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Boeing XAT-15 (Crewmaker)

1942 WORLD WAR 2

History

The increasing sophistication of modern military bombers in the late 1930s and early 1940s, coupled with the threat of war in Europe and the Pacific, prompted the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) to seek dedicated bombers. Coaching Platform. Bombers of the time can be seen with dedicated radios for each crew member, from bombardiers and navigators to radio operators and machine gunners. Traditionally, the Bombardier has the best view from the plane, with the navigator usually close behind from the nose.

The radio operator was located somewhere behind the cockpit, and machine gun positions were placed around the aircraft to provide a defensive network against interception of enemy fighter jets.

Boeing XAT-15 as candidate to fill potentially lucrative USAAC 1,000 aircraft deal. A twin-engine layout was chosen to better train future pilots, co-pilots and flight engineers on the hassles of multi-engine operation, and to use a deep fuselage to accommodate crew members and instructors. Inside is a bomb bay that holds ten conventional 100-pound throwing bombs and four .30 caliber machine guns, equipped to practice air defense against moving targets on mobile platforms.

The aircraft features a high-wing monoplane profile and a single-rudder tail, the latter having a low horizontal plane. The nose is partially glazed and uses a stepped cockpit layout overlooking the nose - the pilot can clearly see each engine nacelle located on the leading edge of each wing.

Trailing and wheeled landing gear were installed, and the engine of choice was 2 x Pratt & Whitney R-1340-AN-1 "Wasp" air-cooled radial piston units mounted under the wings. The aircraft's structure is made of welded steel pipes covered in plywoodnecessary due to the scarcity of metal needed for the ongoing American war.

The first flight of the XAT-15 prototype took place in 1942, making it one of the earliest projects to be handed over to Boeing's Wichita (Kansas) division (the plant was Stillman Aircraft until 1939). one. Performance specs include a top speed of 207 mph, a range of up to 850 miles, and a service ceiling of up to 18,900 feet.

After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, the XAT-15 program was eventually shelved in light of the growing U.S. commitment to World War II. This puts the XAT-15 low on the priority list, as USAAC turns its attention to procuring various types of bombers.

A dedicated trainer is a luxury, and the training platform is simply molded from an existing bomber design for convenience - leaving the XAT-15 with no role or the buyer.