The unusual P-75A Eagle was designed and built by the Fisher Body Division of General Motors Corporation in WW2 and first flew in late 1943. The design of the P-75A Eagle utilised a rear engine arrangement like that of the P-39 Aircobra but with twin coaxial counter rotating propellers, this was coupled to the most powerful liquid cooled engine available, the massive 24 cylinder 2,885 hp Allison V-3420, it was thought the propeller arrangement would result in a more stable aircraft than existing fighters as the torque reaction of one propeller would equalise the torque reaction of the other. 2,500 aircraft were provisionally ordered but stability problems and the improved performance of the latest variants of existing fighters, particularly the P-47N Thunderbolt and P-51D Mustang led to the production order being cancelled in late 1944. It is noteworthy that the design utilised parts from existing aircraft, the outer wing panels were those of the P-40 Warhawk, the undercarriage was from the F4U Corsair and the the tail was from the Douglas A-24. Fisher XP-75 Specifications: - Crew: Pilot only
- Length: 40 ft 5 in (12.32 m)
- Wingspan: 49 ft 4 in (15.04 m)
- Height: 15 ft 6 in (4.72 m)
- Empty weight: 11,495 lb (5,214 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 18,210 lb (8,260 kg)
- Engine: Single 2,885 hp (2,150 kW) Allison V-3420-23 liquid-cooled 24-cylinder double-Vee
- Maximum speed: 433 mph (697 km/h) at 20,000 (6,100 m)
- Range: 2,050 mi (3,300 km)
- Service ceiling 36,400 ft (11,100 m)
- Rate of climb: 4,200 ft/min (21.3 m/s)
Armament: - Six 0.5 in (12.7 mm) wing mounted machine guns
- Four 0.5 in (12.7 mm) fuselage mounted machine guns
- Twin 500 lb (227 kg) bombs
|