What protoype do you wish had seen service in WW2?

[Sal Monella]

Republic XP-72 configured with four 37mm cannons.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

Bombers?? i'd want to see the lanc Mk.VI to see mass production, you're baisically looking at a normal lanc with a pushing 350mph top speed, which she did actually make, only 8 were made and they did fly missions, one flying 25 missions! however they never officially entered squadron service.........

fighters?? i'd wanna see a wirlwind with merlins and the XP-67 simply because it looks so cool.........

 

[Smokey]

An aircraft which had the performance of a 1944 prop aircraft yet was almost ready in 1940. It didn't use unreliable early jet engines and apparently possesed outstanding flying characteristics and could reach 443 mph at 23-24000 feet.
The BF109 E had a top speed of 350 mph, the Spitfire 360 mph.

This was a french high-speed fighter prototype which was near completion at the time of the armistice.Developed out of the
2nd class M.B.152 fighter family, it reached fthe fantastic speed of 710km/h under german control in 1942.
It could have flown already in 1940! It´s best part was its advanced radial engine which was good at high altitude.
It had outstanding flying characteristics. 6 months design time. Destroyed by a bombing raid.
Data: turbosupercharged 1590PS (1700PS at 8000m !!!) Gnome-Rhône-14R-4, 710 (!!!)km/h in 7850m, 1095km, 2390-3250kg,
10.7m wingspan, 9.7m length, 19.4m2 wing area, two 20mm HS404 machine cannons, 2 7.5mm Darne MG

Avions Marcel Bloch M.B.157, 443 mph, 1940

It has a radial engine which usually are tougher than inlines. It resembles an FW 190 in some ways.

Imagine if the Luftwaffe had gone up against hundreds of these. Just a few more months and it would have been in service.

I wonder if German spies learnt of this and it contributed to Hitler's decision to invade France when he did before the French air force became too strong.

http://www.geocities.com/lastdingo/aviation/list.htm

 

[cheddar cheese]

Thats pretty impressive!

 

[JCS]

I knew the 157 was supposed to be good but I didnt think it was that good.....

 

[evangilder]

A lot of people overlook those early French designs. Love them or hate them, they did make some impressive airplanes. It almost looks like what a P-51B would look like with a radial engine.

 

[P38 Pilot]

Ive wished the XF4U-B "Flying Pancake" had seen more service. They did fly in WWII but they were not fully used.

 

[syscom3]

Avions Marcel Bloch M.B.157 looks like a smaller version of the P47

 

[evangilder]

True, syscom, like a small razorback Jug.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I would have liked to have seen the Ta-183 and the Messerschmitt Me P.1011 see service. From the allies I would have liked to have seen the Republic XP-72 and the Northrop XP-56.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I would have liked to have seen the Ta-183 and the Messerschmitt Me P.1011 see service. From the allies I would have liked to have seen the Republic XP-72 and the Northrop XP-56.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I would have liked to have seen the Ta-183 and the Messerschmitt Me P.1011 see service. From the allies I would have liked to have seen the Republic XP-72 and the Northrop XP-56.

 

[Gnomey]

Not sure what I would of wanted to see fly but there were a lot of cool planes in the pipline that I would of liked to of seen many of which I have seen mentioned here. My choices would properly be many of the late war jet prototypes many of which have already been mentioned and also some of the late war highly advanced piston engined fighters.

 

[P38 Pilot]

I would've also liked to have seen the XP-56 also. Looking at pictures of it it seemed like a cool looking aircraft.

 

[P38 Pilot]

Heres one i wished had seen sevice: The P-75A Eagle. Pretty cool aircraft. The only info i have on it is that only 5 of these were made before the contract was cancelled.

 

[Gnomey]

Information on the P-75 Eagle.

