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It was more like two birds in the hand being worth more than one in the bush. Would the Chrysler engine increase the power of an R-2800? A Packard or Ford Griffon would have been installable in a Mustang.
How bad was it really? The two-speed supercharger Merlin_XX was allegedly uninstallable in a Spitfire, but somehow, they got the two-stage Griffon into it. In the absence of jet fighters, how do you take the Mustang to the next level of performance?There is a reason why the Griffon Mustang never proceeded.
There were quite a number of changes to the airframe in order to fit the 2 stage Merlin, including moving the position of the wing. Installing the Griffon would have required even more changes.
How bad was it really? The two-speed supercharger Merlin_XX was allegedly uninstallable in a Spitfire, but somehow, they got the two-stage Griffon into it. In the absence of jet fighters, how do you take the Mustang to the next level of performance?
Then they've never seen a 1973 Dodge pickup...We ought to learn from RMS Titanic and the World Trade Center, that there is no such thing as indestructible.
Actually the most important characteristic of a fighter plane is to kill the enemy and AVOID getting it's ass shot off and still bring the pilot home. There is no doubt the P-47 was a great aircraft but it certainly wasn't "practically indestructible," as there are still many P-47 crash sites scattered across the European continent. As far as the "Experimental" Chrysler engine? A novel approach but in the bigger picture it was a dismal failure. Behind schedule, and a very long engine, it was only applied to 2 aircraft, and one of them dropped the IV-2220 and went with another engine (XP-60C) because of schedule delays. No designer would ever apply such a monstrosity to a civilian aircraft and it's days were obviously numbered in the post war years due to the turbine engine.From the pilots point of view THE most important characteristic of a fighter plane is simple. Can it get it's ass shot off and still bring the pilot home. M Vote Eepublic Aviation and the partically indesctructable P -47 Especially the later models. I always wanted to see the inverted Chrysler hemi head developed to its zenith. They never went beyond the one time test which clocked 504 mph i believe at sea level. If the Dornier 335 could clock 540 mph A Hemi Chrysler should have blown that out of the water. I realize you get to a point of dimishing returns with props - but as a die hard Chrsler guy -- this would have been really great.
Behind schedule, and a very long engine, it was only applied to 2 aircraft, and one of them dropped the IV-2220 and went with another engine (XP-60C) because of schedule delays.
This whole lot from Curtiss was a mess, waste of resources IMOThe XP-60 series was a whole saga engine wise.
XP-53 - Continental IV-1430. None completed - second was fitted with Merlin to become XP-60, first became static test frame after XP-53 cancellation due to slow development of engine (which never did go into production)
XP-60 - Merlin 28/V-1650-1
XP-60A - V-1710 with GE turbo. Later dismantled and bits used for XP-60C and XP-60E
XP-60B - V-1710 with Wright turbo, completed as XP-60E
XP-60C - IV-2220 then changed to R-2800 with contra-props
XP-60D - XP-60 prototype re-engined with V-1650-3 2 stage Merlin
XP-60E - XP-60B completed with R-2800 with single rotation propeller
This whole lot from Curtiss was a mess, waste of resources IMO
This whole lot from Curtiss was a mess, waste of resources IMO
They also messed around with the XP-46 at the same time, while trying to produce and improve the P-40.
I didn't know that Curtiss was involved with the Thunderbolt. Was it akin to Brewster's attempt at the Corsair?Real problem was that Curtiss botched-up their production of P-47.
Seems like Brewster produced 735 Corsairs.I didn't know that Curtiss was involved with the Thunderbolt. Was it akin to Brewster's attempt at the Corsair?
What were the issues Curtiss had? Slow or substandard?
Curtiss was also manufacturing the C-46, P,-40, SNC, SB2C, AT-9 and the SC, while developing a handful of types like the XP-55, XB15C and XBTC.What were the issues Curtiss had? Slow or substandard?
My grandparents lived about ten miles north of the Chrysler Proving Grounds near Chelsea, Michigan. We had some familial connections to the test site (my father had been a test driver for Ford and Chrysler before transferring to the Chrysler missile plant) and during the summers when I lived with my grandparents I got to see some very cool cars including developmental Plymouth Superbirds.Actually the most important characteristic of a fighter plane is to kill the enemy and AVOID getting it's ass shot off and still bring the pilot home. There is no doubt the P-47 was a great aircraft but it certainly wasn't "practically indestructible," as there are still many P-47 crash sites scattered across the European continent. As far as the "Experimental" Chrysler engine? A novel approach but in the bigger picture it was a dismal failure. Behind schedule, and a very long engine, it was only applied to 2 aircraft, and one of them dropped the IV-2220 and went with another engine (XP-60C) because of schedule delays. No designer would ever apply such a monstrosity to a civilian aircraft and it's days were obviously numbered in the post war years due to the turbine engine.
"Would have, could have, should have," but not to diminish you're enthusiasm, I've been a Chrysler enthusiast for years, in the early 1980s I owned a 69' GTX, 440 Commando and later a very clean 70' 340 Cuda.
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Nice! We had some pretty tricked out Ford products when I was a kid, often with test parts that improved performance. The one thing we always had was seatbelts and safety harnesses. When I was four or five I had a five point harness. My Father had seen what a lack of seatbelts did and was adamant about us wearing them. When he switched over to Chrysler he was a specialist on the skid pad and spent a lot of time testing tires, etc. He was very small statured and one day he was approached about going to work in the Sterling Heights missile plant where they built Redstones. Because he was so small he could get inside the rocket bodies and install and test the wiring harnesses and electronics. That was how he ended up working with computers, but it's also how he helped put the wiring in the two rockets that lifted Alan Shepherd and Gus Grissom on the first suborbital flights.My Grandfather was an executive for Chrysler and always had the newest models - his favorite was the 300.
He passed away beforw I was born, but between the photos and stories my Dad and Uncles mentioned, he had some real nice stuff.
My Grandmother also had new Chrysler's for life, but she was more conservative, however, in the 60's, she did have a fire-engine red Dart GT with a black vinyl roof, black interior and a 273 "Commando" V-8.