XF-87 Blackhawk

The Curtiss-Wright XF-87 Blackhawk (formerly designated as the XP-87 and XA-43) was a prototype all-weather jet interceptor fighter aircraft and the company's last plane. Designed as a replacement for the P-61 Black Widow, the XF-87 lost to the Northrop F-89 Scorpion. The loss of the contract was fatal; the Curtiss-Wright Corporation closed down its aviation division, selling its assets to North American Aviation.

Related Topics:
Curtiss-Wright - Fighter aircraft - P-61 Black Widow - Northrop - F-89 Scorpion - North American Aviation

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The aircraft started life as a project for an attack aircraft, designated XA-43. When a USAAF requirement for a jet-powered night and all-weather fighter was issued in 1945, the design was reworked for that requirement. The air force at first favored Curtiss' proposal, for political reasons as much as technical.

Related Topics:
Attack aircraft - USAAF - 1945

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The XP-87 as it was then designated was a large mid-wing aircraft with four engines paired in underwing pods, with a mid-mounted tailplane and tricycle undercarriage. Two crew members (pilot and radio operator) sat side by side under a single canopy. Armament was to be a nose-mounted powered turret containing four 20mm cannon, but this was never fitted to the prototypes.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The first flight was on March 5, 1948. Although the top speed was slower than expected, the aircraft was otherwise acceptable, and orders for 57 F-87A fighters and 30 RF-87A reconnaissance planes were placed just over a month later. Since the performance problems were due to lack of power, the four Westinghouse XJ34-WE-7 turbojets of the prototypes were to be replaced by two General Electric J47-GE-7 jets in production models. One of the two XF-87 prototypes was to be converted to the new powerplants for test purposes.

Related Topics:
Westinghouse XJ34-WE-7 - General Electric J47-GE-7

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It was at this point that the USAF decided that - as much as it wished, politically, to keep Curtiss alive - the Northrop F-89 Scorpion was a much more promising aircraft. The F-87 contract was cancelled on October 10, 1948, and both prototypes were scrapped.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~