Convair XB-53 Forward Swept Wing Bomber
by Erik Simonsen
Title
Convair XB-53 Forward Swept Wing Bomber
Artist
Erik Simonsen
Medium
Digital Art - Photographs & Digital Illustrations
Description
What Might Have Been: Inflight view of a conceptual operational FSW (Forward-Swept-Wing) USAF Convair B-53 medium bomber as it may have appeared in service. Following the end of WWII in April 1945, under Project LUSTY (Luftwaffe Secret Technology), U.S. forces secured captured German aeronautical/rocket data/equipment. The 1940s USAAF medium bomber competition was underway when the U.S. government released the information to all pertinent U.S. industry and critical decisions had to be made. For the competition, Convair did not modify its XB-46 to a swept-wing aircraft or, build a second XB-46 prototype. Instead, Convair directed funds for its then-classified FSW XA-44 (XB-53) program. The aircraft was a more radical three-engine attack/medium bomber design with 30-degree forward-swept-wings. The XA-44 (XB-53) never moved forward and the program was cancelled in 1949. Competitor Martin also did not modify its six-engine ‘straight-wing’ XB-48 bomber. Meanwhile, Boeing examined the captured data and at their own expense halted the XB-47 assembly and changed the configuration to a six-engine swept-wing bomber. As history followed, the XB-47’s superior performance helped Boeing secure the USAF medium bomber contract.
Uploaded
April 5th, 2023
Statistics
Viewed 254 Times - Last Visitor from Gastonia, NC on 04/18/2024 at 5:40 AM
Embed
Share
Sales Sheet
Comments
There are no comments for Convair XB-53 Forward Swept Wing Bomber. Click here to post the first comment.