Engineering:Curtiss XA-14

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Short description: American attack aircraft prototype
XA-14
Curtiss YA-14 in front of hangar.jpg
Curtiss XA-14
Role Ground attack
Manufacturer Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company
First flight 17 July 1935[citation needed]
Status Prototype
Primary user U.S. Army Air Corps
Number built 1[1]
Developed into A-18 Shrike

The Curtiss XA-14 was a 1930s United States airplane, the first multi-engine attack aircraft tested by the United States Army Air Corps. Carrying a crew of two, it was as fast as the standard pursuit aircraft in service at the time.

Design and development

Originally built as an in-house venture as the Curtiss Model 76, powered by two experimental Wright XR-1510 radial engines, flight testing was sufficiently impressive that after the USAAC appraisal the Model 76 was returned to Curtiss and fitted with two 775 hp (578 kW) Wright R-1670-5 Whirlwind engines with two-position variable-pitch propellers. This configuration was accepted by the Army with the designation XA-14.[2] It had standard Army markings with the serial number 36-146.[3]

The Model 76 was of all-metal construction with an oval section semimonocoque fuselage, described as "pencil slim". The XA-14 was extensively tested, at one stage being fitted with a 37 mm (1.457 in) cannon in the nose.[4]

In July 1936, 13 developed versions, re-engined with two 850 hp (630 kW) Wright R-1820-47 Cyclone 9-cylinder radials, were ordered into production as the Y1A-18.[3]

Specifications (XA-14)

Data from Curtiss Aircraft 1907–1947[5]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2
  • Length: 40 ft 6 in (12.34 m)
  • Wingspan: 59 ft 6 in (18.14 m)
  • Height: 11 ft 0 in (3.35 m)
  • Wing area: 530 sq ft (49 m2)
  • Empty weight: 8,875 lb (4,026 kg)
  • Gross weight: 11,656 lb (5,287 kg)
  • Powerplant: 2 × Wright R-1670-5 14-cylinder two-row air-cooled radial piston engines, 775 hp (578 kW) each
  • Propellers: 2-bladed two-position variable-pitch propellers

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 243 mph (391 km/h, 211 kn) at sea level
  • Cruise speed: 222 mph (357 km/h, 193 kn)
  • Service ceiling: 28,000 ft (8,500 m)
  • Rate of climb: 1,690 ft/min (8.6 m/s)

Armament

  • 4 × 0.30 in (7.62 mm) M1919 Browning machine guns forward-firing
  • 1 × 0.30 in (7.62 mm) machine-gun on a flexible mount in the rear cockpit
  • 650 lb (290 kg) bombs in an internal bomb-bay

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

  • Bristol Blenheim

Related lists

  • List of military aircraft of the United States

References

Notes
  1. Fahey 1946, p. 21.
  2. Eden and Moeng 2002. pp. 74–77.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Swanborough and Bowers 1964, p. 231.
  4. Fitzsimons 1967/1969, p. 2324.
  5. Bowers, Peter M. (1979). Curtiss aircraft, 1907-1947. London: Putnam. pp. 365–368. ISBN 0370100298. 
Bibliography
  • Eden, Paul and Soph Moeng, eds. The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. London: Amber Books Ltd., 2002. ISBN:0-7607-3432-1.
  • Fahey, James C. U.S. Army Aircraft 1908-1946. New York: Ships and Aircraft, 1946.
  • Fitzsimons, Bernard, ed. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of the 20th Century Weapons and Warfare, Vol. 21. London: Purnell & Sons Ltd. 1967/1969. ISBN:0-8393-6175-0.
  • Swanborough, F. Gordon and Peter M. Bowers. United States Military Aircraft Since 1909. New York: Putnam, 1964. ISBN:0-85177-816-X.
  • Wagner, Ray. ‘’American Combat Planes, Third Enlarged Edition.’’ Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company, Inc. 1982 ISBN:0-385-13120-8.