduce the new model aircraft. Consideration of quantity production was therefore abandoned.

The aircraft was flown to Wright Field, and after various problems, further work on the XP-49 was halted.

Specifications (XP-49)

General characteristics

Lockheed XP-49 Lockheed XP49 SDASMCATALOG 0100092578 SDASMTITLE Loc Flickr

  • Crew: One
  • Length: 40 ft 1 in (12.2 m)
  • Wingspan: 52 ft (15.8 m)
  • Height: 9 ft 10 in (3.0 m)
  • Wing area: 327.5 ft² (30 m²)
  • Empty weight: 15,410 lb (6990 kg)
  • Loaded weight: 18,750 lb (8505 kg)
  • Powerplant: 2 × Continental XI-1430-1 inverted V-12s, 1,600 hp (1,193 kW) each

    • Performance

    Lockheed XP-49 The Lockheed XP49 In 32nd Scale Large Scale Planes

  • Maximum speed: 406 mph (653 km/h) 15,000 ft (4,570 m)
  • Range: 679 mi (1,093 km)
  • Rate of climb: 3,300 ft/min (16.8 m/s)

    • Armament

  • 2 × 20 mm (.79 in) cannons
  • 4 × 0.5 in (12.7 mm) machine guns

    • Lockheed XP-49 20 Lightning Modifications amp Derivatives Postwar

    Lockheed XP-49 Lockheed XP49 403055 P38 with Continental XI1430 eng Flickr

    Lockheed XP-49 httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonsthu

    Lockheed XP-49 172 scale Lockheed XP49 Successor to the P38 Lightning

    References

    Lockheed XP-49 Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA