XA-38 Grizzly

infobox Aircraft
name = XA-38 Grizzly
type = Heavy attack
manufacturer = Beechcraft



caption =
designer =
first flight = 7 May 1944
introduction =
retired =
produced =
number built = Two
status = Canceled
unit cost =
primary user = U.S. Army Air Force
more users =
developed from =
variants with their own articles = The Beechcraft XA-38 Grizzly was a United States ground attack aircraft, fitted with a forward-firing 75 mm cannon to attack heavily armored targets. The first prototype flew on 7 May, 1944 but after testing it became obvious it would not be ready for the projected invasion of Japan, and furthermore it used engines required by the B-29 Superfortress — which had priority. It was thus canceled after two prototypes had been completed, and remains a fascinating might-have-been.

Design and development

The United States Army Air Forces awarded the Beech Aircraft Corporation a contract in December 1942 for two prototypes for their Model 28 "Destroyer". The requirement was for a powerful ground attack aircraft to replace the Douglas A-20 Havoc, with the ability to hit "hardened" targets like tanks and bunkers. This capability was achieved through the cannon with 20 rounds, mounted in a fixed position on the nose (very visible in photographs) as well as two .50 caliber (12.7 mm) machine guns firing forward. Defensive armament consisted of remotely-controlled ventral and dorsal turrets, each armed with twin .50 calibers (12.7 mm). There were to be two crew members, a pilot and an observer/gunner in the rear cabin, using periscope sights to aim the guns.

Testing

On 7 May 1944, Beech test pilot Vern Carstens flew the XA-38 on its maiden flight from the company's Wichita airfield. The aircraft proved satisfactory in all respects and better than expected in some, including top speed.

During testing, the XA-38 prototypes were flown by U.S. Army pilots and serviced by military personnel, proving to be reliable and establishing a high level of serviceability. [Trimble 1983, p. 24.]

The armament proved especially effective and had it not been for wartime priorities shifting in 1944, the aircraft would most likely have been ordered in quantity, although the B-29 had priority for the Wright R-3350 engines. Instead, one prototype was scrapped and the other, intended for the USAF Museum, had an unknown fate.

pecifications

aircraft specifications

plane or copter?=
jet or prop?=
crew=2
length main=51 ft 9 in
length alt=15.8 m
span main=67 ft 4 in
span alt=20.5 m
height main=13 ft 6 in
height alt=4.1 m
area main=626 ft²
area alt=58 m²
empty weight main=22,480 lb
empty weight alt=10,197 kg
loaded weight main=lb
loaded weight alt=kg
max takeoff weight main=32,000 lb
max takeoff weight alt=14,515 kg
engine (prop)= Wright R-3350-53
type of prop= air-cooled radial engine
number of props=2
power main= 2700 hp
power alt= 2,013 kW
max speed main=376 mph
max speed alt=605 km/h
range main=1070 miles
range alt=1,722 km
range main=miles
range alt=km
ceiling main=27,800 ft
ceiling alt=8,500 m
climb rate main=ft/min
climb rate alt=m/s
loading main= lb/ft²
loading alt= kg/m²
power/mass main= hp/lb
power/mass alt= kW/kg
armament=
*1 × T15E1 75 mm cannon (20 rounds)
*6 × Browning .50 caliber (12.7 mm) machine guns (2 forward-facing, 2 in ventral turret, 2 in dorsal turret)
* 2,000 lb (907 kg) of external stores

ee also

aircontent
related=
similar aircraft=
* A-20 Boston
lists=
* List of military aircraft of the United States
see also=

References

Notes

Bibliography

* McCullough, Anson. "Grind 'Em Out Ground Attack: The Search for the Elusive Fighter Bomber". "Wings" Vol. 25, No. 4, August 1995.
* Trimble, Robert L. "Beech Grizzly". "Air Classics" Vol. 9, no. 7, August 1983.

External links

* [http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=3178 USAF Museum: XA-38 Grizzly]