20 radical military aircraft that didn’t make the cut
Curtiss-Wright XP-55
In 1939, the Army Air Corps was looking for improved and better-armed designs over their existing arsenal of warplanes. The service got several revolutionary, outside-the-box design entries. Perhaps the most interesting prototype is the XP-55 Ascender – also known as the “Ass-ender” due to it’s pusher engine. The XP-55 featured revolutionary swept wings, canards, and twin wing-mounted tails, and the plane’s designers had to invent a system to jettison the propeller from the aircraft so the pilot could bail out.
As soon as I finish my “slideshow” on Cold War-ERA TAC warplanes — which has become more of a full-length article with 1,500 words and counting — I’ll jump right on that, Colonel!
Thanks for your service,
Chris
Excellent article and fascinating pictures. Would like to see a similar one for pre-ww1, ww1 and post-ww1 aircraft. Thanks, Colonel Buzzsaw, USAF-ret. Retired SADO/13B/DO for 601 AOC.