Stearman XA-21

XA-21
Type	Ground attack
Manufacturer	Stearman
Maiden flight	1938
Status	Prototype
Primary user	U.S. Army Air Corps
Number built	1

The Stearman Model X-100 was a competitor in an United States Army Air Corps competition for a twin-engined attack aircraft which (after redesigns) lead to the A-20 Havoc, A-22 Maryland and B-25 Mitchell.

The X-100, designated XA-21 following purchase by the Army Air Corps, featured an unusual cockpit arrangement with a streamlined greenhouse canopy enclosing both the pilot and bombardier stations. This was found to restrict the pilot's forwards vision, and the aircraft was rebuilt with a conventional nose and cockpit structure. Although this did not significantly affect performance, the XA-21 was not ordered into production.

Specifications (XA-21)

Data from J. Baugher

General characteristics

• Crew: 3
• Length: 53 ft 1 in (16.18 m)
• Wingspan: 65 ft 0 in (19.81 m)
• Height: 14 ft 2 in (4.32 m)
• Wing area: 607 ft² (56.39 m²)
• Empty weight: 12,760 lb (5,789 kg)
• Loaded weight: 18,230 lb (8,269 kg)
• Useful load: 5,560 lb (2,520 kg)
• Powerplant: 2× Pratt & Whitney R-2180-7 radial engines, 1,400 hp (1,030 kW) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 223 knots (257 mph, 414 km/h)
• Cruise speed: 174 knots (200 mph, 322 km/h)
• Wing loading: 30.0 lb/ft² (147 kg/m²)
• Power/mass: 0.15 hp/b (250 W/kg)

Armament

• Guns:
  
  • 4× wing-mounted 0.30 in (7.62 mm) machine guns
  • 1× nose-mounted 0.30 in machine gun
  • 4× aft-firing 0.30 in machine guns
• Bombs: 2,700 lb (1,200 kg)

Related content

Designation sequence
A-18 - YA-19 - A-20 - XA-21 - A-22 - A-23 - A-24 Related lists

• List of military aircraft of the United States