Although it was not obvious, by the beginning of World War II, the aviation department of the company Curtiss-Wright (Curtiss) was already in decline. The last two truly successful aircraft of the company - the P-40 Warhawk fighter and the C-46 Commando transport aircraft - have already flown. Although at the end of the war the deck diving bomber Curtiss SB2C Helldiver achieved some success in this area, its refinement was quite long and was accompanied by serious problems, and the crews and technical staff did not like these machines. During the war years, Curtiss consistently sought to develop the best airplane in the world, but it managed only to build one dead-end prototype after another. A brief spark of hope was the last modification of the P-40 - P-40Q (Curtiss model 87X).
The development of the XP-40 Q began in 1943. The goal was to improve the performance of the P-40, to make it equivalent to or superior to the latest fighters. It was believed that improving the performance of the P-40Q will justify the continuation of its mass production, and its similarity to earlier versions will minimize the delays on production equipment and other production delays. In addition, a number of nodes of the new machine was interchangeable with the nodes of the old modifications of the P-40, which made it easier for the crews and technicians to familiarize themselves with the P-40Q.
Three prototypes of the XP-40 Q were built; their origins and history have always been the subject of disagreement between sources. When all three XP-40 Qs were built, P-40s were used. The armament of each of these prototypes consisted of four 0.5 "(12.7 mm) machine guns with an ammunition of 235 rounds of ammunition per barrel, and the power plant of a twelve-cylinder V-shaped water-cooled V-1710 engine equipped with a two-stage supercharger and rotating a four-blade propeller.
The first aircraft, the XP-40 Q-1, was built in 1943 using the P-40 K-10 airframe (serial number 42-9987), which was damaged during landing on January 27, 1943. The XP-40 Q-1 had a wing and a lantern of the standard P-40 and was painted olive green. The nose of the aircraft was extended to accommodate the engine V-1710-101 (F27R), which at 3200 rpm at take-off developed a power of 1325 hp (988 kW), and at an altitude of 6000 feet (1829 m) 1500 hp (1119 kW). The XP-40 Q-1's air intake was located above the bonnet. As well as on the XP-40K, the water and oil radiators were moved from the fuselage under the fuselage, which became significant for the P-40, to the center section. The XP-40 Q-1 had a wingspan of 37 feet 4 inches (11.4 meters) and a length of 35 feet 4 inches (10.8 meters) — about 2 feet longer (0.6 meters) than the standard P-40.
As reported, the first flight of the XP-40 Q-1 took place on June 13, 1943 from the factory airfield of the Curtiss company in Buffalo, New York. It remains unclear whether this aircraft got into any accident or were unhappy with this configuration at Curtiss and decided to continue its changes. Anyway, by November 1943, the XP-40 Q-1 was modified and redefined as XP-40 Q-2. The rear part of the aircraft fuselage was reduced and a pilot-shaped cockpit lantern was installed on the car. Engine cooling radiators were located in the wing behind the main landing gear. The oil radiator and the engine air intake were moved to the classic P-40 location under the engine, but in this case the device was smaller and looked more elegant. An experienced fighter XP-40 Q-2 retained olive color.
Still equipped with an engine V-1710-101 (F27R) experienced fighter XP-40 Q-2 showed excellent handling and visibility. The aircraft had balanced control surfaces, good maneuverability and a small turning radius. Captain Gustav Lundquist (Capt. Gustav Lundquist) tested the XP-40 Q-2 and determined that this aircraft is the best of the entire P-40 family. Captain Lundqvist recommended further flight tests. In December 1943, the Air Force Command of the United States Air Force recognized the improved performance of the XP-40 Q-2 compared to earlier P-40 modifications and recommended building two additional prototypes.
As reported in January 1944, the XP-40 Q-2 was flown to Eglin Field, Florida, but in March, the plane was returned to Buffalo, New York, at the Curtiss plant for a series of flight tests. . By this time, the XP-40 Q-2 wingtips were trimmed about one foot and a new V-1710-121 engine (F28R) was installed. This engine equipped with a water injection at 3200 rpm developed 1425 hp at takeoff. (1062 kW) and at an altitude of 20,000 feet (6,096 m) 1,800 hp (1342 kW).
Flight tests conducted in April 1944 again demonstrated that the XP-40 Q-2 outperforms the other P-40s and is generally a very good aircraft. The XP-40 Q-2 had a wing span of 35 feet 2 inches (10.7 meters) and a length of 35 feet 4 inches (10.8 meters). With an engine operating at 3000 rpm and a water injection, the aircraft at an altitude of 15,000 feet (4572 m) had a speed of 420 miles / h (676 km / h) and at a height of 5000 feet (1524 m) had a maximum climb rate of 4,400 ft / min ( 22.4 m / s). At 3200 rpm and with XP-40 Q-2 water injection at an altitude of 20,500 feet (6248 m), it reached a maximum speed of 422 mph (679 km / h), and depending on the height, the increase in climb velocity reached 530 ft / min ( 2.7 m / s). However, at 3200 rpm, the advantage was ensured only in the altitude range of 12000 - 33000 feet (3658 - 10058 m). At maximum power in the combat mode of the XP-40 Q-2 engine at an altitude of 24,000 feet (7,315 m), it reached a speed of 407 miles / h (655 km / h) and the climb rate at sea level was 3,210 ft / min (16.3 m / with). From sea level, the plane could climb 20,000 feet (6,096 meters) in 4.8 minutes, 30,000 feet (9,144 meters) in 8.9 minutes, and 39,000 feet (11,887 meters) in 26.1 minutes. The XP-40 Q-2 practical ceiling was 39,000 feet (11887 m) and the total flight weight was 9000 pounds (4082 kg). The flight distance was 700 miles (1,127 km).
