Curtiss XP-60D - A Series of Misdirected Attempts to Get Things Right (II)

Nostalgistic · October 25, 2024, 6:23pm

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Curtiss XP-60D (Model 90B)

Hello everybody. Hello everybody. I’d like to introduce the Curtiss XP-60D as a potential addition to US aviation in War Thunder. The XP-60D was an evolution of the original XP-60 prototype, featuring an upgraded Merlin engine, a four-bladed propeller, and several minor design tweaks. Converted and completed between 1942 and 1943, this variant was part of Curtiss’ final efforts to develop a successor to the P-40 Warhawk. However, its story was cut short when it crashed in May 1943, marking the end of its brief history.

TL;DR:

An improved variant of the initial XP-60 prototype, closely resembling the P-40 Warhawk, featured an upgraded V-1650-3 Merlin engine and a four-bladed propeller.

History

Background

With the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk entering production by 1940, Curtiss began an ambitious effort to develop a superior aircraft that could replace the P-40. The US Army Air Corps (USAAC) was interested in supporting these efforts and awarded a contract to fund the development of potential successors.

Curtiss initially designed the XP-46 prototype, which shared similarities with the P-40, except it was built to be smaller and equipped with an inward-retracting undercarriage. The XP-46 took its first flight on February 15, 1941, but it offered no meaningful performance improvements over the P-40 and was outright rejected by the USAAC.

After the XP-46 did not secure production orders, Curtiss shifted focus to a new design: the Model 88, later designated the XP-53 by the Army. This model was intended to use a Continental XIV-1430-3 engine. However, engine development issues led to the cancellation of the XP-53 before it could be built.

Curtiss then moved on to the development of Model 90, which was designated XP-60. At the Army’s request, the XP-60 was initially designed to be powered by a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine and include laminar-flow wings, a type of airfoil designed to reduce drag and make the aircraft fly faster. Curtiss produced four airframes during this project, which resulted in nine different designations: XP-60, XP-60A, YP-60A, P-60A, XP-60B, XP-60C, XP-60D, XP-60E, and YP-60E. These versions represented Curtiss’ long and desperate attempts to develop a worthy successor to the P-40—efforts that lasted until late 1944.

XP-60D - Model 90B

In the summer of 1942, the original XP-60 prototype was returned to the Curtiss factory for upgrades, receiving a V-1650-3 Merlin engine equipped with a two-stage supercharger, the same engine that powered the P-51 Razorback Mustang. Rebuilt as the XP-60D, this version also featured a four-bladed propeller and minor design adjustments. Meanwhile, the A, B, and C variants of the XP-60 series had already been designated, each featuring its own powerplant.

Although sources disagree on whether the XP-60D was completed by August 1942 or sometime in early 1943, its external appearance changed little from the original XP-60. The design still resembled a P-40, albeit with revised landing gear and a modified tail section. The aircraft gained an additional 630 pounds, but it was projected to achieve a top speed of 390 mph.

The XP-60D’s service life was unfortunately cut short. On May 6, 1943, the aircraft crashed during a dive demonstration at Rome Air Depot, New York, when its tail section detached mid-flight. Of the XP-60 series, the XP-60D was the last variant to share significant design elements with the P-40 airframe, as later versions were built on entirely new platforms.

Specifications

Curtiss XP-60D (Model 90B)

General Characteristics

Crew: 1 (Pilot)

Dimensions:

Length: 33 ft 7.5 in (10.23 m)

Height: 12 ft 4 in (3.75 m)

Span: 41 ft 5.25 in (12.62 m)

Wing Area: 275 sq ft (25.54 sq m)

Propeller:

Type: 4-bladed propeller

Diameter: 11 ft (3.35 m)

Powerplant:

Type: Packard/Rolls-Royce V-1650-3 Merlin liquid-cooled engine

Output: 1,350 hp (1,368.72 ps)

Internal Fuel: 135 - 228 US gal. (511 - 863 L)

Weights:

Empty: 7,640 lb (3,465 kg)

Gross: 9,947 lb (4,512 kg)

Performance

Power-to-Weight Ratio: 0.13 hp/lb (0.30 ps/kg)

Wing Loading: 33.7 lb/sq ft (164.8 kg/sq m)

Critical Altitude Speed: 390 mph @ 22,000 ft (627 km/h @ 6,706 m)

Average Initial Rate of Climb: 2,055 fpm

Service Ceiling: 29,000 ft (8,839 m)

Range: ~800 - 1,100 miles (~1,287 - 1,770 km)

Armament

Guns:

6 to 8 x 0.50-cal. M2 Browning machine guns (250 rpg; 2,000 rounds)

Conclusion | Why it should be in the game

The addition of the Curtiss XP-60 series would bring an interesting variety of “what-could-have-beens” to US aviation in War Thunder, offering a potential successor to the P-40 Warhawk. The XP-60D represented an upgraded variant of the initial prototype but remained heavier while still armed with eight heavy machine guns. It was expected to match the speed of the P-40F and excel in Boom-and-Zoom tactics and head-on engagements.

What makes the XP-60 series unique is its flawed but exhaustive development history—a series of prototypes that never fully evolved into a reliable fighter for the US Army Air Forces. Despite its potential, the XP-60 ultimately symbolized Curtiss’ final effort to secure production orders and replace the Warhawk during World War II, an ambition that unfortunately never came to fruition.

Related Suggestions

Sources

Curtiss Aircraft 1907-1947 (1979)
The American Fighter: The Definitive Guide to American Fighter Aircraft from 1917 to the Present (1987)
US Fighters of World War Two (1991)
America’s Hundred Thousand US Production Fighters of WWII (1997)
US Experimental & Prototype Aircraft Projects: Fighters 1939-1945 (2008)
Curtiss Company Profile 1907–1947 (2014)
Curtiss P-60
Curtiss P-60 - Wikipedia

Thank you for taking the time to read my suggestion! 😃

jon_man1199 · October 26, 2024, 12:57am

Oh my, this gets a +1 just for it’s looks.

Teh0 · October 26, 2024, 10:19am

Very happy radiator intake. :D