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American Combat Planes of the 20th Century is an incredible reference for anyone who is interested in any American Combat Plane History. There are 758 pages and 1700 b/w photos in this substantial labor of love by Ray Wagner, who has been passionately researching and writing about aircraft for over 50 years. Whether you are already familiar with his past works, or just discovering this accomplished author for the first time... This is the book that you've been waiting for!

If you'd like to see the book's Table of Contents ... Click here. You can also browse the entire Index Section to get an idea of the extensive amount of information that is covered within this book.

Search our site for other combat planes. A- 1 Eaton A- 4 Skyhawk A- 6 & A- 7 Air Weapons AV- 8 to A- 10 A- 20 Havoc A- 22 Martin Maryland A- 23 Martin Baltimore A- 24 Douglas A- 26 Douglas Invader Attack Planes B- 2A, F-111, F-117 Stealth B- 17 Flying Fortress B- 24 Liberator B- 25 North American B- 26 Marauder B- 29 Superfortress B- 32 Dominator B- 35 Flying Wing B- 36 B- 47 Stratojet B- 50 Boeing B- 52 Stratofortress B- 57 Canberra B- 58 Hustler Biplanes Biplanes, Army Pursuits Bombers, B- 70 to Stealth Bombers, First Big Curtiss Falcon CO- 1 DH- 4 De Havilland F3D- Douglas Skyknight F3H- McDonnell Demon F4D- 1 Skyray F4F Grumman Wildcats F- 4U Corsair F6F Grumman F7F Grumman F7U Vought F9F G. Cougar F9F G. Panther F- 16 Fighting Falcon F- 84 F- 86 Sabre F- 89 to F-94 F- 100 to F-108 First Fighters Flying Boats GAX Iraq to Afghanistan Martin Bombers Missile Era Fighters Navy Fighers Navy Flying Boats O- 2 Douglas P- 35 Seversky P- 36 to 42 Curtiss P- 38 Lightning P- 39 Airacobra P- 40 Line P- 47 Thunderbolt P- 51 Mustang Fighter P- 61 Black Widow P- 63 Kingcobra P- 79 to P-81 P- 82 Twin Mustang SB2C Helldiver TBF-TBM Avenger Thomas-Morse Torpedo Planes V- 11 Vultee XB -28 XP -48 / 77

P-79 to P-81 Air Force Fighters

Page 3

Designer Charles R. Irvine hoped that TG-100 gas turbine’s kerosene consumption would be low enough to allow a 2,500-mile range when only the propeller was used, while the J33’s tail thrust would be turned on only for takeoff and combat. Ryan’s FR-1 fighter was also being built with a mixed power plant, but that Navy project’s Wright R-1820 was a standard type, not the totally new untested turboprop experiment. XP-81 Interior

Delays in building a TG-100 forced the substitution of a Packard V-1650-7 Merlin in the nose when the XP-81 was built at Downey and first flown on February 11, 1945, at Muroc. Not until December 21 could flight tests with the TG-100 begin. Tricycle landing gear and a pressurized cockpit with 3/8-inch armor and an ejection seat were provided. The low squared-off laminar-flow wing had room for the usual six .50-caliber guns with 1,800 rounds, while under wing fittings carried two 300-gallon drop tanks or two 1,600-pound bombs.

As the first turboprop aircraft in America, the XP-8l had many mechanical difficulties with its power plant and propeller. The TG-100 delivered only 1,700 of the 2,300 hp promised. Top speed, 462 mph with the Merlin, tested at 494 mph with both the turboprop and jet running, instead of the 510-mph expected. The promised 2,500-mile combat range with full tanks was reduced to 1,740 miles.

The second prototype delivered in March 1947 had modified tail surfaces, but a reliable turboprop combination would not be available for several years. A contract negotiated in November 1946, for 13 service test YP-81s with improved engines, was stopped two months later.

The last Bell fighter, Model 40, was proposed on March 29, 1943, as an interceptor, but the design was redone in April as a long-range escort fighter, and a letter contract for two XP-83 prototypes issued March 29, 1944, was approved July 31. An enlarged P-59 with two J33-GE-5s and bubble canopy, the XP-83 had large fuselage fuel tanks supplemented by two 150-gallon drop tanks, or two 1,000-pound bombs.

Six .50-caliber guns in the nose with 1,800 rounds armed the first XP-83, flown February 27,1945. The second flew on October 19, had a wider tail fin, and tested a new installation of six .60-caliber T17E3 guns.

But neither the XP-81 or XP-83 would enter production, for the Air Force had decided that the escort fighter mission could be accomplished sooner by the P-82, the last fighter with piston engines.

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