On March 24, 1944, the XP-40 Q-2 nose was damaged after a test flight. The aircraft was repaired, and then in mid-1944, sent to the airfield Wright Field (Wright Field), Ohio. The aircraft was again damaged when on July 31, 1944, during the landing, the pilot made a sharp turn. It remains unclear: whether the aircraft was repaired or the damage was too great and there was no point in repairing it.
The next plane was the XP-40 Q-2A. It was made on the basis of P-40 K-1 (serial number 42-45722), which was converted into an aircraft, which received (unofficially) the designation XP-40 N. During the conversion to the XP-40 N variant, the aircraft received a drop-shaped pilot cockpit . This modification was previous and served as a flying lab for the drop-shaped lantern, which was installed on the XP-40 Q-2.
The XP-40 Q-2A was very similar to the final version of the XP-40 Q-2: a drop-shaped lantern, trimmed wing tips and a V-1710-121 engine (F28R). Nevertheless, some changes were made in the cockpit and lantern, as well as automatic shutters of oil and water radiators were added. XP-40 Q-2A was not stained.
The first flight of the XP-40 Q-2A took place before the end of March 1944. The plane ran into engine problems, which resulted in a series of forced landings. As a result of the XP-40 Q-2A, most of the time the tests were conducted on the ground in permanent repairs, and the US Army Air Force Command focused its attention on the next XP-40 Q-3 aircraft, transferring the XP-40 Q-2A to Allison for engine testing. Most likely, the XP-40 Q-2A had the same characteristics as the XP-40 Q-2, equipped with a V-1710-121 engine (F28R).
The XP-40 Q-3 was the last aircraft of this series. It was built in early 1944 on the basis of the P-40N-25 (serial number 43-24571) and was the only XP-40 Q that was so classified by the US Army Air Force. Overall, the XP-40 Q-3 was similar to the XP-40 Q-2A, with the exception of some improvements to the flashlight and the cockpit. The cockpit lantern was slightly smaller; besides, its flat windshield was longer and tilted at a greater angle than the windshield used on an already operating aircraft. These changes improved the review of the pilot. The XP-40 Q-3 with the V-1710-121 engine (F28R) was also unpainted.
In April 1944, an experienced XP-40 Q-3 fighter was transferred to the US Air Force and an engine failure occurred at the start of the flight tests. During the forced landing, which followed the engine stop, the plane received medium damage. By this time, the US Army Air Force was armed with fighters with characteristics that were superior to XP-40 Q. Under these conditions, the US Air Force Command had no interest in restoring XP-40 Q-3, since there was no need for Curtiss P-40 Q no longer there. It also seems doubtful that on the XP-40 Q-3 a serious study of the flight characteristics was conducted, but if it were carried out, the results of the XP-40 Q-3 would be similar to the results of the XP-40 Q-2.
In March 1946, when the XP-40 Q-2A (second XP-40 Q) was still at the disposal of Allison, the United States Air Force enrolled the aircraft on the surplus of wartime. It remains unclear: whether the Allison company bought the aircraft and then resold it, or, among other surpluses, the car was sold directly by the US Air Force. One way or another, Joe Ziegler purchased the aircraft that received the civil registration number NX300B.
Having received the racing number "82" and not having passed the XP-40 Q-2A qualification, nevertheless, took part in the 1947 thomson racing. Unfortunately, in the competition held on September 1, the plane did not reach the finish line. Joe Ziegler started and after the completion of the thirteenth lap the XP-40 Q-2A motor caught fire. Ziegler slowed down and, dropping out with a parachute, left the XP-40 Q-2A. Joe Ziegler got off with a broken leg, and the XP-40 Q-2A was destroyed.
The history of XP-40 Q experienced fighters is very confusing: three aircraft were built, which received eight names and a number of different configurations. The P-40 Q was one of the best fighters built by Curtiss, but it was at least two years late. Its flight characteristics and handling characteristics were equal to or exceeded those of other aircraft already in service. However, even if the gliders of the XP-40 Q aircraft were built two years ago, the Allison engines equipped with two-stage superchargers were not yet ready. Moreover: in 1944 there were problems with their fine-tuning.
Unfortunately, in the case of the XP-40 Q, the standard scenario of the last years of Curtiss has reappeared. In the course of the next attempt to create a successful aircraft, the next prototype was obtained, which was late with its appearance and whose characteristics were soon surpassed by other machines.
In conclusion, I would like to say that there are no signs indicating the use of a wing with a laminar profile on any of the XP-40 Q aircraft. There is also no indication that any information about the XP-40 Q was provided by Curtiss to North American Aviation (NAA) during the development of the last NA-73X fighter (the future P-51). These were two completely different aircraft with differences, even in terms of development. The only information NAA received from Curtiss was information that NAA received at the request of the British government. This information pertains to XP-37 and was obtained after the completion of the development of the NA-73X.
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Topic: XP-40Q-2 WARHAWK (Read 2433 times)
