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The 'Grumman XP-50' was a land-based development of the shipboard F5F-1 Skyrocket fighter, entered into a USAAC contest for a twin-engine heavy interceptor. It was assigned the model number G-46 by the builder, Grumman. The Army Air Corps placed an order for a prototype on 25 November 1939 designating it 'XP-50', but it lost the competition to the XP-38.

Contents

Design and development

Testing

Specifications (XP-50, estimated)

References

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Design and development

The XP-50 design was similar to that of the XF5F-1 with modifications to the fuselage nose to house the nose-wheel of the tricycle landing gear and provisions for self-sealing fuel tanks and pilot armor. The planned armament was two 20 mm cannon and two 50 caliber (12.7 mm) machine guns.

Testing

The first and last flight of the XP-50 was on 14 May 1941, falling victim to a turbo-supercharger explosion that destroyed the aircraft.
Based upon experience with the XF5F-1 and the XP-50, Grumman had begun work on a more advanced fighter, designated model G-51. Thus, the A.A.C. decided to replace the XP-50 with the newer design and recommended procurement of two G-51s, designated 'XP-65', using the original XP-50 expenditure order to cover the development. Consideration was given to combining the Air Corps and Navy requirements into a common design, but the weight and performance penalties inherent in conflicting requirements were considered great enough that separate designs would be needed. But, since the Navy considered Grumman one of its major production sources and that producing two different model aircraft by Grumman would impede manufacture of aircraft types the US Navy needed, it was decided that development of the XF7F-1 would continue, and the XP-65 as a parallel development was abandoned.

Specifications (XP-50, estimated)

References

★ Green, William. ''War Planes of the Second World War - Fighters, Vol 4''. London, UK: MacDonald, 1961. ISBN 0-356-01448-7.

★ Lucabaugh, David and Martin, Bob. ''Grumman XF5F-1 & XP-50 Skyrocket, Naval Fighters Number Thirty-one''. Simi Valley, CA: Ginter Books, 1995. ISBN 0-942612-31-0.

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