In 1942 the USAAF asked for designs for a high performance fighter with an unprecedented rate of climb, to intercept Japanese bombers in the Pacific theater. The Fisher Body Division of General Motors submitted a design for an aircraft that would use the most powerful inline engine then available, as well as "off-the-shelf" major assemblies (which would shorten development times). The P-75 airframe used the outer wing panels of the Curtiss P-40, the tail unit of the Douglas A-24/Dauntless, and landing gear of the Vought F4U Corsair. The engine was located in the fuselage behind the pilot, similar to the layout of the Bell P-39. Eight prototypes were ordered by the USAAF, but problems were found during testing. By the time the problems were fixed, other capable fighters (like the P-51 Mustang) were available, and the production contract was cancelled.

For more data on this aircraft from Joe Baugher's webpage - http://home.att.net/~jbaugher1/p75.html
USAF archives on this aircraft:http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/research/pursuit.htm

Fisher (General Motors) P-75 Eagle

Type: single-seat fighter
Crew: 1
Armament: six .50 inch machine guns in the wings
four .50 inch machine guns in the fuselage
optional 2 600 lb. bombs

Specifications:
Length: 40' 5" (12.32 m)
Height: 15' 6" (4.72 m)
Wingspan: 49' 4" (15.04 m)
Wing area: 347 sq. ft (32.24 sq. m)
Empty Weight: 11,495 lb (5214 kg)
Max Weight: 18,210 lb (8260 kg) max at takeoff

Propulsion:
No. of Engines: 1
Powerplant: Allison V-3420-23 inline
Horsepower: 2885 hp

Performance:
Range: 2000 miles (3219 km)
Cruise Speed: 310 mph ( 499 km/h)
Max Speed: 420 mph ( 676 km/h) at 20,000 ft
Ceiling: 36,000 ft (10,970 m)

From http://www.daveswarbirds.com/usplanes/american.htm

 

[FLYBOYJ]

I'm sorry guys the P-75, especially the first one built and while it was on the ground looked like an abortion that lived. It was in our ugly ww2 aircraft thread. The shot you posted P-38 is probably on the the better ones....

 

[Gnomey]

I'm sorry guys the P-75, especially the first one built and while it was on the ground looked like an abortion that lived. It was in our ugly ww2 aircraft thread. The shot you posted P-38 is probably on the the better ones....

I never said I liked it I just posted some info. In my opinion it is ugly and agree with you that the shot P-38 has is one of the better ones.

 

[P38 Pilot]

Well, it looks better than some aircraft i have seen in that forum.

Heres another pic of it.

 

[P38 Pilot]

Here's another one: P-82 Twin Mustang:

The P-82 came about as a result of a USAAF requirement for a very long range escort fighter for operations in the Pacific, especially to escort the B-29s all the way to Japan and back. The purpose of having two pilots was as a relief against fatigue on the long overwater missions. Only 20 of the 500 ordered had been built before the war's end brought a cancellation to the contracts, but 250 more were built in 1946. Part of this order was for a night fighter version (with a radar operator instead of a second pilot) which was made to replace the Northrop P-61 Black Widow. The P-82 was renamed the F-82 in 1948, and a U.S. F-82 shot down the first enemy aircraft of the Korean War.
For more data on this aircraft, click here for Joe Baugher's webpage.
USAF archives on this aircraft, click here.

North American P-82 Twin Mustang

Type: Fighter
Crew: 2, Pilot, co-pilot/radar operator
Armament: six.50 cal machine guns

Specifications:
Length: 42' 5" (12.93 m)
Height: 13' 10" (4.22 m)
Wing span: 51' 3" (15.62 m)
Wing area: 408 sq. ft (37.90 sq. m)
Empty Weight: 15,997 lbs (7256 kg)
Takeoff Weight: 25,591 lbs (11,608 kg) maximum

Propulsion:
No. of Engines: 2
Powerplant: Allison V-1710-143/145 inline
Horsepower: 1600 hp each

Performance:
Range: 2240 miles (3605 km)
Cruise Speed: 286 mph (460 km/hr)
Max Speed: 461 mph (762 km/hr) at 21,000 ft.
Ceiling: 38,900 ft (11,855 m)