Wedell-Williams XP-34

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Wedell-Williams XP-34 was an obsolete fighter aircraft design submitted to the United States Army Air Corps before World War II by Marguerite Clark Williams, the widow of millionaire Harry P. Williams.

Williams was owner of Wedell-Williams Air Service Corporation. The aircraft was the brainchild of Jimmy Wedell, a famous aircraft designer and air racer. The XP-34 was a direct result of the development of Wedell's most successful designs, the Model 44 and Model 45.

On October 1 1935, the USAAC ordered a full set of drawings and issued the XP-34 designation. It soon became apparent, however, with its original 700 hp (522 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1535 Twin Wasp engine, the anticipated performance of the XP-34 would be insufficient compared to designs already in production. Wedell-Williams suggested substituting the 900 hp (670 kW) Pratt & Whitney XR-1830 instead, but the Air Corps was no longer interested and the project was cancelled without any aircraft being built.