![]() While provisions were made for an additional two guns, they were never added. This is precisely what the Curtiss-Wright engineers did by mounting two 20 mm cannons and two 12.7 mm M2 machine guns. 2 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns, nose-mounted (200 rpg = 400 total)Īlthough the unconventional XP-55 has its engine and propeller installed at the rear of the aircraft, one bonus of this is that it leaves the entire nose section free to install guns and their associated ammunition.2 x 20 mm AN/M2 cannons, nose-mounted (200 rpg = 400 total).Main articles: AN/M2 (20 mm), M2 Browning (12.7 mm) If needed, try to get the XP-55 to bleed its speed or get into a turn-fight where it will be more difficult for them to manoeuvre out of the way or take back the advantage. Of course, without much armour protection, the pilot can be a target of choice as even small calibre machine gun fire can be enough to take him out. If you can manage to hit the wing-tips, you can take out one of the two rudders throwing off the balance of the aircraft, causing it to spin out of control. When attacking an XP-55, the rear end of the aircraft is the best place to target, as that is where the engine is and is extremely exposed from behind. The aircraft's manoeuvrability can enable it to get some shots off and then manoeuvre out of the way. However, the pilot is in an extremely vulnerable to inbound bullets. Taking this fighter in a head-on with another aircraft is a mixed bag as the XP-55 has the perfect weapon configuration for it. While the headrest armour and the engine protected the pilot from the rear, there were not many stopping bullets from the front, sides, bottom, or top. Without any other protection, the XP-55 was susceptible to machine gun and cannon fire from all directions. While not a fully developed fighter aircraft, the XP-55 prototype initially only sported a 9.5 mm steel plate behind the pilot's headrest. 9.5 mm Steel - Armour plate behind pilot's headrest.9.5 mm Steel - Armour plate behind the control panel.This allows the XP-55 to tackle any target provided that it has an altitude advantage and pull off from them untouched. The plane has earned the nickname "the UFO" from the community due to its ability to dive into an enemy at an insane speed and quickly climb back to high altitude (up to 2,000 m) as well as remaining highly agile. Perhaps the most distinctive characteristic of the XP-55 is its impressive energy retention. Also, when the XP-55 reaches a higher and colder altitude (above 4,000 m), the plane is noticeably faster to accelerate and the engine is less prone to overheating. The engine can start overheating after a few minutes flying on War Emergency Power, especially on hot maps and when the player is using automatic engine controls, but it cools down fast once the power is reduced or after switching to manual engine controls and open the radiator. Stalling characteristics is very different compared to other planes, especially during the flight after reducing the power, it tends to stall without dropping on one wing and with no lean to any side, it can be very dangerous during the landing on the airfield at low speed. Turn rate at very low speed is not satisfying, but it gets better once the plane reaches higher speed (~400 km/h) and once it gets there it turns very well, even near the structural limit speed which is very high. The XP-55's level speed is decent compared to other planes at a similar tier, climb rate is quite good, although the acceleration is mediocre. All four of this aircraft's armament are packed tightly in the nose for devastating results. The Ascender has decent manoeuvrability and best used in a Boom & Zoom function. The XP-55 excels significantly in the ability to climb and dive, and this is your most significant advantage. Flying this aircraft effectively requires a dedication to Energy Fighting. Introduced in Update 1.31, the XP-55 Ascender is unlike anything most players would see in the U.S. Three prototypes were created, but the flight characteristics were deemed not sufficient enough upgrade compared to conventional designs, and incoming jet age caused the US to refocus priority into new jet designs, leading to the cancellation of the XP-55. ![]() With its front horizontal stabilizer (canard) contributing significantly to lift, it effectively acts as part of the wing, allowing the main wing area to be reduced, and also reducing the aircraft's drag. Among the different designs submitted, Curtis-Wright's CW-24B design won out and their aircraft became designated as the XP-55 Ascender. Researching new designs for better fighter and interceptor performances, the United States encouraged companies to develop radical new designs away from conventional fighter aircraft.
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