American
Secret Pusher Fighters of World War II
American
Secret Pusher Fighters of World War II
by Gerald H. Balzer
Published by (date): Specialty Press (Oct 2008)
ISBN: 978-1-58007-125-3
Price: $39.95
Tags: Non-Fiction WorldWar2
Synopsis
American Secret Pusher Fighters of World War II analyzes the state of
military aircraft procurement just prior to the start of World War II.
It provides insight into the difficulties encountered by America's air
services in dealing with an isolationist Congress and a limited mindset
in the Army, which was seemingly indifferent to the aeronautical
progress being made in Europe by the British and Germans. The book then
focuses on the three winners of the 1940 fighter competition - the
Vultee XP-54, the Curtiss XP-55, and the Northrop XP-56. These radical
designs ("Pusher" referred to having the engine in the back) used
non-strategic materials and were developed in secret. At the time, the
aerodynamics of these aircraft far outpaced engine development. In
addition, this book details the technical difficulties of mating an
advanced aircraft design with inadequate engine development.
American Secret Pusher Fighters of World War II is a fascinating ride
down the development path of three secret pusher fighters that, although
never reaching full production, ultimately influenced the design and
development of the highly successful unmanned fighter-bomber, the
Predator, as well as future aircraft.
Filled with technical data and engineer drawings, American Secret Pusher
Fighters of World War II provides the aviation enthusiast or
aeronautical engineer with a thorough inside and outside exploration
into the design and construction of the experimental XP-54, XP-55, and
XP-56. Thoroughly researched and documented by the author, I can’t
envision any questions about the aircraft that cannot be answered here.
Many vintage photographs show close-ups of the structure and components
of each aircraft from laboratory settings to the field testing sites.
The eye-catching cover shows the Curtiss XP-55 in flight over farmland
near St. Louis. The layout is logical and easily supports the text.
Not for the casual reader, but for a detailed, well-documented excursion
into the successes and failures of these remarkable aircraft, this is
the book to read.
Review by E. Franklin Evans, MWSA Reviewer (May 2009)