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Description
| Manufacturer: | Convair | |
| Base model: | B-53 | |
| Designation: | XB-53 | |
| Designation System: | U.S. Air Force | |
| Designation Period: | 1924-Present | |
| Basic role: | Bomber | |
| Status: | Experimental | |
| See Also: | ||
Specifications
| Not Yet Available |
Recent comments by our visitors
| Paul D. Harvey , UT | Since there is no photo available of the XB-53, the informa-
tion from Wright Patterson Air Force Museum offers a short history of the bomber. Quote: "The Convair XB-53 was originally designed as an attack aircraft with the designation XA-44. The aircraft was to have a 30° forward swept wing with an 8° dihedral. Convair engineers used forward swept wing research data captured from Germany in WWII as the basis for the design. The wing was mounted at the far aft portion of the fuselage and also served as the horizontal stabilizer. The design had a conventional vertical stabilizer and rudder, but changes in pitch and roll were accomplished with wing mounted control surfaces. The elevators were on the inboard wing while the ailerons were outboard. The wingtips were also designed as variable incidence control surfaces. The design called for three General Electric J35 turbojets of 4,000 lbs. thrust each mounted within the fuselage. Estimates indicated as top speed of approximately 580 mph. Classified as a medium bomber, the XB-53 would have carried up to 12,000 lbs. of bombs. It was also designed for 40 High Velocity Aerial Rockets (HVAR) mounted on underwing pylons. Convair diverted funding initially allotted to the XB-46 program to work on the XA-44/XB-53 project. Two aircraft were ordered (S/N 45-59583/4) but neither aircraft were completed before the XB-53 program was canceled. TYPE XB-53 Number Built/Converted 0 Remarks Forward swept wing design Notes: Serial numbers: 45-59583 and 45-59584 (ordered but not completed) The XB-53 was originally designated XA-44 SPECIFICATIONS (as designed) Span: 80 ft. 7 in. Length: 79 ft. 6 in. Height: 23 ft. 8 in. Weight: 60,000 lbs. (estimated max. takeoff weight) Armament: 12,000 lbs. Of bombs and 40 5" High Velocity Aerial Rockets (HVAR). XA-44 designed for 20 .50-cal. machine guns Engines: Three General Electric J35 turbojets of 4,000 lbs. thrust each Crew: 4 PERFORMANCE (estimates as designed) Maximum speed: 580 mph. Range: 2,000 miles max. Service Ceiling: 44,000 ft." End Quote. 08/03/2000 @ 21:39 [ref: 556] |
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