Republic XP-72
The Republic XP-72 was an American prototype fighter-interceptor developed by Republic Aircraft as a progression of the P-47 Thunderbolt design. The XP-72 was designed around the Pratt & Whitney R-4360 Wasp Major 28-cylinder air-cooled radial engine with a supercharger mounted behind the pilot and driven by an extension shaft from the engine. The armament consisted of six .50 caliber (12.7 mm) wing-mounted Browning AN/M2 machine guns and underwing racks for two 1,000 lb bombs; Alternative armament packages included two 37 mm M4 autocannons with four .50 caliber AN/M2s, or four M4 autocannons.
Summary from Wikipedia, photo via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA.
- Manufacturer
- Republic Aviation Corporation
- First flight
- 1944-02-02
Specifications
- Max speed
- 430 kt
- Range
- 1,000 nm
- Service ceiling
- 42,000 ft
- Rate of climb
- 5,280 ft/min
- Max takeoff weight
- 17,490 lb
- Empty weight
- 11,476 lb
- Powerplant
- 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-4360-13 radial engine
- Engines
- 1
- Seats
- 1
- Length
- 36.6 ft
- Wingspan
- 40.9 ft
- Height
- 16 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.