Northrop XP-56       42-38353

                                    

                                        A rather featureless (at least, horizon-less) image of  the second of the two XP-56 prototypes. This
                                        aircraft was a development of the earlier N-1M Flying Wing design, and represented an extremely
                                        advanced design for its time.  This second prototype had a larger upper fin than the first machine,
                                        which crashed during testing in 1943.   The massive R-2830-28 Wasp engine cooled by air from
                                        wing-root intakes was alleged to have driven it at 465 mph at 20,000 ft.    The type was probably
                                        too radical for its time and it, along with several other of the advanced XP-5x series fighters passed
                                        into oblivion.