Curtiss P-60
The Curtiss XP -60C was a fighter aircraft prototype of the U.S. manufacturer Curtiss -Wright Corporation.
History
After 1940, the P-40 was successfully launched, Glenn Curtiss tried to design an improved version. The proposal for the interest of the USAAC was awakened, concerned an execution of the P-40 with modified laminar airfoil, increased armament and the Continental XIV -1430 engine - third The project was given the designation XP- 53 or Model 88 In October 1940, fared the contract to build two prototypes, but the development was slow. A short time later, the USAAC was already a cell with a Rolls- Royce Merlin engine check, whereupon the second prototype was deleted and issued a new order for the version with Merlin as XP - 60 or Model 90.
This machine had development priority and so was the first to fly the prototype launched on 18 September 1941. With the weaker Royalty engine Allison V- 1710-75 as the default Curtiss was awarded the contract to build 1,950 production aircraft P -60A in October 1941. Curtiss showed, however, that the services requested could not be reached with the given engine, after the job has been canceled again. Instead, in January 1942, the contract for the construction of three prototypes with different engines: XP -60A (Model 95A ) with Allison V -1710 -75 General Electric turbocharger, XP -60B (Model 95B ) with the same engine, but Wright turbocharger and XP -60C (Model 95C ) with Chrysler XIV- 2220 standard. Because Curtiss was developing problems with the Chrysler engine but already known, the company beat the Pratt & Whitney R -2800 Double Wasp ago with counter-rotating propellers as alternative drive what the USAAF accepted.
Since no engine was in the cell completion but still available with suitable reduction gear, was initially an R 2800-10 fitted with four-blade propellers and called the resulting machine as XP -60E (Model 95D ); the designation XP- 60D was the now ummotorisierte on a Merlin 61 first prototype. The proposed XP -60 with R- 2800-53 and counter-rotating propellers finally flew on 27 January 1943 while the first flight of the XP -60E further delayed because of problems with the engine installation. The end of 1943, the XP -53 surprisingly requested for troop testing and completed its first flight only here; the performances were so disappointing that the USAAF lost all interest in this pattern. It flew 1944 a single YP -60E with R -2800 -13, a short time later, the development was abandoned.