×
Aircraft / Aviation Vehicles & Artillery Small Arms Warships & Submarines Military Ranks Military Pay Scale (2024) Special Forces

Curtiss XP-60


Single-Seat, Single-Engine Prototype Fighter Aircraft


United States | 1941



"The Curtiss XP-60 was evolved multiple times but never materialized as a serious USAAF fighter contender during World War 2."

Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one aircraft design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Curtiss XP-60C Single-Seat, Single-Engine Prototype Fighter Aircraft.
1 x Pratt & Whitney R-2800-53 radial piston engine developing 2,000 horsepower.
Propulsion
414 mph
666 kph | 360 kts
Max Speed
38,058 ft
11,600 m | 7 miles
Service Ceiling
3,890 ft/min
1,186 m/min
Rate-of-Climb
Structure
The nose-to-tail, wingtip-to-wingtip physical qualities of the Curtiss XP-60C Single-Seat, Single-Engine Prototype Fighter Aircraft.
1
(MANNED)
Crew
33.9 ft
10.34 m
O/A Length
41.3 ft
(12.60 m)
O/A Width
12.3 ft
(3.75 m)
O/A Height
8,697 lb
(3,945 kg)
Empty Weight
10,803 lb
(4,900 kg)
MTOW
Armament
Available supported armament and special-mission equipment featured in the design of the Curtiss XP-60 Single-Seat, Single-Engine Prototype Fighter Aircraft .
PROPOSED:
8 x 0.50 caliber heavy machine guns (initial)
6 x 0.50 caliber heavy machine guns (XP-60A)
4 x 0.50 caliber heavy machine guns (eventual)
Variants
Notable series variants as part of the Curtiss XP-60 family line.
XP-60 - Base Series Designation; original prototype with Rolls-Royce Merlin engine; 8 x 0.50 caliber machine guns.
XP-60A - Fitted with Allison V-1710-75 inline engine; B-14 turbosupercharger; 6 x 0.50 caliber machine guns.
YP-60A-1 - Proposed preproduction designation of XP-60 prototype.
P-60A - Proposed designation of production quality XP-60
P-60A-1 - Proposed designation of production quality XP-60C prototype.
XP-60B - Prototype with V-1710-75 engine with SU-504-2 turbosupercharger; 6 x 0.50 caliber machine guns.
XP-60C - Prototype with experimental Chrysler XIV-2220 engine; fitted with PW R-2800-53 instead and driving contra-rotating propellers; 6 x 0.50 caliber machine guns.
XP-60D - XP-60 revised with Packard V-1650-3 engine; lost to crash in May 1943.
XP-60E - Xp-60B with PW R-2800-10 engine
YP-60E - YP-60A-1 with bubble canopy and four-blade propeller.
XP-60F - Proposed revision of YP-60A-1 with alternate PW R-2800 engine.
Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 07/13/2018 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Many attempts by many American companies were made to replace outmoded and outgoing fighters in service to the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) in the lead-up to World War 2 (1939-1945). However, many such attempts from even the most prominent of military aviation companies fell by the wayside. Curtiss, largely remembered for its early-war entry over China - the P-40 "Warhawk" - put forth a bevy of possible fighter designs to the Army both pre-war and during the conflict. However, none met the level of success that the P-40 found, the XP-60 being one such entry into Curtiss' long and storied history.

The new fighter design, known in-house as "Model 90", was showcased to Army officials in January of 1941 - eleven months before the American entry into World War 2. The aircraft was built around the existing frame of the P-40 (P-40D) though with a more streamlined nose section (thanks to a relocated radiator) and an all-new laminar flow wing. Power was to come from the Rolls-Royce Merlin 28 inline engine - built stateside as the Packard V-1650-1 - a single-stage, supercharged engine of 1,300 horsepower output driving a three-bladed propeller unit from Curtiss-Electric. Seating was for one and a "tail-dragger" undercarriage retained - the latter carried over from another Curtiss fighter project - the XP-46 of which only two were constructed. Proposed armament became 8 x 0.50 caliber heavy machine guns.

In less than a year, a ground trials of the new aircraft - designated "XP-60" - were already underway with a first flight recorded on September 18th, 1941. Test flying revealed some required changes though these only proved slight to the overall design form of the aircraft. In March of 1943, the aircraft was handed over to Army authorities for formal testing but it was during this period that several setbacks were encountered centering on the undercarriage. Performance from the design, coupled with its Packard engine, was also not impressive.

