Last ditch for Curtiss |
Curtiss XF15C-1 Stingaree In December 1943 Curtiss submitted preliminary studies to the US Navy for a composite jet-piston-powered fighter. The design used a British jet engine and a laminar flow wing. The jet engine would be located amidships, exhausting just aft of the wing under a boom mounted tail. This arrangement had been adapted to reduce thrust loss from an extended jet tailpipe. Also, the design made use of a new and stronger aluminium alloy than that currently in use. Authorization was given for the construction of three XF15C-1 prototypes on April 7, 1944, but Curtiss had already been working on that project for some time, so the mock up could be presented for inspection already on the next day! Curtiss desperately needed to win another production contract to hope to survive. To ensure the success of the XF15C-1 the design was subjected to intensive wind tunnel tests. It featured a cockpit layout patterened after the Navy’s own desires and used the new teardrop canopy for greater visibility. To gain experience in the operation of the new jet engine, Curtiss borrowed a Grumman Avenger torpedo bomber and installed the whole unit in its weapons bay! By the end of February 1945, the XF15C-1 was ready to fly. As in the case of the Ryan Fireball, the jet engine was not in place during this first flight. On February 28th 1945 the big Curtiss fighter was airborne for its maiden flight. Tests with the jet engine began shortly after that but on May 8th the plane was destroyed in a crash. The second XF15C-1 took over the testing chores in June 1945. At this time it had already a redesigned T-tail assembly. This consisted of moving the horizontal stabilizer to the tip of the broadened fin. This configuration was used for the first time on the third prototype shortly after its first flight. In spite of all the efforts to perfect the big fighter, many serious problems remained unsolved when the remaining two prototypes were finally delivered to the Navy and the project ended. With that Curtiss had failed once again to gain a new and attractive production order and went finally out of the airframe business. Crew: One Length: 44 ft Wingspan: 48 ft Height: 15 ft 3 in Wing area: 400 ft² Empty weight: 12,648 lb Max takeoff weight: 16,630 lb Powerplant: 1× Allis Chalmers J36 (license built Halford H-1B) jet 2,700 lb of thrust plus 1x Pratt & Whitney R-2800-34WA radial engine, 2,100 hp Maximum speed: 469 mph at 25.000 ft Range: 1,385 mi Service ceiling: 41,800 ft Guns: 4 × 20 mm (0.787 in) cannon USN 08 René Hieronymus Scale 1:72 Building time 21 hrs. |