Hughes XF-11
The Hughes XF-11 (redesignated XR-11 in 1948) was a prototype military reconnaissance aircraft designed and flown by Howard Hughes and built by Hughes Aircraft Company for the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). Although 100 F-11s were ordered in 1943, the program was delayed beyond the end of World War II, rendering the aircraft surplus to USAAF requirements; the production contract was canceled and only two prototypes were completed. During the first XF-11 flight in 1946, piloted by Hughes, the aircraft crashed in Beverly Hills, California, and was destroyed, critically injuring him. The second prototype first flew in 1947, but was used only briefly for testing before being scrapped in 1949. The program was controversial from the beginning, leading the United States Senate to investigate the XF-11 and the Hughes H-4 Hercules flying boat in 1946–1947.
Summary from Wikipedia, photo via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA.
- Manufacturer
- Hughes Aircraft Company
- Country of origin
- United States
- First flight
- 1946-07-07
- Length
- 19.94 m
- Wingspan
- 30.89 m
Specifications
- Max speed
- 390 kt
- Range
- 4,300 nm
- Service ceiling
- 42,000 ft
- Rate of climb
- 1,000 ft/min
- Max takeoff weight
- 58,315 lb
- Empty weight
- 37,100 lb
- Fuel capacity
- 1,200 US gal
- Powerplant
- 2 × Pratt & Whitney R-4360-31 Wasp Major 28-cyl. air-cooled radial piston engines
- Engines
- 2
- Seats
- 2
- Length
- 65.3 ft
- Wingspan
- 101.4 ft
- Number built
- 2
Specifications are approximate and may vary by variant. Compiled from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
Reference and training only. Specifications vary by variant — consult the manufacturer and the official documents.