From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Design as XA-44 from June 18, 1946
The Convair XB-53 was a stillborn jet bomber project by Convair for the United States Army Air Force. It was originally designated XA-44 in 1945 under the old "attack" category. An unusual forward-swept wing-design powered by three J35-GE turbojets, the project was developed in parallel with Convair's XB-46. It would have a German-derived wing with a 30° forward-sweep and 8° dihedral. It looked promising enough at one point that the Army Air Corps considered cancelling the XB-46 in favor of the XA-44 since there was not enough funding for both. Convair argued for completion of the XB-46 prototype as a flying testbed sans armament and other equipment and substitution of two XA-44s for the other two B-46 airframes on contract. The Air Force ratified this in June 1946 but the project did not progress, nor were additional B-46s built. The XA-44 was redesignated XB-53 in 1948 when the "attack" category was dropped but the project was cancelled before the two prototypes were completed. The XA-44 program was reinstated in February 1949 but only for a short while.
[edit] Specifications (as designed)
Data from [1]
General characteristics
- Crew: 4
- Length: 79 ft 6 in (24.2 m)
- Wingspan: 80 ft 7 in (24.6 m)
- Height: 23 ft 8 in (7.22 m)
- Wing area: 1,370 ft² ()
- Empty weight: 31,760 lb ()
- Loaded weight: 60,000 lb ()
- Max takeoff weight: 60,000 lb (27,000 kg)
- Powerplant: 3× General Electric J35 turbojets, 4,000 lbf (18 kN) each
Performance (estimated)
Armament
- Bombs: 12,000 lb (5,400 kg)
[edit] See also
Related lists
[edit] References
- ^ Jones 1974, p. 1980-182.
[edit] Bibliography
- Andrade, John M. U.S. Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909. Earl Shilton, Leicester: Midland Counties Publications, 1979. ISBN 0-904597-22-9.
- Jones, Lloyd S. U.S. Bombers, B-1 1928 to B-1 1980s. Fallbrook, CA: Aero Publishers, 1962, second edition 1974. ISBN 0-8168-9126-5.
- Knaack, Marcelle Size. Encyclopedia of U.S. Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems, Volume II - Post-World War II Bombers 1945-1973. Washington, D.C.: Office of Air Force History, USAF, 1988. ISBN 0-912799-59-5.
[edit] External links
|
Convair aircraft |
|
Manufacturer
designations |
|
|
| By role |
|
|
|
USAAS/USAAC/USAAF/USAF bomber designations 1924-1962 |
|
| Bomber |
|
|
| Light Bomber |
|
|
| Heavy Bomber |
|
|
| Long-Range Bomber |
|
|
|
Lists relating to aviation |
|
| General |
|
|
| Military |
|
|
| Accidents/incidents |
|
|
| Records |
|
|
This aircraft article is missing some (or all) of its specifications. If you have a source, you can help Wikipedia by adding them.