While the XP-60 was still in development, thought was already being given to a better-performing version which resulted in the "XP-60A". This aircraft carried a turbosupercharged Allison V-1710-75 of 1,425 horsepower output which forced the XP-60's design form to be rewritten some. With Army interest piqued in this new offering, the service commissioned for 1,950 of the fighter as the production "P-60A" in October of 1941. However, the P-60A also revealed its own performance limitations despite the alternate engine being fitted. With the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor thrusting the United States into war, the commitment to the P-40 product ruled P-60A production out and the initiative was cancelled at the beginning of 1942.

Even with this unexpected move, the XP-60A was allowed to continue in development though purely along experimental lines. This included the aircraft being outfitted with a four-bladed propeller unit and alternate wings. The aircraft was now known to Curtiss as "Model 95A".

Following XP-60A came XP-60B as "Model 95B". This example mounted a Wright turbosupercharger but was more or less the same product. The XP-60C ("Model 95C") was brought along with an experimental Chrysler XIV-2220 liquid-cooled engine in a slightly more portly airframe. The addition of the Chrysler engine showcased some drawbacks to the design which was now becoming overweight. This prompted a move to the Pratt & Whitney R-2800 "Double Wasp" air-cooled radial.

Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.


Work progressed on the original XP-60 to the point that a supercharged Merlin 61 series inline was now fitted and the variant was redesignated as "XP-60D". However, this airframe was lost in an in-flight accident on May 6th, 1943 during a diving demonstration. The XP-60A suffered its own mishap in October of 1942 when an engine fire grounded it and forced some speedy modifications. A first flight followed in November. That same month, the airframe was removed from active testing and cannibalized for parts.

The XP-60C was able to secure a new Army contract later that month for 500 production-quality aircraft in a "P-60A-1" guise. The switch to a Pratt & Whitney powerplant offered promising performance gains and the lot would include both single-prop and contra-rotating prop forms for both evaluation and standard service use. Armament for both versions centered on 4 x 0.50 caliber heavy machine guns. A new variant emerged as the XP-60E which fitted a PW R-2800-10 with a four-bladed propeller and GE turbosupercharger though this model saw very little life. The XP-60C - with the odds stacked against it - competed unsuccessfully against other types in a USAAF (United States Army Air Forces) fly off. The government ended its interest in the P-60 as a production aircraft on June 3rd, 1943.

Development of the XP-60E continued at least until January 1944. The aircraft was then tested by the Army and fared poorly when compared to existing offerings seeing actual combat service in the war. one final form then emerged, interestingly at the behest of the Army, and this aircraft was given the developmental designation of "YP-60E". The lines of the P-40 were all but gone from this model as it carried an appearance more akin to the Republic P-47 "Thunderbolt" by this point - low rounded wing mainplanes, a deep fuselage, four-bladed propeller, and a bubble canopy YP-60E flew once for the USAAF and was written off in December of 1944. Another proposed XP-60 form became the XP-60F which was to carry an alternate version of the PW R-2800 series engine. This was not furthered.

By this time, the service was doing quite well with its stable of modern fighters that had evolved to also become effective fighter-bombers - the P-47, North American P-51 "Mustang", and the Lockheed P-38 "Lightning" were all used to excellent effect over Europe and elsewhere. 1944 also served as a turning-of-the tide for the Allies which resulted in the end of the war in Europe during May of 1945. The Pacific War followed in August of that year.

The XP-60 program was a long and arduous one with very little result to show for itself by the end of it all. It joined a long line of abandoned (or cancelled) Curtiss products that never would match the popularity of its "Warhawk".

Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Curtiss XP-60. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national aircraft listing.

Total Production: 5 Units

Contractor(s): Curtiss - USA
National flag of the United States

[ United States ]
1 / 4
Image of the Curtiss XP-60
The XP-60A with its Allison V-1710-75 inline piston engine.
2 / 4
Image of the Curtiss XP-60
The XP-60B with Allison V-1710-75 engine with Wright turbosupercharger fitted.
3 / 4
Image of the Curtiss XP-60
The XP-60D with Rolls-Royce Merlin 61 engine fitted.
4 / 4
Image of the Curtiss XP-60
The YP-60E with four-blade propeller, deep fuselage, and bubble canopy.

Going Further...
The Curtiss XP-60 Single-Seat, Single-Engine Prototype Fighter Aircraft appears in the following collections:
HOME
AVIATION INDEX
AIRCRAFT BY COUNTRY
AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURERS
COMPARE AIRCRAFT
AIRCRAFT BY CONFLICT
AIRCRAFT BY TYPE
AIRCRAFT BY DECADE
WWII AIRCRAFT
X-PLANE AIRCRAFT
Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Scale Military Ranks of the World U.S. Department of Defense Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols Breakdown U.S. 5-Star Generals List WWII Weapons by Country World War Next

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.


©2024 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2024 (21yrs)