This MedLibrary.org supplementary page on XF-87 Blackhawk is provided directly from the open source Wikipedia as a service to our readers. Please see the note below on authorship of this content, as well as the Wikipedia usage guidelines. To search for other content from our encyclopedia supplement, please use the form below:
Related Sponsors
| XF-87 Blackhawk | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Role | Interceptor |
| Manufacturer | Curtiss-Wright |
| First flight | 5 March 1948 |
| Status | Cancelled 10 October 1948 |
| Number built | 2 |
| Unit cost | US$11.3 million for the program1 |
The Curtiss-Wright XF-87 Blackhawk (previously designated the XA-43 and XP-87) was a prototype American all-weather jet fighter interceptor and the company's last aircraft project.2 Designed as a replacement for the World War II-era propeller-driven P-61 Black Widow night/interceptor aircraft, the XF-87 lost in government procurement competition to the Northrop F-89 Scorpion. The loss of the contract was fatal; the Curtiss-Wright Corporation closed down its aviation division, selling its assets to North American Aviation.
Contents |
Design and development
The aircraft started life as a project for an attack aircraft, designated XA-43. When the United States Army Air Force issued a requirement for a jet-powered night and all-weather fighter in 1945, the design was reworked for that request.
The XP-87 as it was then designated was a large mid-wing aircraft with four engines paired in underwing pods, with a mid-mounted tailplane and tricycle undercarriage. Two crew members (pilot and radio operator) sat side by side under a single canopy. Armament was to be a nose-mounted, powered turret containing four 20 mm cannon, but this was never fitted to the prototypes.
Operational history
The first flight was on 5 March 1948. Although the top speed was slower than expected, the aircraft was otherwise acceptable, and the newly-formed (in September 1947) United States Air Force placed orders for 57 F-87A fighters and 30 RF-87A reconnaissance planes just over a month later. Since the performance problems were due to lack of power, the four Westinghouse XJ34-WE-7 turbojets of the prototypes were to be replaced by two General Electric J47-GE-7 jets in production models. One of the two XF-87 prototypes was to be converted to the new powerplants for test purposes.
At this point, the USAF decided that the Northrop F-89 Scorpion was a more promising aircraft. The F-87 contract was cancelled on 10 October 1948, and both prototypes were scrapped.
Specifications (XF-87)
General characteristics
- Crew: two - pilot, radio operator
- Length: 62 ft (18.9 m)
- Wingspan: 60 ft (18.3 m)
- Height: 20 ft 4 in (6.2 m)
- Wing area: 600 ft² (55.7 m²)
- Empty weight: 25,930 lb (11,760 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 49,900 lb (22,600 kg)
- Powerplant: 4× Westinghouse XJ34-WE-7 turbojets, 3,000 lbf (13 kN) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 600 mph (970 km/h)
- Range: 1000 miles (1,600 km)
- Service ceiling 41,000 ft (12,500 m)
- Thrust/weight: 0.12
Armament
- 4 x 20 mm cannon in nose turret (never fitted)
See also
Comparable aircraft
Related lists
References
- ^ Knaack, Marcelle Size. Encyclopedia of US Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems: Volume 1 Post-World War II Fighters 1945-1973. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History, 1978. ISBN 0-912799-59-5.
- ^ Winchester 2005, p. 72-73.
- Pace, Steve. X-Fighters: USAF Experimental and Prototype Fighters, XP-59 to YF-23. Oscela, Wisconsin: Motorbooks International, 1991. ISBN 0-87938-540-5.
- Winchester, Jim. Concept Aircraft: Prototypes, X-Planes and Experimental Aircraft. Rochester, Kent, UK: Grange books plc, 2005. ISBN 1-84013-809-2.
External links
- Curtiss XP-87/XF-87 Blackhawk
- Uncommon Aircraft: XF-87 Blackhawk
- Several pictures of the XF-87 45-59600
|
|||||
|
|||||
|
||||||||||||||
Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 2 September 2008, at 15:12.
Wikipedia Authorship and Review
Wikipedia content provided here is not reviewed directly by MedLibrary.org. Wikipedia content is authored by an open community of volunteers and is not produced by or in any way affiliated with MedLibrary.org.
Wikipedia Usage Guidelines
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article on "XF-87 Blackhawk".
The URL for this specific entry is:
All Wikipedia text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details). Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.