The Fisher P-75 Eagle is a single-seat, piston-engined fighter built by General Motors' Fisher Body Division for the U.S. Army Air Forces. It was assembled from the parts of other aircraft and first flew in 1943, but only 14 were built before a 2,500-aircraft order was cancelled in October 1944. Developed by Fisher Body Division, General Motors.
The Fisher P-75 Eagle is a single-seat, piston-engined fighter built by General Motors' Fisher Body Division for the U.S. Developed by Fisher Body Division, General Motors.
Photo: USAF Museum, Public domainSee Specifications for full detail.
The Fisher P-75 Eagle is an American single-seat, piston-engined fighter built by the Fisher Body Division of General Motors for the U.S. Army Air Forces. It began in September 1942 as a high-climb interceptor, was reworked as a long-range escort, and used parts from other aircraft to speed up production. [1] [2]
Eight XP-75 prototypes and six P-75A production-standard aircraft were built. The Army Air Forces cancelled the order for 2,500 aircraft on 6 October 1944, by which time the P-51 Mustang and P-47 Thunderbolt were already doing the escort job. [1] [2]
The Army Air Forces issued a requirement in September 1942 for a fighter with an extremely high rate of climb, powered by the Allison V-3420 engine. The targets were 440 mph, a 38,000 ft ceiling, a 2,500-mile range and an initial climb of 5,600 ft per minute. In October 1942 Fisher Body received a contract for two XP-75 prototypes. [2] [3]
In mid-1943 the need had shifted from interceptors to long-range escorts, and six more XP-75s were ordered. The Army also let a production order for 2,500 aircraft that could be cancelled if the first P-75A proved unsatisfactory. General Motors planned to build the fighter from existing components, which was meant to allow assembly in about six months. [2] [3]
The layout resembled the Bell P-39, with the engine amidships behind the pilot and extension shafts driving six-bladed contra-rotating propellers. The outer wing panels came from the Curtiss P-40 (the original design called for North American P-51 panels), the tail from the Douglas A-24 and the landing gear from the Vought F4U Corsair. [2] [3]
The Allison V-3420 had 24 cylinders and was essentially two V-1710 engines on a common crankcase. It was rated at 2,600 hp as the V-3420-19 in the XP-75 and 2,885 hp as the V-3420-23 in the P-75A. The P-75A was 40 ft 5 in (12.32 m) long with a 49 ft 4 in (15.04 m) span, weighed 19,420 lb loaded and carried ten .50 calibre machine guns and two 500 lb bombs. [2] [1]
The first XP-75 flew on 17 November 1943 and the second followed shortly after, with all six long-range XP-75s in the test programme by spring 1944. Problems included a miscalculated centre of mass, an engine that underperformed, inadequate cooling, high aileron forces at high speed and poor spin characteristics. [2]
Fisher answered some of these with a modified tail, a new bubble canopy and the V-3420-23 engine, and the first P-75A entered flight testing in September 1944. The aircraft was described as slow and unstable, stalling and spinning in ordinary dogfighting manoeuvres, and the P-75A never completed formal performance trials. Its best speed of 433 mph at 20,000 ft fell short of the 440 mph target. [2] [3]
Production was terminated on 6 October 1944, with the Army Air Forces favouring aircraft such as the P-38 and P-51. The six completed P-75As were used for experimental work and for V-3420 engine development. [2]
One P-75A, 44-44553, survives at the National Museum of the United States Air Force near Dayton, Ohio. Staff found extensive airframe deterioration in 1999, which led to a full restoration, and the aircraft was moved into the museum's new fourth building on 7 October 2015. It is displayed in the Research & Development Gallery with an Allison V-3420 engine and drive train. [2] [1]
The Fisher P-75 Eagle has a top speed of 376 kn (433 mph / 697 km/h).
A total of 14 were built.
No, the Fisher P-75 Eagle programme was cancelled.
The Fisher P-75 Eagle first flew on November 17th 1943.
The Fisher P-75 Eagle has a range of 2,050 mi (3,300 km).
One P-75A survives.
The P-75 flew only as a prototype and test aircraft in 1943 and 1944, so it cannot appear on Flightradar24. The one surviving P-75A is in the Research & Development Gallery at the National Museum of the United States Air Force near Dayton, Ohio.
| Performance | |
| Max Speed | 376 kn (433 mph / 697 km/h) |
|---|---|
| Cruise SpeedCruise Speed — The economical speed an aircraft sustains for the bulk of a flight - lower than maximum speed, chosen for the best balance of time and fuel burn. Glossary → | Not publicly disclosed |
| RangeRange — How far an aircraft can fly without refuelling. Quoted figures vary with payload, speed and reserves - see also ferry range and combat radius. Glossary → | 2,050 mi |
| Service CeilingService Ceiling — The highest altitude at which an aircraft can still climb at a useful rate (typically 100 ft/min). Above it, the air is too thin to keep climbing meaningfully. Glossary → | 36,400 ft |
| Airframe & Weight | |
| Wingspan | 49 ft 4 in |
| Length | 40 ft 5 in |
| Height | 15 ft 6 in |
| WeightMTOW — Maximum Take-Off Weight - the heaviest an aircraft is certified to be at the start of its take-off run, including fuel, crew, payload and the aircraft itself. Glossary → | empty: 11,495 lb; loaded: 19,420 lb |
| Power & Payload | |
| Engines | 1 x Allison V-3420-23 24-cylinder liquid-cooled engine, 2,885 hp (2,151 kW), driving two six-bladed contra-rotating propellers |
| ArmamentArmament — The weapons an aircraft can carry: guns, missiles, bombs and rockets, whether mounted internally, on wing hardpoints, or in bomb bays. Glossary → | 10 x .50 cal (12.7 mm) machine guns (six in the wings, four in the fuselage) and two 500 lb bombs |
| Crew | 1 |
| CapacityPayload — Everything an aircraft is carrying that isn't the aircraft or its fuel: passengers, cargo, or weapons. Payload and fuel usually trade off against each other. Glossary → | Two 500 lb bombs |
| Program & Service | |
| Manufacturer | Fisher Body Division, General Motors |
| Origin | United States |
| First Flight | November 17th 1943 |
| Service Entry | Never entered service |
| Retired | 1944 |
| Number Built | 14 |
| Unit Cost | Reported: ~$12.2M (unconfirmed) |
2 notable events involving the P-75 Eagle, 1943 to 1944. Curated rather than exhaustive.
The first XP-75 made its first flight, and the second followed shortly after.
The Army Air Forces ended the programme and cancelled the order for 2,500 P-75As, favouring aircraft such as the P-38 and P-51.
| XP-75 | Eight prototypes were built. The first two flew from 17 November 1943 as high-climb interceptors with the 2,600 hp V-3420-19. Six more were ordered in mid-1943 as long-range escort fighters, and all six were in the test programme by spring 1944. The tests exposed the cooling, balance, aileron and spin problems. |
| P-75A | Six production-standard aircraft were built with a modified tail, a bubble canopy and the 2,885 hp V-3420-23. The first entered flight testing in September 1944. The order for 2,500 was cancelled on 6 October 1944, and the six aircraft were used for experimental work and V-3420 engine development. |
One P-75A survives.
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