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The Convair XB-53 was a proposed jet-powered medium bomber aircraft, designed by Convair for the United States Army Air Forces. It looked promising enough at one point for the Army Air Force to consider canceling the XB-46 in favor of the XA-44, since there was not enough funding for both.

Classified as a medium bomber, the XB-53 would have carried up to 12,000 pounds of bombs as well as 40 High Velocity Aerial Rockets (HVAR) mounted on underwing pylons.

|prime units?=kts

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General characteristics

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|crew=four

|length m=24.2

|span m=24.6

|height m=7.22

|wing area sqft=1,370

|empty weight lb=31,760

|max takeoff weight lb=60,000

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Powerplant

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|eng1 number=3

|eng1 name=Allison J35

|eng1 type=turbojets

|eng1 lbf=4,000<!-- jet/rocket engines -->

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Performance

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|max speed mph=580

|range miles=2,000

|ceiling ft=44,000

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Armament

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|bombs=

See also

References

Notes

Bibliography

  • Andrade, John M. U.S. Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909. Earl Shilton, Leicester: Midland Counties Publications, 1979. .
  • Jones, Lloyd S. U.S. Bombers, B-1 1928 to B-1 1980s. Fallbrook, California: Aero Publishers, 1962, second edition 1974. .
  • Knaack, Marcelle Size. Encyclopedia of U.S. Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems, Volume II – Post-World War II Bombers 1945–1973. Washington, D.C.: Office of Air Force History, USAF, 1988. .
  • Wagner, Ray. American Combat Planes – Second Edition. Garden City, New York: Doubleday and Company, 1968. .
  • Convair XB-53, from USAF Museum
  • Convair XB-53 – Aviation Enthusiast Corner
  • Fantastic Plastic model of the Convair XB-53