XP-55 Ascender
From Warlike
Q548865
The Curtiss-Wright XP-55 Ascender is a 1940s United States prototype fighter aircraft built by Curtiss-Wright. Along with the Vultee XP-54 and Northrop XP-56, it resulted from United States Army Air Corps proposal R-40C issued on 27 November 1939 for aircraft with improved performance, armament, and pilot visibility over existing fighters; it specifically allowed for unconventional aircraft designs. An unusual design for its time, it had a canard configuration with a rear-mounted engine, and two vertical tails at end of swept wings. Because of its pusher design, it was satirically referred to as the "Ass-ender". Like the XP-54, the Ascender was designed for the 1,800 hp Pratt & Whitney X-1800 24-Cylinder H-engine, but was redesigned after that engine project was canceled. It was also the first Curtiss fighter aircraft to use tricycle landing gear. Development of the Ascender was cancelled when testing revealed it to be inferior to conventional fighter aircraft, and the first jet fighters were operational.
Wikimedia, Wikidata
Ascender; CW-24; CW24; Curtiss-Wright CW-24; Curtiss-Wright XP-55 Ascender; P-55 Ascender; P55 Ascender; XP55 Ascender
3 produced,
Curtiss-Wright, 
Ambrosini SS.4, Aquilon 201, Consolidated Vultee XP-81, Grumman F11F Super Tiger, PW-9B, XP-12G, XP-12H, XP-12L, YP-12K,
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Location: KML, Cluster Map, Maps,
Curtiss XP-55 Ascender 061024-F-1234P-006
Curtiss XP-55 Ascender in flight 061024-F-1234P-007
Xp55-1Curtiss XP-55 Ascender 061024-F-1234P-006Curtiss XP-55 Ascender in flight 061024-F-1234P-007Xp55-1
EL-2003-00004
Curtiss XP-55 following crashCurtiss XP-55 following crash
XP-55 - Ray Wagner Collection Image (28022211535)| Type | Subtype | Date | Description | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| commons | image | Curtiss XP-55 Ascender 061024-F-1234P-006 | Commons | ||
| commons | image | Curtiss XP-55 Ascender in flight 061024-F-1234P-007 | Commons | ||
| commons | image | Xp55-1 | Commons | ||
| commons | image | Curtiss XP-55 Ascender 061024-F-1234P-006 | Commons | ||
| commons | image | Curtiss XP-55 Ascender in flight 061024-F-1234P-007 | Commons | ||
| commons | image | Xp55-1 | Commons | ||
| commons | image | EL-2003-00004 | Commons | ||
| commons | image | Curtiss XP-55 following crash | Commons | ||
| commons | image | Curtiss XP-55 following crash | Commons | ||
| commons | image | XP-55 - Ray Wagner Collection Image (28022211535) | Commons | ||
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