What protoype do you wish had seen service in WW2?

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I think the Twin Mustang would have been interesting but probably no better than a P-38 so not needed.

 

[Lunatic]

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

Only the V-173 wooden prototype flew, the XF5U never did due to stupidity. This plane was certainly an oddity. Very short takeoff requirements, top speed over 500 mph...

http://www.daveswarbirds.com/usplanes/aircraft/flapjack.htm

But I really have to wonder if it could function sucessfully as a fighter, I just cannot see good roll performance in this design. As a heavy bomber interceptor or a larger version designed as a bomber it might have been exceptional.

=S=

Lunatic

 

[Lunatic]

I think the Twin Mustang would have been interesting but probably no better than a P-38 so not needed.

It was intended for extreme range escort missions felt beyond the endurance of a single pilot. It also may have done well as a night fighter.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I think it would have been a great aircraft but it was not needed. It would have been a waster of recourses and time.

 

[P38 Pilot]

Well, here is a pretty cool fact. It was the Twin Mustang that shot down the first Korean Aircraft in the Korean War!

That is pretty cool.

 

[Piaggio108]

I think you mean the Ki-84 Hayate ("Frank").

No, the Mitsubishi Ki.83.

The Ki.83 was designed as an twin-engined, heavily armed long-range fighter. It was one of the most advanced Japanese aircraft of WWII, fast and very maneuvrable. But it was still in development when the war ended. Four built.

http://www.csd.uwo.ca/~pettypi/elevon/gustin_military/db/jap/KI83MITS.html

 

[MacArther]

One plane I like that everyone else seems to hate, is the XP-40Q-2. Definately got good lines, could have been a great fighter.

 

[Marshall_Stack]

Unfortunately, Curtis was interested in making profit off of the older P-40s instead of developing new desings. Their design engineer (last name is Berlin) was a frustrated guy. He could of produced the XP40-Q-2 earlier in the war but that would have cut into Curtis' profit margin. The money grubbing company didn't last too much longer after the war because of this attitude.

 

[MacArther]

And to think, if it wasn't for their greedy ways, Curtis might have had a fighter that would be just as recognizable as the P47 or P51 are today.

 

[Parmigiano]

I am with the Horten IX/Gotha 229 flying wing.
Apart from the advanced technology, the revolutionary concept and the prformances, it is simply beautiful!

photo source
http://www.geocities.com/ptballdan/

 

[wmaxt]

The Northrup design was as far along and would have been interesting too.

wmaxt

 

[Parmigiano]

I think you refer to the XB 35: yes was a great project, although in a different category (prop-engined bomber instead of jet engined fighter). If I recall correctly it flew in summer 1945 (july?), and they continued the test in 1946 before switching to jets in 1947 with the YB49 (was that a re-engined XB35 or a totally new aircraft?)
... but aestetically the Go229 was much more cute, with her neat rounded contour not hampered by shafts, bulges and propellers...

 

[Gnomey]

She is a beauty!

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

The Ho-229 would have been very intersting so would the Norton design.

 

[wmaxt]

I think you refer to the XB 35: yes was a great project, although in a different category (prop-engined bomber instead of jet engined fighter). If I recall correctly it flew in summer 1945 (july?), and they continued the test in 1946 before switching to jets in 1947 with the YB49 (was that a re-engined XB35 or a totally new aircraft?)
... but aestetically the Go229 was much more cute, with her neat rounded contour not hampered by shafts, bulges and propellers...

No, I'm thinking of the NX?-9 (I know of it more that about it) a flying wing prototype flown by Northrup in '43? I think there was a let fighter prototypy by the end of the war too?

The Museam/Rebuilder at chino has one. I think theres a picture of it in the Chino Pictures thread.

The XB -49 was slightly rengineered but the low aspect wings limited its performance and the tendency of flying wings in a stall to be unrecoverable killed it. The B-2 solved the stall problem by computer controls locking out imputs that might cause a stall.

I also think you might be right about the jet wings being prettier.

wmaxt

 

[P38 Pilot]

Very cool looking aircraft!! It would've been interesting to have seen in the Skies during WWII.

 

[evangilder]

wmaxt, I think you mean the N9M. It is a trip to see fly.

 

[Gnomey]

Nice pics Eric She is another beauty.

 

[evangilder]

Thanks, yes she is. Funny thing is that when the start the engines and that thing is idling, it almost sounds like a car. It's pretty quiet.

 

[schwarzpanzer]

The Gotha 229 Nachtjager.

Even had a stealth coating! 8)

Though not for what it'd do in it's role against Lanc's.