Balzer gerald (5 Ergebnisse)

Hardback. Zustand: Good. During the 1930s, American tactical aircraft ranged from small biplanes to all-metal monoplanes, but they lacked the range, performance, and firepower required to combat a new foe in the darkening skies over Europe. With their 300-mph top speeds, these airplanes represented the step before the step in achieving the higher performance of legendary fighters used in World War I, but the secrets of what became America's first next generation fighters lay in the design, construction, and flight testing of radical new airplanes that broke the rules of aeronautical engineering and were intended to push performance envelopes to new limits. Although the Materiel Division of the Air Corps faced a daunting task, unique designs from Vultee, Curtiss-Wright, and Northrop ultimately emerged to win contracts for building experimental prototypes of airplanes with very different configurations. Powered by either inline or radial piston powerplants, these new designs looked more futuristic on paper than anything seen before, but the acid test was to see how they flew. Would they become record-breaking champions, or frustrating aeronautical problem children confounding their engineers, builders, and pilots? Noted author Gerald H. Balzer tells this story using original factory photos and comprehensive information that has never before been published. This fascinating tale of America's first Pusher Fighters highlights the trials and tribulations of innovative designers, dedicated builders, and courageous test pilots, each of whom contributed to bringing the Vultee XP-54 Swoose Goose, Curtiss-Wright XP-55 Ascender, and Northrop XP-56 Black Bullet into reality.…

Hardcover. Zustand: Very Good. No Jacket. May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.

Soft cover. Zustand: Very Good. No Jacket. 1st Edition. First Edition / First Print. A4 Paperback copy, no dustjacket as issued. 72pp. Colour and b/w photographs, b/w diagrams. Not library copy, no inscriptions, no creasing to spine. (47/5).

Zustand: very good. Simi Valley, CA : Ginter Books, 2002. Paperback. 74 pp. illustrations. 28 cm. (Air Force Legends, 317). - The Curtiss XP-55 Ascender was a tailless swept-wing WWII pusher fighter design born out by the USAAC 1940 fighter competition. The USAAC was looking for a fighter to counter the threat of the German Bf-109 and the Japanese Zero and replace the obsolete P-35s, P-36s and the front line P-40s just entering service. From this competition three unusual pusher prototypes were ordered, the Consolidated XP-54, Curtiss XP-55, and the Northrop XP-56. A low powered full scale flying model (model CW 24B)was built out of wood and cloth to substantiate the flying qualities, and was first flown on December 2, 1941. The XP-55 mock-up was completed in August 1942, and the first of three XP-55s was completed on June 26,1943 with its first flight being conducted on July 13, 1943. The first aircraft was destroyed on November 15, 1943. Changes deemed necessary were incorporated in the second airframe in which performance testing began on September 16, 1944. Although the much more capable P-38, P-47, and P-51 had entered service, research into the XP-55s unusual design continued. The third XP-55 had entered flight testing in April 1944 and was used at Eglin Field for armament tests before being lost during a war bond rally display on May 27, 1945. By then, the program had been terminated. Today, the second XP-55 presides in restored condition at the Kalamazoo Air Museum. Condition : very good copy. ISBN 9780989258333. Keywords : AVIATION.…

Hardcover. Zustand: Fine. Zustand des Schutzumschlags: Near Fine. Some interesting designs! XP- 54/55/56. pp.x.182.Illus. Plans. DW in archival sleeve; slight shelf wear.