Curtiss XA-14

XA-14
Curtiss XA-14
Role Ground attack
Manufacturer Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company
First flight September 1935
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 Cyclone engines with constant-speed 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 (1.46 in) nose cannon.[4]

In July 1936, 13 developed versions, re-engined with two Wright R-1820-47 Cyclone twin-row radials, were ordered into production as the Y1A-18.[3]

Specifications (XA-14)

Data from USAF Museum

General characteristics

Performance

Armament

  • 4 × .30 in (7.62 mm) M1919 Browning machine guns forward-firing
  • 1 × .30 in (7.62 mm) machine gun aft-firing
  • 650 lb (295 kg) bombs in internal bay

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

Related lists

References

Notes
  1. ↑ Fahey 1946, p. 21.
  2. ↑ Eden and Moeng 2002. pp. 74–77.
  3. 1 2 Swanborough and Bowers 1964, p. 231.
  4. ↑ Fitzsimons 1967/1969, p. 2324.
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.
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