hawkeye2an
Staff Sergeant
My local club's contest this month is "What If...".
"What If" McDonnell P-65B
model by Andy Prawitz
At the same time that the McDonnell XP-67 'Moonbat' was being rejected, Grumman gave up trying to build an F-7F 'Tigercat' version for the Army and in an unusual twist turned over their XP-65 program to the upstart company. The XP-65A first flew on 14 February 1942 powered by 2 Allison engines. A production batch of 40 were used primarily as multi-engined, high-performance trainers. The number 3 airframe was used for a wide range of engine tests.
The decision to mate two license built "slim-line" Rolls-Royce Merlins that were versions of the Merlin with engine ancillaries repositioned to achieve a minimum frontal area and less drag. It had propellers that rotated in opposite directions. To achieve this, the engines used slightly different gearboxes, hence the double Merlin marks of 270/271. This feature effectively cancelled out the variable and cumulative torque effect of two propellers turning. With this robust yet streamlined airframe, the result was one of the most versatile aircraft of WWII. The bubble-canopied, tail wheeled P-65B first flew 15 June 1942 and an initial production order for 400 was placed. With a top speed of 463 mph this was the premier long-range fighter with additional production bringing the total to 6,969. The P-65C fighter-bomber became an outstanding ground attack platform and the D version incorporated a stretched fuselage to seat the second pilot/radar man in the night-fighter roll. The XP-65E a lightweight version was a failure and only the two test aircraft were built. The turboprop F-65F, an extremely long range version was the first aircraft to shoot down a Mig-15 while flying from bases in Japan during the opening days of the Korean conflict. The F-3/RF-65F photo recon version flew with National Guard units until 1961.
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Production
P-65A: 40
P-65B: 6,969
P-65C: 4,750
P-65D: 1,575
XP-65E (lightweight): 2
P-65F (turboprop): 1,232 – 900 production and 332 conversions from D models
F-3/RF-65F (Photo recon) 232
"What If" McDonnell P-65B
model by Andy Prawitz
At the same time that the McDonnell XP-67 'Moonbat' was being rejected, Grumman gave up trying to build an F-7F 'Tigercat' version for the Army and in an unusual twist turned over their XP-65 program to the upstart company. The XP-65A first flew on 14 February 1942 powered by 2 Allison engines. A production batch of 40 were used primarily as multi-engined, high-performance trainers. The number 3 airframe was used for a wide range of engine tests.
The decision to mate two license built "slim-line" Rolls-Royce Merlins that were versions of the Merlin with engine ancillaries repositioned to achieve a minimum frontal area and less drag. It had propellers that rotated in opposite directions. To achieve this, the engines used slightly different gearboxes, hence the double Merlin marks of 270/271. This feature effectively cancelled out the variable and cumulative torque effect of two propellers turning. With this robust yet streamlined airframe, the result was one of the most versatile aircraft of WWII. The bubble-canopied, tail wheeled P-65B first flew 15 June 1942 and an initial production order for 400 was placed. With a top speed of 463 mph this was the premier long-range fighter with additional production bringing the total to 6,969. The P-65C fighter-bomber became an outstanding ground attack platform and the D version incorporated a stretched fuselage to seat the second pilot/radar man in the night-fighter roll. The XP-65E a lightweight version was a failure and only the two test aircraft were built. The turboprop F-65F, an extremely long range version was the first aircraft to shoot down a Mig-15 while flying from bases in Japan during the opening days of the Korean conflict. The F-3/RF-65F photo recon version flew with National Guard units until 1961.
.
Production
P-65A: 40
P-65B: 6,969
P-65C: 4,750
P-65D: 1,575
XP-65E (lightweight): 2
P-65F (turboprop): 1,232 – 900 production and 332 conversions from D models
F-3/RF-65F (Photo recon) 232
