Wednesday, May 31, 2017

The Curtiss-Wright XP-55 Ascender prototype - one weird looking machine


5 comments:

  1. A Long-EZ looks a lot the same as this aircraft. Rear prop and forward canard. indyjonesouthere

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  2. Are those pitot tubes on the canard?

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    Replies
    1. Antennas maybe...

      That thing is a widow maker or at least it looks like one to me...

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  3. One of the problems with all the pusher-prop designs was how to get the pilot out without him being killed by the prop. The Germans eventually reacted with the design of the ejection seat. But in addition to Curtiss-Wright, Bell, Northrop and others all tackled a pusher design. None made it to production during World War II.

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  4. The Dornier DO335 was a pusher/puller design with two V12's. It was Germany's fastest piston-engined aircraft of WW2...475 mph.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dornier_Do_335

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